Announcements this week will come thick and fast;
69 new services a week, servicing Adelaide, Port Lincoln and Kangaroo island, as well as the above mentioned QLD flying.
7% for the 400 is a disgrace. The AFAP should hang their heads in shame for agreeing to the deal in principle and commending it to the pilot group. The excuse that the pilots voted for it and so it has nothing to do with the union holds no water. It all depends on how it's presented, and with the union talking like dummy sitting on Geoff Dixon's lap, it's little wonder blokes voted yes; They had the **** scarred out of them by their on side!
For an aircraft that's twice as big as the one currently being paid for in the EBA, and 40% faster, a 7% pay rise doesn't quite compute. But the deal north of the border's done and Sunnies have had their last bite of the cherry, so 93000 is as good as it's going to get here.
As far as ALL the aeroplanes going to SSA i don't think so. But the bluff will sit nicely in the hope that the EAA boys and girls swallow the EBA. No doubt the AFAP will be down there selling the virtues of 7%, and of course harping on about how that's what sunnies are getting! The irony of course is that there was no opportunity for the pilot groups to talk about a 400 rate prior to the deal being done, but now that 7% is struck up north, i'm sure EAA will be told they have to accept the northern rate.
That too of course is untrue, and the only hope of a decent rate being struck for the biggest aircraft the regionals are ever going to see now lies in the hands of EAA. Hopefully sense will prevail there and the 7% won't be accpeted.
