I still don't get how (in any scenario) a United furloughed pilot gets hosed. If you are furloughed, your time sitting on the street until recall will be halfed post merger. If you are furlough #1000, you now have 400/500 retirements a year beginning in 2012 vs. 200/300. You may be back at work even faster once scope is hashed out. Once recalled, you will move up 400/500 numbers per year.

The one area where you may get hosed is widebody/narrowbody. UAL has a much greater ratio that CAL. CAL's pay structure, if adopted in the joint contract (SNB, LNB, WB) should make up for much of the difference.

Still, getting back to work two to three years faster, combined with the same pay on the 737 as you would have on the 757 is a much better deal than a UAL furlough had pre-merger.

I am not trying to flame or pick a fight, but is there something that I am missing here?