Here's the way the grandfathered rates sound to me: existing XJ guys get those rates as long as they are in their current seat. FO upgrades or goes over to a jet or Q, not more grandfathered rate. CA bids to a CA seat (or FO seat) on any other equipment, no more grandfathered rate. CA or FO is DISPLACED into another airframe because the Saab was reduced, no more grandfathered rate. Honestly, I don't see these rates hanging out very long since Delta is parking the Saabs anyway. The only way for those guys to keep their grandfathered rate is to follow their seat to another base. If you're a MSP/MEM/DTW Saab CA/FO at XJ, in 2 or 3 years, you're either gonna be in a different seat or a different base.

I think a lot of guys are just looking at the DOS pay rates and crying "BS!!!" rather than a) looking at the TA as a whole and b) looking at the life of the contract. Over the life of the contract, the Q doesn't pay less than the -200.....it pays the same. Like was mentioned, by year 3, the Q is at Horizon's current rates. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that what Colgan pilots WANTED?!?!? If you told Colgan pilots they'd be getting Horizon rates on the Q in their new contract this time last year, you'd be met with looks of disbelief. Now, it's not enough. Odds are VERY good that Horizon's pay rates are either gonna stagnate or reverse because of their agreement to baseball style arbitration.

The whole "the Q400 is where the growth is, so it should pay better" makes no sense. If Delta announced they were gonna be growing the 737s in their fleet, should it pay more than the 777 or the 757? If we took delivery of another 30 Qs, it would still be fewer than the number of -900s and way fewer than the number of -200s.

In the end, everyone has to make the choice for themselves. If some feel that the split pay rate on the Saab or the Q400 pay rates outweigh the other aspects of the contract, then it's your right to vote "no" on the deal. I'm not a huge fan of the health care premiums and co-pays going up as much as they do for 9E, but I don't think it's enough to kill the whole deal for me. At the end of the day, I'm still taking home more $$$ with better protections on my QoL even with the increased health care costs.