JG1
As for the 'difficulty in replacing big jet pilots, break out of your SAA 15-years-to-command mindset and look north to Europe and the ME to see how easily it is done. I fly a big jet and probably have less hours than a lot of Fluffy pilots in SA.
OK JG1 I will pass it on to management just PM me your details I am sure you will get a A340 command as soon as they learn you are out there, how shortsighted of SAA not to have you on the payrole, who needs a seniority list its just a pain to the company I mean why make someone like you with your obvious flying skill sit behind some old fart who has been flying around the world for the last 15 years, unfair I tell you.
DJ the consultants are probably the best thing to happen to SAA in a very long time, it seems they are here to see the implimentation of some of the ideas as well, not just recommend, and yes hard decisions will have to be made, the unions will go beserk....but if thats the way it has to be, so be it, the pilot body has been asking for this kind of thing for a long time we just want a healthy profitable SAA and a future we can look forward to, in retrospect I can see what you were saying that the fleets might shrink initially, as long as when/if we become profitable they see the obvious need to expand again, thats if we want to compete and be a global player, everyone else is expanding so best we dont miss the boat.