I think discussing an SLI with Alaska is extremely premature, but I'd like to state my argument on principle...
First, I agree that to a CERTAIN extent, this industry is a crapshoot. You're right - UAL, TWA and PanAm are all good examples of this. Another good example would be life in general. Right now, I'm a happy healthy airline pilot. Tomorrow I could be hit by a bus, and be a miserable paraplegic on disability. Who knows?
But when we're talking about Delta Airlines purchasing Alaska Airlines, we're talking about something different. UAL's suffering is due to bad management - not an SLI. TWA and PanAm pilots were forced to accept a "less than career expectation SLI" because they had no other choice - it was that, or hit the unemployment line. The fate of the TWA, PanAm and UAL pilots are the equivalent of being hit by a bus. If DAL buys Alaska, both pilot groups have choices, and as such, I think we ought to CHOOSE to preserve everyone's career expectations to the best of our abilities.
For instance, I only applied to 4 majors, with these 3 career expectations in mind:
1. Passenger flying
2. NYC base
3. WB International flying
I think it's a "reasonable" career expectation that DAL isn't going to turn into a cargo carrier, close their NYC base, or turn into an NB Domestic carrier anytime in the next 10 years. I never expected DAL to stay exactly "as is." This is my 3rd airline, I've been furloughed - I know the drill - we could get hit by a bus. But I weighed a LOT of factors in coming here - and even with the merger of NWA and a purchase of Alaska, DAL will still meet my "career expectations." And yet, due to "minimal fences," *I* may not be able to achieve them, because some NWA and Alaska pilots (who NEVER had those expectations) will be taking my place instead. I don't think that's fair. I might as well have just gone to the NYC based NB domestic carrier that also made me an offer.
Second, I don't believe that merging by category is fair either. I am NOT a NB Domestic pilot by
choice - I'm stuck there because of the economy and the NWA merger. But the Alaska pilots ARE NB Domestic by CHOICE, because they CHOSE to work for an airline that doesn't have WB Intl flying in their business model or plans for the future. If we simply maintained the code-share for a few more months or years, I would be WB Intl getting SLI-ed at a higher ratio - and the Alaska pilots would still be merged at the same NB Domestic ratio they would be today. Why should my future company seniority be lumped in with theirs?
Third, I agree that lifetime fences or any extreme form of fences is detrimental to the company's bottom line - which ultimately protects ALL of our seniority. However, fences for 5-10 years, gives the people who rightfully applied to their respective companies with certain reasonable career expectations, a chance to GET ON the equipment and INTO the bases they wanted before someone else has the chance. Of course, I also believe the Alaska flying should be fenced as well. I'm sure their pilots don't want our guys swarming their LAX and SEA bases a year from now.
I understand that "minimal fences" is better for the bottom line - but I bet there are plenty of management types out there that might argue that paying every pilot less than $100/hr is better for the bottom line as well. And I don't see us accepting that...?
