Work could be a bit more diplomatic, but his basic point is valid. The ONLY reason B6 is even on the West Coast is that Angle Lake abandoned the LGB slots they got when they merged with Jet A.

When B6 started sniffing around VX, they panicked and over paid.

If they hadn't rejected Delta's need for more SEA feed they could have kept DAL out of their fortress hub. But they dicked that up, too. That created the perfect storm that REQUIRED an acquisition of VX.

And, yes, I meant acquisition not merger. It's not a merger of equals. If I was the arbitrator I'd give VX pilots DoH and no bump, no flush. Period. That's all they deserve after a decade of undercutting AS pay and benefits as a NON-UNION LCC.

Fire away.

 

What scares me is that management is gong to do the same with the VX routes. Turtle everything back into Seattle and let everyone else swoop in and take the California market share that they said they were targeting. Would be a shame to spend $4.5 billion and let JB take the routes anyway.

As for the undercutting Alaska's pay that's just not true. I don't think you guys realize what we actually made here. My hourly rate was $185 but I grossed just under $250k. Maybe guys sitting reserve or minimum fliers didn't make the same but I could easily credit 95-105 hours every month and still have 15-17 days off per month. At to that a 2-3% bonus every 3 months and 13% profit sharing, 12% 401k contribution and things weren't quite as dire as you might think. With the JCBA I'm looking at around 12-15% increase on a $57/hr raise. Not the windfall I keep reading about.

 

I'm curious as to why you keep saying pilots from VX do not have degrees and could not be hired anywhere else. I have a degree, no violations, no DUI's, no failed checkrides, and nothing else on my record that would preclude from getting hired anywhere else. 95% of the guys I fly with fall into this category. The initial cadre of pilots came from, Aloha, ATA, Midwest, US Airways, Delta(early retirees), Airborne, and the military. Is it anger or frustration from your back and forth with the other poster? Or is the the general thought process of an Alaska pilot? I know these ideas get passed around as rumors and soon become know as facts. Is this the impression from Alaska pilots toward the VX pilots?

 

I'll try and be more diplomatic as packrat suggested. On public forums, it's easy to go over the top and let our sarcasm run wild. You have to admit that there are some VX clowns on here who can't make a case to win an argument and then resort to name calling, then label those who do not agree with them as trolls. I have a thick skin so it takes quite a bit for me to get angry or frustrated. My previous life taught me some life lessons to keep it together and stay cool when under attack. As for your average Alaska pilot, most are standup bunch of guys and are accepting folks. I may come across as cold and blunt at times but I come from a world where brutal honesty saves lives and results in favorable outcome.

I'm aware that many VX pilots are "airline vets" and that this isn't their first gig. What I don't understand is why would a qualified airline pilot candidate choose to park at VX when there are career airlines such as the big three, FedEx & UPS, SWA and AS. I know I know, none of you VX pilots wanted anything to do with AS. When I was separating from the military, VX wasn't even on my radar and that goes for the rest of my buds who were job searching. Everyone I knew were hired by the airlines that I listed. I can't speak for others but to me and my buds, VX was a stepping stone just like any other commuter/regional airline. I'm not biased; I'm just being honest. A few always tend to fly under the radar and get hired by the airlines that I've listed but in general, top tier candidates land jobs at those places. I also remember reading on this forum about a terminated Alaska pilot who got on with VX, which does not bode well for VX's reputation. The folks on these forums don't represent the majority but many VX folks who post on here don't come across as bit impressive either. Most can't seem to make a case for their argument and when pinned to a corner, they cry like little girls, throw a fit, and lash out with trash talk. They would be eaten alive during a debrief where I come from. There's my 2 cents.

 

So what you are saying is that our legal experts and lawyers are completely OTL on this subject matter and presented lies/misinformation to the arbitrators.... is that right genius? If you're so well versed in finances yourself, what are you doing on here engaging in childish talk?

 

A lot of these airline vets came to VX in 2008-2009 when no one else was hiring. Aloha, ATA, and Midwest all went under around the same time and those guys needed a job. I doubt anyone one was super thrilled about working for a startup but it offered quick upgrades and a glimmer of hope. Most of them stayed because their QOL was good and they didn’t want to start over at the bottom yet again. Many of these people are in their 50s and just want to finish their careers without too many hurdles.

 

Another keyboard warrior...yawn

 

This, right here. VX is comprised of some of the best people I've ever flown with. It isn't about chasing a paycheck at another place, or to work at a legacy. It's about the people you work with. It's about being happy where you work. I don't expect some of you to get it, but some guys are just tired of getting put through the airline meat grinder and enjoy where they are. It's what I said in my interview at VX as well. To see douchebags like Work4life drag VXers through the mud is infuriating. It's almost as if AK folks walk on water while VXers should thank their lucky stars to be on campus now......but nevermind the fact that AK isn't exactly a place that attracts the "cream of the crop."

FWIW, I applied at VX and the legacies, but did not consider AK at all.

 

Here we go! OCCP, your past posts have been filled with gripes and trash talk but I’ve been impressed with some of your replies as of late. This has substance and indeed answers my question. Appreciate the explanation.

This is what not to do....condescending without reason. Care to share your warriorship? At this point, your sphincter puts out more credible noise than your facial orifice.

 

Looking through the proposed SLI lists from both sides turn my stomach inside out. Furthermore, Virgin’s proposal is absolutely preposterous and over reaching. It’s far from “fair & equitable”. Each side is trying their best to get their pilots the best deal possible and I get it. Alaska MEC is throwing its mid to junior pilots under the bus as usual and once again aiming low while the other side is shooting for Mars. Sad how we always dig our own pit.