Don't think so. The ALPA-bashers seem to think that Scope is merely 50-, 70-, and 76-seat RJs, and that the damage done to our mainline flying has been A TOTAL FAILURE! (emphasis added to match the stridency)

If you've read Section 1, you know it addresses threats from all quadrants: RJ's, other large jet operators (domestic), foreign airlines, and alter-ego airlines ("Song", "Ted", etc). You also know it's weaker than it should be. What few seem willing to admit is that it protects more than most.

The Visceral Venters need a villain to blame for the erosion of our Scope, and ALPA is it. If only we'd manned-up, shut 'er down, and positioned snipers in key positions overlooking Ft Widget, none of this would've happened! ALPA sold us out!

They don't want to blame the system or the process. Those are difficult things to study, understand, or accept. It's easier to blame fellow pilots or the staff we hire to support us.

Our Scope is where it is because we don't have full control over the system or the process. We understand that we should try to control as much of them as possible, and that's what leads us to where we are now - A small group believe the same lawyers and advisors that convinced AMFA to man-up at Northwest in 2005, and PFAA to take the the hard line the next year, will lead us to a tougher, meaner, cheaper way to gain "full control of the process!" (I won't spoil how those movies ended. Look 'em up)

The rest of us believe we gain more control over the process (maximizing gains in good times; minimizing losses in bad times) through ALPA. It isn't perfect, or even near-perfect...but it's better than Brand X, Brand Y, or Brand DPA. We believe the fellow pilots we elected when they tell us that taking the AMFA strategy would have yielded AMFA results. Look over the fence and tell us how the hardliners at APA have done over the past 5-years.

Experts on Scope who weren't at the table - and I sure as heck wasn't - aren't experts on Scope. But we can look around and see RJs being parked, mainline jets coming back online, Shamrock flying someone else's flights, and joint ventures that yield more flying for us...and accept the word of the pilots we elect to direct our experts, that we're doing ok, and making a difference. All of them, and I mean ALL of them, want better Scope, more pay, better work rules, and better benefits. No exceptions. The rub is how we get there. Apparently, 1,531 Delta pilots think there's a better way. Good for them. When their rally is over, and it's time to get busy on our next contract, I hope all of them will display that same energy to help.

Right now, all they're doing is showing management how divided we are.