TonyC

Where in the world did you get that from?

In spite of that ridiculous comment, I'll give you a serious response.



You've got 3 kids, and you want to buy them all a nice used car when they go off to college so they'll have reliable transportation to get around the college town and come back home for Thanksgiving. The oldest kid graduates from high school and you look around and find a nice used car, low miles, lovingly cared-for, and you buy it.

Kids #2 and #3 are in 9th and 6th grades respectively. Should you buy them used cars today, too? Or should you wait until they graduate from high school, look around, and find them the most appropriate car at that time? Why have used cars sitting around your driveway, costing you in insurance and registration fees, waiting for 3 or 6 years before they are used, when you can use that same money for more current needs, and wait until you need the 2nd and 3rd car before you buy them.

That was the plan with pre-medicare health care costs. We took care of the current needs, the pilots who were projected to turn 60 within the life of that contract, and planned on taking care of the next group to "graduate" when their time came. It would have been a waste of negotiating capital to fund lump-sum HSAs for every pilot on the property when the overwhelming majority of them would never reach retirement eligibility under the life of that contract.

Now we've seen how the first "used car" worked out, most of us want a way to prorate the benefit based on a pilot's actual retirement date, so it's time -- no, past time -- to shop for the next one. I agree with you that this one should take into consideration the actual retirement age of the pilot because that determines the need we're trying to meet. I do NOT agree that we should expend funds to provide the same benefit for a pilot who is nowhere near retirement age. That money can better be spent elsewhere on something that will actually benefit the younger pilots now.






.

TonyC

You mean the era of bidding carryover and protecting it, and flying makeup to push the CH well over 4.a.1. BLG guarantees?

Guys who were retirement eligible weren't hurt so much during 4.a.2.b. Guys who were junior in their seats suffered. Guys who were excessed from their seats suffered. Guys who were excessed to the right and back seats of the B-727 suffered the most.

Senior guys and guys with big make-up banks had a hay day.






.

Nightflyer

The pro-rated ship has sailed.

You didn't pro-rate it for them, so don't pro-rate it for me.

Because I missed out on 5 years as a wide body Captain due to age 65, I don't get to have a choice about when I retire. I have to work until 65.

You gave $25,000 to them, now give it to me.

You stole my SCOPE payment and used it to fund the $25,000 bribe for "special" pilots to vote yes.

I want my $25,000!!!

The Walrus

The company announced their wet leases for peak last week. Do we get some money?

Nightflyer

If the wet leases go over a certain amount, the union gets the money. The first time this happened, the union distributed the money to all the pilots, as it should be.

The second time it happened, the union gave it to certain pilots that reached age 53 by a certain date.

See why I want my $25,000?

Knots2U

I see that two more MD11 captains have decided that they have had enough fun, and retired before 65. One goes on the 14th, the other on the 22nd. I am sensing a trend here.

fdx727pilot

How dare you!!! Bringing facts and logic to either the Internet or a pilot ***** session is just wrong.

Knots2U

A 777 Captain just announced retiring this month, and he is also going early.

MaydayMark

I've always been surprised that the fact that MEM is the third most dangerous city in the country doesn't provide more motivation to "eject" as early as possible!

Especially those folks that have their 25 years and are 60 years old?

The Most Dangerous Cities in America - 24/7 Wall St.

Full pull

Leaving past "normal retirement age" is not early.