Keg
An emotional response. It gets worse when somebody says "there goes your command" as a Skimpy jet is taxiing by. Seen similar in a past life.
Hardly salivitating, playing Devil's Advocate with a couple of posters-Jake etc- as to what advantages there were in using mainline crews. I put myself in the hypothetical shoes of a ruthless CEO, proposed a few advantages, and would be happy to be shot down by anything but sooky pilot emotion.
You mentioned AO doing quite well with cross polinisation of QF Long Haul culture. OK. As a ruthless CEO I would look into that. But I will probably use the following as argument to sway the "team".
How did we handle growth when feeding on the Ansett carcass? How can we do it cheaper?
We need pilots and quickly. We want experienced people and don't want to be crippled by training problems (Kendalls).Nor do we feel it neccessary or desirable to go what was anecedotally, the
VB route. Where unexpected rapid expansion left them with a pool of inexperience to promote. We want exacting QF standards which are affordable.
Advantages Continued.
10-What would the market provide the ruthless CEO? Captains, First Officers, Training Airmen and managers from both types. There will be no training hickups and upgrading of very experienced 321/737 F/Os down the track will counter the looming experienced pilot shortage. Reinforcing the double whammy cost of upgrading F/O's or S/O's.
And finally Keg, from my perspective, I hope it gets of the ground and utilises experienced pilots off the street. I have no interest in Skimpy but I do have an interest in the market. I witnessed the full 18 months the market took to absorb exAN & KD jet pilots whilst QF continued with cadet programmes.
That affected your pay and conditions subliminally! The threat was
VB. The wealth of experience enabled the ease of starting Jetconnect and Pacific Blue. Now witness the pay pressure!
And with my interest in market forces I hope it is the NG.