Originally Posted by
sailingfun
The simple fact of the entire FAPA/SWA discussion is that FAPA felt SWA wanted the airline badly. They felt that in the end SWA would drop the clause requiring a pilot agreement from the purchase offer and would be the winning bidder. FAPA would then have access to binding arbitration under the new federal law. It was a gamble that back fired. If they looked at the Delta/NWA merger in which management at Delta made a similiar promise to the pilots and then stiffed them they may have felt that the outcome they hoped for was logical.
Originally Posted by
sailingfun
FAPA knows that the reality of the pilots at Frontier enjoying the same quality of life and pay at RAH verses SWA even with a staple at SWA is virtually nil. They gambled and it did not work out. Now its about spin.
I follow your logic but as a FAPA member I disagree with your conclusion wholeheartedly. If FAPA accepted a staple-job from SWAPA our BOD would have been tarred and feathered by our pilot group. Not only is it counter to the MB Act and would set horrible precident, but it would probably be illegal as well. Oh, there are a few Lynx pilots with stars in their eyes and a few wannabe F9ers that would have liked it, but by and large this group will tell any suitor where they can place their stapler. Not unlike SWA 20 years ago, we here at F9 are proud of what we built and the sacrafices that we've made. We are not going to sell out for SWA's 20 gold pieces and go away quietly. We built this motherfocker. If you want it you are going to have to come take the SOB.
Now, as far as the future goes, you could be right, but when I got in this business SWA was a joke (like RAH is now) and no self-respecting pilot would go there when a career at Delta, Northwest, Pan Am, etc could be had. Many of us went down that road and found ourselves back at places like Frontier after the fallout. Crystal Ball it all you want, but nobody knows the future.