Well Chris I don't necesarily dissagree with SOME of what you have to say above but I do dissagree with your characterisation of LCC pilots as lesser mortals because they work for LCC...and as for the audio file
LCC pilots are not responsible for routing etc either...they take the aeroplane where they are told...just like you do.
Perhaps comparing a premium corporate service aimed at MULTI MILLIONAIRES and BILLIONAIRES to Jetstar is apples and oranges....but I do remember you guys picketing your boss.
BTW I know they are different franchises but are we expected to believe that Warren Buffett was happy to pay 3 times what the Netjets ME pilots are payed for doing the same job in the same aircraft, flying the same passengers? But of course without the threat in the US, unlike Saudi, of being kidnapped and beheaded on the internet.
As it stands the experience base across Jet* is quite high in general hrs terms...if not always in Jet hrs...the C&Ting system is VERY experienced on jets.....in fact the ex Ansett coup is complete at Jetstar.
If they vote down the EBA I guess there are only two possible outcomes.
1/. QF caves and pays more...QF have told them that will not happen.
2/. QF goes greenfields initially using it's own A330 pilots seconded to the op rather like Australian Airlines...and probably keeps Australian alive a little longer to help out too(could if NEEDED use the Australian AOC I suppose)...while it recruits pilots for J* International.
It advertises widely and gets inundated with applications from A330/A340 longhaul pilots from EK..many, many captains and lots of SFO's with previous jet command on narrow body who are presently being done over by EKs policy of DECs....and a bunch more FOs with no previous jet command but with 3000+ A330 FO time on longhaul ops....guys who could be captains, all things being equal, VERY QUICKLY....other guys would come from GF and you WILL get applications from guys from all manner of other airlines including where I work...very experienced A320 pilots, both captains and SFO.
They identify 30 captains and 30 SFOs who average 12000 hrs and 8000 hrs respectively as an initial TYPE RATED and VERY EXPERIENCED on TYPE intake....and another 20 of each in the same categories for employment over the next 12 mths....and 10 more of each for the 12 mths after that.
These pilots will require about 4 weeks induction training, standardisation sims and maybe 8 sectors to check to line....they have flown into all the countries planned on the route network many, many times....slowly they check to line releasing the QF A330 pilots and Australian Airlines 767 pilots to return to QF mainline in an orderly fashion rather than one big rush.
After 2 or 3 years Jetstar International is staffed with very experienced pilots...in fact in terms of relevant experience they are more experienced than 90% of current Jetstar pilots...including quite a few who had previous 777 commands before their A330 commands or flew as SFO on the Boeing before the Airbus...the 787 will be no mystery...and recruiting returns to a normal pace...no more DECs...recruitment open to all who have the cash for the type rating...promotion times stretch out to 10yrs because the average age of captains is so low...like
VB....QF are happy...not much upgrade training required, stable pilot population...at least for about 10 more years when there will be a huge rush of retirements...but that will be someone else's problem in the usual beancounter way.
It would not be unprecedented for the QF beanies to offer such DECs a LITTLE bit more than was on offer to the Jet* pilots to absolutely ensure they get the numbers and 'quality'....but it would be too late for the Jet* incumbants.
QF WILL GET those applications believe me...there are expat Ozzies scattered all over the globe, mostly on min rest layovers with EK, who are praying for the Jetstar people to vote down this EBA....guys who have had a gutfull of expat life in the sandpit and who are willing to take a pay cut for a perceived lifestyle improvement...who's kids are approaching high school age and they don't want to put them in boarding schools...or just would like them to enjoy the freedoms they enjoyed growing up as teenagers rather than the skewed expat teenage life....who's wives are threatening to take the kids home and who face the commuting nightmare...or divorce and seperation from their children...even one guy I know who is still basically happy in the ME is tempted....although he will most likely stay and benefit from the resignations around him....if he had a house paid off in OZ it would probably be a different story.
The above scenarios are the almost daily concerns of very many expats with families.
Then you have the single guys who have been stacking away the cash for 6 or 8 years, are captains in their early 30s, and would love the opportunity to go home and live in one of their houses and have all their days off in Oz doing Oz things..drinking beer on their boat or at their local while their negatively geared investment properties reduce their tax bill and they continue to almost net what they were overseas anyway...I know guys like this.
Alternatively the J* pilots can vote yes and at least maintain some control over their lives....one guy I know joined Impulse on a punt as a DEC on the 717 when they first got them...on 90 odd K...last year he grossed double that as a senior checky and is a very happy fella....he was a returning expat who took a gamble and it has been a huge win.
It will be interesting to watch....best of luck all involved...it's your decision in the end....I offer only a perspective.