Originally Posted by
Ftrooppilot
IF there were a
severe pilot shortage "Pilot groups" such as those at regionals become a high value marketable product. Their companies and contractors will be very defensive. To nulify is to render or declare legally void or inoperative.
The lawyers would have a ball and use up all those fund that could be defered into regional pilot pay.
A better idea (perhaps less legally complicated) would be to staple a wholy owned like Mesaba, implement regional aircraft pay rates similar to Jet Blue (helps retention), build a three year fence to preclude downward bidding (ie. DC9 FO to CRJ Capt) and allow senior regional pilot advancement to the major as attrition (retirements, etc.) causes losses at the top.
Is that a pipe dream of what.
I do not think your idea is a pipe dream although I don't think there will ever be a severe pilot shortage. The operating cost at Mesaba is not that low especially in view of that fact almost all pilots are now at a 3 year payrate and top 250 or so are making way more than a third year DAL pilot. With the recent pay snap back provisions, I would say the top 150 or so are making over $120,000 and the top 151 to 250 are making close to $100,000 if not more. Plus Mesaba already has work rules matching very close to NWA/DAL work rules. Only few items are left out like Trip duty rig (Mesaba has min day of 4 hours and trip guaranty which is pay protected), 100% DH pay (Mesaba only pays 50%), min overnight no less than 10 hours (Mesaba is 9 hours but this is going to be changed soon if the Congress passes its proposed legislation on the FAA Crew duty and rest requirement), and few LC/SC reserve rules which I am not that familiar with.
Can it happen? I think it can, but the likelihood of it happening is remote. The numbers has to justify stapling all Mesaba pilots to the DAL list and how to deal with the top 150 or so senior pilots at Mesaba to agree to stapling would pose a serious challenge. I am not sure how many pilots within this top 150 are already over the age 60, but I think there are more than a few.