Larry in TN

In the beginning, all flying was owned by management. There were no restrictions on how airline's allocated flying until the mainline pilot groups negotiated SCOPE into their contracts.

SCOPE restricts management, it does not allow anything. Everything is allowed, unless it is restricted by SCOPE.

gollum

they only have to hire our furloughed pilots IF they are filling new positions. Nothing says they have to hire them they don’t need new pilots.

Itsajob

That’s what I said. If they are looking at reductions, additions make no sense.

The stillest

This states, logically, that US carriers have no real competition apart from each other. Which I hope, to you, sounds as illogical as it is, to the rest of us.

I don’t disagree with your feelings on improving the lives of “mainline” pilots through the union - not one bit.

I do, however, disagree with the 5th grade, “John has 5 watermelons” approach you take on this thread to airline economics coupled with the illogical examples posted in support.

You realize that there are thousands of people out there with advanced degrees in precisely what you’re posting about, right? Challenging authority and the status quo is acceptable but challenging rock-solid, life-tested mathematics and logic is only going to turn people away.

Characterizing a particular route as a “mainline” route vs. “regional” (those titles have never made much sense in the context of unity) is precisely the “black and white” thinking that gets us into a majority of the messes we find ourselves in as a collective group of skilled aviators.

I’m only one vote of roughly 13,000... and I vote for flexibility on each and every route so that any and all revenue can be captured by my particular brand while my contract controls the SCOPE of the operation, ultimately. More passengers on my line, more revenue for my brand...”rising tide” and all of that and I will also vote for as much “mainline” flying as we can get, up, down, sideways or whatever combination the economy takes.

As best as I can tell, no one is standing in the way of your proposed independent union drive whether it be for the “regional” or “mainline” pilots.

The Law doesn’t discourage the effort, either.

baseball

That's a really good point. Perhaps ALPA needs proper direction in increasing scope protections tor mainline pilots. i thought We had been doing just that, but maybe message not resonating. Stronger restrictions = stronger scope = stronger union = higher career expectations.

baseball

It's a very circular discussion. My main focus is on a stronger main-line union that is more resolute in it's bottom line positions in representing the interests of those that actually PAY 80% of all the activities and salaries of ALPA.. There are a few ways to skin the cat. I'd like to see one that works. Last 30 years hasn't worked that well. 20 years of give-backs and those same 20 years saw the explosion of RJ flying at mainline pilots expense.

Flexibility is the key to air power, Much wisdom in being flexible...but flexibility must cease when your bottom line positions are encroached upon.

pilotgolfer

Indecision is the key to flexibility.

baseball

This really reminds me of the crazy-hot matrix. Crazy on one y axis and hot on the X. Indecision on the Y axis and Flexibility on the X axis. maybe there's something to it. Not sure how the redheads and strippers figure into it, but there's hope.

Waaay too much free time on this C 19 lockdown..My plan to go camping for a week just got KO'd. Now off to clean out the attic.

Larry in TN

I think you may be underestimating the amount of negotiating capital that would be required to get airline management to agree to fly the E-175 sized aircraft at mainline.

RJpilot1

Where is the leverage to negotiate stronger scope? It all evaporated.