Oh. Ok. Now you are talking. That is something to be considered. I'm sure your side will provide some retirement statistics that favor your argument. But, this is where age 65 might hurt your retirement argument. The further out your retirements are, the less likely the arbitrators will take them into consideration.

Also, be prepared for the Air Tran rebuttal to go something like this ("How they got hurt."):

"Yeah, but we had aircraft deliveries scheduled and growth that SWA pilots will get to take advantage of that more than offsets those higher retirement rates."

Of course, they will provide statistics that are favorable to their argument.

Also, before you even mention SWA's future 737-800 deliveries, it's a good chance they will make an argument that those aircraft were ordered after constructive notice of the merger and that all new SWA pilots should take part of that growth, including them.

And it will go on and on and on and on......until they run out of time. That's why each side is given a time limit to present their argument. Lawyers get paid by the hour and can come up with a subsequent, competing argument for just about anything.

See what fun SLI arbitration hearing can be?

Just hope you only have to go through one.


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