Originally Posted by
FXLAX
This is what I was trying to say in post #462 above. Like you said, we should have trigger points that work both ways. Otherwise we keep could keep seeing situations such as what is happening with ASL recently where those flights are simply moved over to other airlines. Scope is existential to our livelihoods and pilots need to understand that. They need to know that right now the bigger risk isn’t FedEx going out of business and the pension going to the PBGC. The bigger risk is that we don’t own any of our flying. It’s like going through life without any insurance of any kind. It’s great not to have to pay the premiums, until the day you wished you had that insurance policy.
The company couldn’t afford or be competitive replacing our FedEx flying (Within Scope/RLA/NMB) purview in large amounts with contractors due to the penalty payments it would trigger. Didn’t 6-8 airframes cost them over 22 million for a 14 month period. Multiply that over a larger scale. Then add in the cost of the actual contract for the third-party vendor to fly it. Are you not understanding the math?
The 9th freedom rights flying isn’t able to be scoped under the RLA/NMB and hold any credibility within international courts. Read up on UA flight attendants case. It’s case law. Plain and simple.
The belly freight I agree needs more defined language. As others and myself have pointed out though it obviously can’t be counted on for consistent service. It is obviously purely being used as supplemental only when pax airlines have availability. International flying for the passenger airlines is still subdued so they have a little extra room. When things get back to normal, no way they are kicking revenue passengers off to take our half priced boxes.