I have just waded through this tumultuous thread.
My observations: Valid positions from both sides of the argument. In my lifetime experience in Aviation, here is what will happen:
Management's not stupid. They see the combination of environmental pressures and Oil company greed converging which will likely wipe out most of the world's airlines at $200/barrel. They are already packing their golden parachutes (getting ready to raid pension funds,) just in case, so they can join 411A (a most interesting individual who adds a lot to this debate) on the golf course in Arizona, or so they can rub elbows with Dick Cheney at the Ballroom in Dubai.
Worse case scenario: They will use this crisis to completely gut all pay and benefits all sides of the cockpit door. Only an SOS (industry-wide Suspension of Service) has any chance of bringing government to it's senses and excluding the ruinous taxes that hamper the industry. Both management and Labor could join together to halt this erosion of Airline fortunes and erosion of airline safety for passengers. Even if this very necessary public transportation sector is made tax-free, many airlines are still going down anyway as credit is drying up with the 2/3 bank defaults to go in that distressed deregulated industry.
Yep: The Texas Chimp has screwed us all big time. Rather than bickering over the few slim bananas left, we need to realize this is part of a bigger global war against the middle class. We must make friends in government in short order, or we will go the way of the transatlantic Ocean steamers: Made Obsolete by plummeting world fortunes and better ways of getting your business done across the ocean (cheap virtual conference perhaps.)
How could this be done? Get your management to approve for the first time in it's history, a Union message on the PA to your captive audience, that they should consider signing a total airline tax exemption petition in order to guarantee adequate maintenance and crew rest for their safety's sake.
Soliciting Safety is bound to meet with success, and be a winner for everybody until (if ever) oil prices stabilize.
All comments welcome. What do you think?
pac