re Pert return timing rtc.,
skyshow - a friend showed me your question - I'll answer from my perspective at the front end of a QF. (all data subject to a million differing opinions of course - no correspondence pls!!!)
As you mentioned, QF cruise speeds tend to be slightly higher - esp 767/A330 (and previously with the now retired 747 classic) - the other speed factor apart from the a/c differences is that as you don't carry liferafts etc., you are therefore limited to the 100nM ETOPS boundary and, DJ anecdotally appears to be on a slightly strict(er) fuel burn regime. On average this means that the relative difference in ground speed can be about 200km/ph.
that aside for what it's worth - please be really careful about the EBA presentation and don't overlook the detail. An EBA is so much more than a few powerpoint slides with some glossy spin and a couple of exported excel tables. Remember it's all the little 'nuts and bolts' clauses that end up making any incentive unobtainable. (ask a few of your Capts & F/O's about the downside of their agreement)
Do the maths behind the changes and get the union involved so that PROFESSIONAL, INDEPENDENT, EXPERT legal advice can be obtained. At the very least, run each of the options against your current roster and then reduce the rostered flying by around 18% and halve the number of overnights.
From what my friends showed me over dinner last night it seems it's the Virgin Cabin Crew who are being asked to underwrite the $35 odd million projected loss from V's start up and cover the losses from some badly planned management decisions.
Tanner & friends are not stupid and they are desperate for big numbers in the cost reductions - their Virgin flair style is to bully and bluff crew and make them feel that they being disloyal simply by asking reasonable, intelligent questions and seeking logical debate and negotiations.
Bat hard (you already work harder than other crews) so don't cave in.
AT