Originally Posted by
dracir1
You and I have been back and forth about this. The current contract had QoL as the #1 priority. Howd that work out 6-9 years later?
We really should not be short sighted and look at empty open time today and conclude "well if we don't have plentiful open time today what good is trade/drop/swap?"
Think long term. You don't want to sell these rules for some pot of money, the company would love to do that for a reason. United gave away forcing upgrades on new hires and that's leverage they'll never have again. We absolutely shouldn't give up our QoL rules but instead reinforce them. We need to BUILD on our QoL rules, not trash them. I want legacy rates but I do not see it happening in the 2020s and I think we need to have an honest discussion about that.
I meet a ton of pilots who are here for the work rules, not the rate. In their minds we will never make legacy rates dollar for dollar and they're ok with that. Rates are overrated folks. Rates sell you the QoL gutting. Don't accept abysmal pay - but being within 5-15% with stellar work rules is a win.
Originally Posted by
dracir1
Again, ULCC has MANY variations. Southwest was once one - the laughing stock of the industry. Smaller planes flying regional routes. Cheaper labor. They even had to deal w/ a law that prevented intranational flying (from Texas) for a while. They obviously aren't that anymore. Do you think the owner/CEO wanted to stay like that or now wish they could go back?
It IS possible to have customer service AND charge less. What does it take? Well, cheaper CASM to start (we have that). It takes a slow, steady growth process emphasizing brand loyalty thru a robust rewards and credit card program (we're a little late but are trying this). It also involves an emphasis from the top on taking care of the customer through employees who feel takin care of by the company (we don't have that). This can only come from an INVESTMENT into the employee. Sooner or later, you gotta SPEND money with the hopes of making more.
Does our current management team think like this? I don't think so, honestly.
Originally Posted by
dracir1
BUSINESS MODELS are choices and MUST change/adapt/become better to remain profitable. Like Kirby said, the existing ULCC is dead. He's right. The future is death if we stay the way we are. As already mentioned, the new ULCC model needs to change and it MUST incorporate market labor costs. Anything else won't work. Back in the day, SW pilots were willing to work for less to become part of something special that would pay out later. NO ONE is gonna work for less forever and be OK with it.
I think Frontier will adapt, I just don't trust this management team to be smart about how it does. Scott Kirby is forward thinking. We are totally reactive and never ahead of what is coming and I think that's a clear recipe for mediocre results or worse.