It's not completely the idea of "whose" flying it is. It is more the idea of where did the flying come from. 14 months ago Midwest was flying 37 B-717s/MD-80s.Much of that flying was transferred to another operator in some sort of back door arrangement.The then majority owner of Midwest(TPG) still sits on the RAH board.It has all the appearance of being a way to rewind the clock on pilot longevity pay.I don't think RAH management cares who flys the aircraft. They just want it done as cheaply as possible, which means with their contract and with the most junior longevity pilots they can get.
The Midwest pilot group lost the battle on pay and work rules with the sale. So it goes. Now the hope is that some will get to at least keep flying with some sort of integration proceedure.Morally,to my way of thinking, it is only logical that any flying hours gained from the purchase of Midwest should only be operated by the Midwest pilot group. (this is not to say Milwaukee /Midwest flying, but rather an equivalent number of hours that Bedford added to his flying by his purchase of Midwest and their decision to purge the Douglas fleet)
Some thoughts as to Southwest/ATA. Just cause they did it doesn't make it right. Southwest did an even worse screwing to the Muse boys back in 87. Don't you think at some point all of this has to stop? The Teamsters have a golden opportunity here to make every carrier want to be a part of them. Imagine...a Teamster national senority list as part of every Teamster contract. A Teamster merger policy carved in stone..not marshmellow. A real chance to undo the damage that any merger does future cockpit harmony with a national policy that everyone knows beforehand. Imagine...maybe you will join us?