You can speculate that all VX pilots would be happy with a relative integration, but I can tell you that's not true. VX pilots built an airline from the ground up while other airlines including AS fought to keep us grounded. Pilots at VX literally sacrificed $300K jobs to come here and build an amazing airline we are extremely proud of that will likely cease to exist very soon. I can tell you with 100% certainty that VX pilots would like nothing more than to grow VA as a stand-alone airline. Unfortunately that's not in any of our control. So VX pilots will give up the airline we built against long odds in order to build a brighter future for all of us at AS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-3e0EkvIEM

We all need to realize that if jetBlue had won the bidding, Alaska would have been boxed into a corner and slowly bled out by Delta in SEA.

OTOH, Virgin America most likely would not survive a big fuel price spike like 2008 and/or an economic downturn.

So, we need each other to survive and thrive, giving good opportunities for all pilots.

The CEO of Alaska started the ball rolling and had the bankroll to win. I don't think any pilot at either carrier wants to go through this, but we just fly the planes.

Lets get a good contract first, we have quite a bit of muscle to get this done quickly as management wants this to go smooth and they have a lot on the line right now.

SLI is never fun, but it can be done well (DL/NW) or ugly (US/AW). It's not going to be settled on this forum or anytime soon. Let your reps know your feelings and good luck to all of us.

100% agree. We have a blank sheet of paper going forward to create an airline that's the envy of the industry. Our combined employees are truly in a league above the rest. Stay united, keep our eye on the ball, and wow our guests every day. Looking forward to getting my 30 year ALPA pin at AS!

Well, I can't recall ever reading a single article prior to the merger announcement, authored by any financial analyst or Industry reporter that claims Alaska would be in dire straights if Jetblue merged with VX. Not one. Alaska is now paying the price for it's lack of vision and conservatism over the years. We have had a base at LAX for 3 decades longer than VX has been in existence. They could have grown California at any time they wanted to but were to scared to be bold. Now the price for that lack of vision is 4.1 Billion dollars for 58 rented airbus with a rented name on the side. I realize this isn't going to be settled on a web board, but it's a fact that many of us at AS don't need a JCBA and are in no hurry to get one.

Oh please... Are you one of those "Captains are Captains and FO's are FO's guys?

You certainly know Alaska better than I do EskimoJoe, so ask Brad Tilden why he was willing to out bid jetBlue and go $57 per share.

What will really impress me is if both MEC's come together and put out a JCBA worth voting yes for, and a SLI without going to arbitration. Wonder what the odds of that are? Probably wouldn't bet in Vegas, but that would be pretty cool.

Why was that unreasonable?

Apparently a lot of people forgot what it is that "longevity" gets you in this business. It gets you:
Prime vacation slots
Weekends off flying
Holiday off flying
Desirable layovers
Widebody int'l flying (moot)
Pass riding rank (moot as that would likely remain DOH for everyone, and I could care less if it does as far as I'm concerned)

As someone else noted, career expectations are the same at AS and VX; narrowbody domestic flying with some Mexico and Hawaii flying.

Anything other than relative seniority is a straight up quantifiable windfall for AS pilots for the items listed above that aren't moot.

If you slot VX pilots somewhere down the list and not relative, a mid or junior AS pilot who has no expectation of holding those things will now be able to hold them. Those things will be taken from senior VX pilots. That is a windfall. VX is bringing flying, vacation slots, weekday trips, holiday off trips and tropical destinations with us. If you think it's fair to steal that from people you're delusional. Why would anyone care what "number" you are on a list as long as you have the same QOL you had and expected?

Even with relative, VX pilots stand to lose quite a bit in terms of QOL with AS rules. 75 hour min all year with flex up from there vs 70 with flex up to 75 six months/year? That's 1-2 less days off/month. That archaic line bidding BS with no transition or conflict language that forces you to get yourself back over 75? Complete garbage. VX has A LOT of commuters, and these two things alone are going to destroy the QOL a lot of VX pilots have come to enjoy.

Just throwing it out there...All this talk of career expectations and our lack of wide body aircraft. Sure, today, but we could certainly use them. We fly 23 full jets to and from Anchorage every day in the summer. We could easily fill a 767 or 787 to and from the islands. I will not be surprised to see wide body aircraft here before I retire. So yeah, I expect to fly them in my career.