It means that once you are a top paid captain and call in sick they can demote you to fo to save $

"Merit Based" is a euphemism for "screwing your way to the top." This is usually done in corporations, and I've seen it at work many, many times. I'll take the good old seniority system any day, at least for the major role that we as airline pilots play, that of line flying. For guys in the school house or for flight managers, I've no problem at all with merit based promotions. At least for the most part.

You said it! It sounds like a a way this new company can keep people in check. No trouble makers, no union talk etc etc, and you can make Captain real fast!!!


AAflyer

FWIW,

Avantair also has merit based upgrades. They require several letters of recommendation from captains and successful performance reviews, line checks, and training events to upgrade.

Bid system
 

I think we should have a point based bid system. Everyone is trained as a captain and has to bid for bases, schedules and captain lines. Seniority brings additional points but not as much as does now. It is not far that the few at the top of a traditional seniority system has everything while the bulk of the pilot group has little or nothing. The upper tier of a traditional system is easily corrupted by management to accept contracts that line their own pockets while junior pilots suffer. Pay rates could still advance overtime but the rest should be left to the bid system.

Under the current system a pilots career advancement, compensation and job satisfaction rest solely upon circumstance, company prosperity and luck.

SkyHigh

What it means is this: the biggest a$$ kissers are promoted. Stay away from this one.

Start up
 

Especially a start up should have something other than a traditional bid system. The difference between being a senior captain and junior FO could be as little as 6 months. Something better than "I got here first" should be in place.


It always seems that the first 200 pilots at any start up tend to be riff raff and industry rejects on the whole. Who else would recklessly jump into am unknown like that?


SKyHigh

Here's your chance fo fly again Skyhi
 

I totally disagree with the merit based system. Your solution sounds good on paper, but you won't think so when FOM (Friends of Mgt) suddenly get top ratings! It's like the military where most line IPs have more time than the wing king because you don't get promoted by doing your primary job!!! I've worked in non flying job post mil and prior to airlines and it was the same thing, FOM's got promotion and pay raises while those that did the work were passed by with a cost of living raise.

maybe synical but often true.

APC has it on the airline profile page

merit is in the eye of the beholder. a friend of mine went in to recommend someone and the chief pilot pulled up his sick calls. (that's the first thing he does whenever someone goes to talk to him) he had 6 in 8 years (less than 1 a year) and was told that he wasn't a dependable employee so he wasn't going to take the recommendation. I guess he wouldn't upgrade if it was merit based.

I don't think flying skills and decision making abilities will have much to do with "merit". It will be interesting to see how it works out.