This post may be waaaay off base, I might be reading some sort of pattern into randomness, but what the hell, I'll speculate on the Douglas R. Hofstadter / Escher negative space "There exist formal systems whose negative space (
set of non-theorems) is not the positive space (set of theorems) of any formal system" that posts
#2446 &
#2247 leave anyway.
The
speculation is this. There is trouble with crewing the 737 for First Officers, particularly out of the East Coast. There is also a problem with Qantas being able to recruit directly to the 737, every pilot must be employed initially as a Second Officer Under Training (SOT). However, if one looks very closely at the
Qantas EBA9, one notes a SOT pay is $6,545 per 56 days or approx $42,700 pa. A first year 737 FO could expect around between double & triple that number.
Therefore, if an offer of employment is made to a recruit, on the basis of becoming a B787 SOT, without a course Second Officer course date until 2020 (all initial recruits should be assigned to the 787 anyway), they could expect to languish on $42K based in SYD as an office gopher for an extended period of time. However, if the immediate possibility of a 737 FO slot becomes available and the recruit actively bids for that position, they may well be able to start a 737 course on day two of employment, For those that have their heart set on being and SO only initially, and they renege on bidding for the 737 in return for an offer of employment, then it is a poorly paid flying position doing ground duties for quiet some time as there won't be any 787 SO course for a while.
In short, an offer of employment is likely to be made to those applicants with the requirements to become a 737 FO in any base, who indicate they would immediately & actively bid for a 737 FO position once employed, there is an embedded penalty (a significant period as an SOT) for those who choose to exercise their right to not bid once employed.
However, just speculation on my behalf, consistent with the known facts and limitations. Quite a creative & diabolical solution to their problems if it is becomes reality.
