OK Raas767, point taken ! Ofcourse you have a right to know whatīs going on in Switzerland, but before you voice very strong opinions from the other side of the pond (LX salaries up 35 %, SR salaries not lower than 35 %) , you first have to have some facts.
I understand that no MD11 pilot should fly for a regional salary, but give the negotiations some time. For the SR pilots to simply make demands about DUAL pay scales and DUAL seniority lists is ignorant regarding the position SR is in, and irresponsible in these economic times. Besides that, itīs a stab in the back for their future LX colleagues !
How would you feel if there were 2 pay levels and seniority lists within AA ? Now, Iīm NOT talking about AA and A Eagle, but within AA itself ! For arguments sake, letīs say we draw a line with the MD80 size. How would you react ? Think this is fair ?
As far as LX joining the OneWorld alliance.....I think itīs a LITTLE bit premature to speculate about that now.
It will be important for LX to join some alliance in the future, but there are more urgent matters at this stage of the game, like staying afloat !
Now on a greater scale now, trying (!) to look into the future :
Raas767 is right when he says that this could be a precedent. It also brings to mind something that The Guvnor has been saying about pilotīs salaries for quite some time now.
Like it or not, the new overtrow the old and with it will start a new era. Scope clauses or not, it will happen in the US also !
There are lotīs of unemployed pilots out there hoping about landing a job with an airline. Low demand and high supply does what again with prices/salaries ?
Now, please do NOT blame regional pilots for this ! The errosion of the job of a pilot has been started a long time ago. The pilots working for majors (the same ones who are now crying faul !) are to blame for this. Command has slowly been taken away from them by computers (thank you Airbus !) and dispatchers. In addition, by making themselfs so expensive, more and more has been outsourced to regionals and low cost carriers. The days of the flying heros, defying death, are over and weīve become (Air)bus drivers.
I think the upcoming recession will prove to be a turning point in the aviation industry.
