So they need to order planes by end of March.....that doesn't mean they need a new EA by end of March. They could continue to negotiate in good faith past March and settle when negotiations have matured.
One thing that occurred to me yesterday, and appears to have occurred to others, is that the aeroplanes are definitely coming.
In one breath Tino says we need the right agreement before we order aeroplanes by the deadline of 31 March. In the next he says, we want an agreement with the pilots or we'll set up a crewing company to do the job. Either way they seem to think they'll meet the hurdle of pilot costs. The aeroplanes are coming.
This is all about locking in the EA and, more importantly, neutering AIPA in ANY future negotiations for anything. If pilots show they are willing to negotiate with the company while a gun is being held to their individual heads, that's the end of a representative organisation for collective bargaining.
The greatest threat here is to AIPA and the fundamental concept of organised, united labour and collective bargaining which underpins Australian IR. This is a battle for the heart and soul of organised labour negotiations in this country. The ACTU should be all over this as, if it succeeds, you can can guarantee employers will be.