In my (albeit somewhat distant geographically) view, the AA have been dealt a double whammy. Firstly, there is no FRI for them, full stop - at the moment. Then, to rub the old salt in, they hear that someone who works alongside, doing the same job, but happens to be commissioned, could be on the receiving end of sixty grand. Not saying that those individuals are not worthy of their commission, or that they don't carry out extra duties ON THE GROUND, but are we really so short of commissioned rear crew that we have to pay a retention bonus??
It's like the old flying pay argument; why is it not trade/branch based, rather than whether or not you're a flt sgt or a flt lt?