This doesn't make any sense. To me, Spirit would have to make money from the added flight. At some point, SOMEONE is going to move in and take over that stuff. As long as Spirit doesn't recieve any compensation from it, then it isn't struck work.

You're probably right on both points. I'll let the MEC's hash it out! And keep an eye out for new flight numbers!

When a competing airline takes over a struck airline's routes, that isn't scabbing - its capitalism. The revenue generated goes entirely to Airtran at Spirit's expense. Airtran has every right to start flying those routes and would be foolish not to. As someone said earlier, it also puts pressure on Spirit's management to end the strike and give their pilots the fair contract they deserve.

Or a wake up call to Spirit pilots that their customers are going out the door, along with their revenue, and if it keeps up, management may not have much of a raise to give.

I'm all for better pay and benefits, but striking is just not the way to do it. Look what happened the last time we had a union strike in aviation. Or even the last time we had a pilots strike... look what it got them.

Don't bite the hand that feeds you

Don't shoot yourself in the foot thinking you'll be better off after

One only needs to look at the Spirit MEC's resolution and how THEY defined what struck work would be. They spelled it out and decided what would constitute struck work in their eyes.

If you go back and read it, the resolution or statement or whatever you call it ALLOWS other carriers to come in with extra sections and earn revenue for THAT carrier's company as long as Spirit receives no revenue or financial gain from the operation being conducted. The new airline steals the passengers and the money right from Spirit's coffers.

oh boy...
 

Oh boy...here we go....

This has to to be flame bait...but on the off chance it isn't...I would like to ask:

How, iahflyr, do you suggest we try and improve our situation? With the RLA...there is ZERO leverage we have as pilots. The only real legal threat we have is a strike.

I work for Airtran, I will tell you this: If you think that you can actually sit down at a table and have them negotiate in good faith you are sadly mistaken. I can't speak to the guys at Spirit...but we are 9 years into a 4 year contract....that was a concession to keep this place afloat after 9/11. So, I'm curious as to how you would handle this situation. What is the line in the sand? How do you communicate with a company that knowingly violates a CBA day in and day out, refuses to negotiate in good faith, has the executives taking 30% pay increases on the one hand...then talking about how the company is still hurting with fuel...? What are the other legal avenues that work?

To the guys at NKS...I wish you all the best and I hope you all go back to work soon with a kick a$$ new contract!

Spirit's business model all along is to take unsuspecting passengers and hold them up by their ankles until all the change has fallen out of their pockets. They aren't concerned with repeat business. They nickel and dime the passengers, whom only fly a few times a year anyway, into paying more than they think they're paying for air travel. I don't think Spirit is worried about the folks they're stranding. There will be plenty, plenty more ready to sign up after the strike is over for $9 fares.

The MEC's *DID* communicate, before this flight ever left the ground, both MEC's agreed it was not struck work, the AirTran pilots were in constant communication with the AirTran MEC about it to make CERTAIN it wasn't struck work, and as long as those provisions were followed, it seems cut and dry to me.

As far as iahflyr goes. yeah. I'm gonna have to call flame bait on that one too.

You have got to be effing kidding me, right? No really. I'd like an answer.

If striking isn't the way, then what do you recommend to the pilots at Spirit who have been fighting for a contract for over 4 years?