Originally Posted by
Justdoinmyjob
How many pilots at AAI were / are still furloughed? And how many of them would have been YX pilots after a merger? Just spitballin, but suppose AAI had bought Midwest. With them preoccupied by the merger, and having their cash stretched thin, do you really think that Delta wouldn't have gone for the knockout punch and put even more economic pressure on AAI?
Either way, I have a feeling that the Midwest pilots were hosed. And it's your management's fault that the company was put in a position for this to happen. You need to look at the real culprits here, not go tilting at perceived Bogeymen.
I agree... management is the real culprit for Midwests failure.
But why did NWA/Delta pay top dollar for Midwest?
answer: To buy market share and block AirTrans growth.
The big difference is DALPA changed the scope language to cut out the Midwest (ALPA) pilots. Non-legacy carriers (listen up AirTran) better hire separate legal counsel to negotiate your employment contract and pay lower dues to ALPA National.
The Midwest pilots paid MILLIONS to ALPA national and they negotiated (approved) a WEAK SCOPE SECTION!!!
ALPA National is not worth the money
ps, Don't tell me the Midwest pilots understood or would have agreed to a contract without scope protection. ALPA national was paid millions for legal services and the Midwest pilots got taken to the cleaners.