I’m not against profit sharing. Most of the pilots I talk to or fly with here aren’t against profit sharing. However the very crux of profit sharing is based on confidence in management to run the company in a way that consistently yields profits significant enough to share. One day the combined JetBlue may be large enough to complete with the biggest industry players and boast record profits. But between now and then billions need to be spent on planes and infrastructure and training and personnel. Shrewd strategies developed to navigate the pitfalls and industry events, wedge into competitive markets, and develop a product that stands out against well capitalized peers.

To me profit sharing is playing the long game, and yes I get the “negotiate for it now while it’s cheap” philosophy, but I’m under no illusions of seeing legacy sized checks for many years to come. What I can do for my family in the near term is preserve my unparalleled schedule flexibility, and raise my pay and benefits which continue to grow my retirement.