A Theory to talk about.....
Over the past few years I have been playing with a notion that there is a way to create a virtual airline where airlines like DAL, AMR and UAUA become third party operators like our regional lift. It goes like this:
It seems to have started with all of these Open Skies Accords which in effect get rid of cabatoge. (Will allow an airline from outside of that countries borders to operate point to point within another country) As we the US and other nations all sign on to this notion we have effective opened a door that many cannot see today.
What happens is airlines like AF and DAL become a operator under contract with Skyteam Airlines providing lift for the skyteam code. Most say, "yeah, what is the point, we basically do that now?"
Well the point is that as a Skyteam airlines becomes an airline that has all of its money spent to the third party operators and those airlines pay the taxes to said countries the countries and their governments will not complain. It sells tickets on its code and we operate for it.
The next step in very important"
As these Fee for Departure contracts expire airlines like ASA, Republic do not renew with Delta, they sign a contract like DAL's with skyteam providing lift for the Skyteam ticket code. This in effect nullifies our Section one as the are not flying for Delta and now for skyteam the same airline DAL is under contract to fly for.
In the end it means that republic or the like can fly whatever skyteam wants them to fly with no regard to our section one. AF can fly our 777 routes, with no regard to the JV as the flying is now Skyteam's and not each airlines. As all airlines now can fly point to point in any country the airline can be incorporated where unions are illegal and the new entity cannot be hampered with collective agreements. It allows our worst fears and by my read would be totally unstoppable with current wording in most PWA's.
I bet that the government will look the other way as long as the tax money shows up and it is done under the auspice of lower prices for the consumer.
I am not posting this in reference to anything nor an event. It is just one of the many ways I can see much of the remaining quality of this career being killed and done so under most of the current rules. The only thing that needs to be done is open skies accords with all countries. I guess if a few countries do not agree to Open Skies or the like could just JV with their airlines and work around that as well.
Thoughts????
Many I have talked to see this as quite plausible.