bacardi walla - thanx for your sentiments - don't feel bad about the flak you took for your original post; you may have meant well, but the words perhaps weren't quite the right ones and it obviously touched a few emotive nerves!
We may find that the flight deck redundancies (110 plus?)aren't quite as bad as first feared. The Airbus fleet has been running light with a recruitment ban...(wonder why?)... and there are allegedly loads of pilots in the Virgin pool, among others. That coupled with quite a few retirements that are approaching may soften the blow. (That said, it won't help the more than a few colleagues who are approaching 60 and were hoping to be kept on til 65). Cabin crew is a bit different. I heard about 400 or so are due to go - maybe wrong.
The reduction / rationalisation in the fleets was bound to come and I'm surprised it's taken quite so long, but any way you look at it, it's going to be ever so painful.
The DC10 did a pretty good job in the short time it's been here, but it's legacy has been a shedload of seniority, promotion and basing issues on it's withdrawal of service.
As for single fleet operations - long overdue, and the 'bus probably won on pure economics. Interesting times ahead for sure. The previous (mis)managers have a lot to answer for, but I still wish I worked for Airtours and not MyTravel.
Good luck everyone...maybe see you on the course in Toulouse...or LGW..or CTC...or wherever!