hapzim, the trouble is if you or I were calling the shots that is exactly what we would do, invest in the infrastructure, rostering systems, consolidate fleets and pay scales. Solutions that would invest in the company's future.
But with the likes of TJ and LS jumping from one company to the next all they are interested in is expanding networks, inflating the size of the company and minimising costs at all cost. Squashing a pilot pay negotiation is just another thing that would look great on their CVs.
"So Tim what qualifies you to take this job at British Virgin Airways??"
"When I went to Monarch they had 280 pilots and 27 ancient aeroplanes. In x years I increased the fleet size by one third nearly doubled the size of the pilot workforce, expanded scheduled services and doubled Monarch's market share. All this while reducing costs, operationally by getting more rotations per day out of the aircraft and not cleaning them in between but predominantly because I successfully handled a pilot pay negotiation that saved the company millions of pounds...etc etc yadda yadda yadda".
"Great Tim have a job"
TJ et al don't give a toss that they are actually
the company up in the process. Sure we have a great market share and moving more PAX than we ever have before but if they are all paying £17.99 rtn to go to Spain then there is no money in it no matter how many flights you do. All we need is another 9/11 or masssive fuel taxes which doesn't look far off in the current climate and its going to be a s**t storm. The pax won't fly as regularly and then we will be stuck with far more a/c and 100s more pilots than the company needs. Monarch has survived this long by being cautious and sticking to what it makes money at - why are we going down the Ryanarch route in an over saturated market? Because it looks good on their CVs!
What are the odds of TJ still being in the company when the next down turn hits?