I agree with you about not taking it to a personal level but I’d also say don’t even bother debating it either. What’s done is done and all of us have a 0.sh!t % chance of changing the outcome. After the dust settles on this SLI, if you’re so unhappy with the results, you have a few options. 1.) you can demand better representation and elect new union reps. 2.) get involved in the union yourself and fight to solve all the issues you feel you’ve been misrepresented on. 3.) leave the company. I know it’s hard not to get emotional and pick your side over this because this directly effects our QOL. Whenever I feel myself going down the path of team mentality, I think of those callous fukcs, B n B and how little they care about our QOL. The worse ours is, the better theirs gets. The only way we solve this is as one team. Safety in numbers, we learned it in preschool, let’s use it.

 

It's easy and can be fun throwing punches at each other on a public forum hiding behind the keyboard but some of you all need to grow up. The fact of the matter is that both sides are going to fight for the best deal possible. I wouldn't expect anything less. Arbitration is never good for either side and we as line pilots have zero control, so everyone just chill and show a little respect for one another. After all, we are all on the same boat now.

I may be biased but I have to agree that Alaska pilots really didn't gain much from this acquisition. The measly little pay raise as a result of JCBA wasn't worth the hassle IMHO. I can't speak for all VX pilots but I'm sure you'll miss the culture and the scheduling flexibilities but all in all, the VX folks made out okay given the circumstances. None of us asked for this merger but here we are, so let's deal with it and move on. I bet the company is having a field day reading this forum. They love to divide and conquer.

Many of us have lived through Kasher and a myriad of disappointments of mediocre contracts but we are still kicking. As for VX folks, many of you have been around the block a few times and this isn't your first rodeo. I get it. Let's all focus on 2020 and be good to each other. I'm looking forward to having a cold one with you all someday and the first two rounds are on me!

 

You see, that's the thing tho... That scheduling flexibility was priceless!!!

Seriously, if I had to choose between VX's combined renumeration and AS's combined renumeration, I would without a doubt choose VX. AS payrate was higher but at VX, because of our "scheduling flexibility" and our "Premium" and "Critical" Pay matrix, our W2s were similar or (gasp!) better than that of many an AS pilot with the same longevity. Also since we were on the cusp of negotiating our first ALPA contract, collectively we were VERY optimistic about the future..

Also, many of our AS brothers have it in their heads that they somehow saved us from our certain demise but let me remind you that nothing could be further from the truth....

Remember that having built up an impressive west coast route structure, a solid reputation and an impressive loyalty base, we became that sexy Virgin who was all but certain to marry the fairly well off, good looking, young suitor (with whom we would have been happier and much more compatible).

Unfortunately, in swooped the fat, middle-aged, balding guy with the greasy hair, with more money who, much to our horror, 😯 was able to convince our parents that he should win the rights to our hand in marriage.

I get it, it's just business, but from our perspective, you guys crashed our party!!

 

We are just line pilots and none of us were in the room when the decision was made, however there are some facts to consider. VX board of directors decided to sell the airline. Why? There must be a myriad of reasons but one major factor was that VX wasn't a revenue generator. Initially, there were 3 bidders for VX-Alaska, jetBlue, and Delta. Delta pulled out early due to reasons unknown to me but I'm going to guess it was due to DOT/DOJ constraints. I don't know about you but jetBlue doesn't look like a very appealing dance partner but to each his own. Who is this "young suitor" that you are referring to? The only two who came to the party were: the middle-aged, balding guy with the greasy hair, with money and the young, average looking guy, who just gets by financially. The third person would have been a greaseball Wall Street slime ball who probably would have dismantled VX and sold it off piece by piece. That's just my guess. I'm not saying that Alaska saved VX pilots from demise but I'm also curious as to who this young stud is because apparently, he never showed up to the party.

 

I think Bizniz has something akin to Riddle syndrome. Way overestimating their, “sexy virgin” image. On campus you may have been a 10 but off..... not so many suitors. I kid I kid, same team!! ��

 

JetBlue my friend, JetBlue...

Any good business plan has several exit strategy and the one you ultimately choose will depend on how things unfold once you are up and running.

VX board chose to sell and from an investor's perspective, they made out like bandits.... good for them.

JetBlue might not be an appealing dance partner for you, an Alaska pilot, but for a VX pilot pre-merger, it wasn't even close the appeal that JetBlue had over AS.

As airlines go, financially they are in a good position, we have the same fleet type, they have pref-bid, their pay-rate was better than VX with QOL provisions much better than AS and ALPA is also on property with contract negotiations underway, etc, etc.. I think I could go on and on..

 

While I am no fan of AS buying us I was even less of a fan about Jetblue!
Jetblue really isn’t as financially sound as you might think... in 2009 or 2010 they received a $400mil infusion from Lufthansa and if you look at their financials that is the only reason they are still around!
That money was repaid by ‘15 because LH wanted it back for their own operation... so, Jetblue NO Thank you

 

Hahaha
You are exactly correct my friend. "On campus" tho, JB and AS was fighting over her, so much so, AS was willing to blow his trust fund on her and he did..How she was perceived off campus was irrelevant.

As it stands, I think VX was a solid 8.5 to 9 😉

I agree wholeheartedly tho that we are on the same team now and our fortunes are now inextricably linked together.

 

Fair enough, I take your point and I'll agree to disagree..

It's not unusual for really good companies to have a rough financial patch in their history tho, so that by itself wouldn't make me wary of JB.... Virtually all the legacy airlines that are now darlings had to declare bankruptcies... in some cases twice..

They paid back the money, right? Were they forced to repay early or was that timetable a part of the agreement for the cash infusion?

 

Dude, are you on crack? Virgin was Branson's 10th string concubine. He would only touch her when all his nine strings were on the rag. Let me paint a picture for you. Branson slept with you twice max and then he dumped you because you were 1) fugly and 2) a leach. You were only sexy after 10+ tequila shots and passed out. You should thank your lucky stars that Eskimo hooked up with you.
As for your ignorant statement about hooking up with jetBlue, that is the dumbest thing I've read on here so far. I highly advise you to research your future career before you commit and even make a dumbass statement like that. Yeah, you belong at Virgin.