Little prince,
If you are a true BRAL and ex Manxer as you imply, would you be willing to answer a few verification questions without phoning a friend?
Be delighted to answer whatever questions you want to ask!
BTW, I was around at the LC takeover, and while people did leave, the vast majority stayed, whinging and moaning about KM's management (ha ha)methods, however we stayed. Eventually, things changed, and although some Manxies never could get over it, I guess we got our way - took about 6 years though. To suggest Manx had to wind their necks in at all during the takeover is simply untrue, they had the whip hand, and did pretty much as they liked. Hutch etc was not a manager then, to be fair Manx did make lots of money, and was pretty successful and largely content - yes, Norm was a dictator, Norm was very arrogant, and Norm was an out and out bully - but I repeat, the airline made money, and few voted with their feet 'cos Ts and Cs were pretty fair by Industry standards. I can assure you that Jim will be no different. He and the board will only be interested in the bottom line, and only interested in the Ts and Cs insofar as they keep sufficient pilots to maintain a profitable bottom line. That's no different to Terry L. Any doubters about the way business works should ignore the fact that Terry was a 'nice guy' with a triple issue of people skills. He was a businessman. Use the legal argument - Qui Bono from the floatation and subsequent sale. The Bish, TRPL and Norm - that was about it. BA got the LHR slots, and we all got stuffed. Don't think JF is any different.
It may well be there will be some sort of seniority deal, but I have it from Capt. Cheddar himself that no Flybe pilot will be disadvantaged by the move. The last thing is that those who remember the LC/Manx takeover should remember how long it took for things to settle down. Bases/types/personnel all moved around quite a lot, I don't believe we have seen anything resembling a final plan yet, so don't expect that just because you're a senior 146 oik with ten years in that that guarantees you ANYTHING!!!!! The Baconeers are all very welcome, they will add value to the company, but.....they have been BOUGHT, there Company may not be protected by TUPE, and they should definitely not expect to come dicatating ANYTHING! I'm sorry if that sounds harsh, but that's business. It was no differrent for Air UK, no different for Buzz, and it will be no different for BACON. Really sorry if that offends, nothing personal, I'm not really even the messenger, just the guy waving a cup of java under your collective noses. If you really wanted to achieve anything, you should all get behind BALPA and threaten to strike, but you (and me) took all the sh1t for years from that idiot Hutch and his mates and did nothing. Even when we had a positive ballot result, we did nothing meaningfful.
I predict:
Those who can will leave. This will be people with enough experience for an EZY/Rynair type slot, where such a/c are based where they live, or who are single and have no ties so can move.
Some few will try and commute to their new base, hoping against hope that the EDI operation will be absorbed into BA and they will finally get into mainline. Dreamers. This will be a death by slow strangulation, and will be performed by the same people who gave you the current mess.
Most of the rest will whinge, complain, threaten but take the stick in their @rses and accept life. There will be some friction, but eventually things will settle down again, and due to the relatively high turnover here at Flybe, within few (3 - 5) years, the people who can cut it will again have regional jet jobs. The rest will continue on the Dash, earning a reasonable cut for a reasonable job. The bitterness against BA will take a generation to go away.
Finally, with ref my good friend Captain Edam - he's an absolutely top bloke, as are all my management team, who will be looking out for my interests over the coming months.
