Hang on Struggling, my "idealism' (as you so quaintly put it) is at least shared by AIPA's immediate past president, who, in response to the following public comment by CAPA boss Peter Harbison 'Qantas would be in dire trouble had it not been for the success of Jetstar and...Qantas will look to build on the "two-brand strategy" by trying to secure an international merger partner in 2009.'],stated on the Qantas pilots website:
“I expect that quite a number of Institutional Qantas Shareholders; (rightly or wrongly), would agree with him.
However, as I understand the logic underpinning the emerging global consolidation of airlines, potential network efficiency is incompatible with LCC simplicity.
IMHO, the Qantas Group will, in 2009, have to make an unequivocal strategic decision whether to go with the long haul LCC model or somehow merge with other legacy airlines to create a global network at least as potentially efficient as Sky’s Delta/KLM/AF Alliance.
Regretfully for all Qantas Group pilots, without the creation of a Group Opportunity Allocation List, (GOAL) should Qantas Execs go with the Harrison view, career opportunity for Mainline F/O's and S/O's is likely to be bleak and conversely, should Qantas go for a Network Merger, Jetstar pilots will have an uncertain future internationally.
If however, a GOAL was put in place, Qantas Execs would be in a position to grow 'Qantas Airways' as the global market dictates and all Qantas Group pilots; be they Mainline, Jetstar or Qantaslink, could; by exercising personal choice, enjoy the best possible piloting career commercially feasible.”
Hopefully you will now stop 'struggling' and can better appreciate why airline consolidation decisions taken in 2009 are quite likely to have such far reaching effects on both Virgin & Qantas pilots.
All the best for 2009. Catch you next year.