I do understand the system has been around and accept that it is the Status Quo, but I also find it in a pure sense to be illogical. This comes from my experience in the RAAF where all pilots got paid by rank and years of service; the aeroplane type is irrelevant. All Im really trying to say is that I believe it to be a real cause of a lot of the problems today where Qantas is being forced to be more competitive to make a dollar (i.e cut costs). Introduce a more efficient aeroplane and have to pay people more to crew it!!
Financial compensation for services provided should consist of a skill payment, qualification payments, lifestyle payment (i.e time away from home, on call, weekends etc) and market-forces payment.
Im not saying a Dash CAPT should get the same as 744 CAPT; what I am saying is that a 737 CAPT should NOT get more just because he is now required to operate an 737-800 vice a 737-300. What I am saying is that a Classic S/O (who holds and maintains 2 licences) should NOT get less than a 400 S/O (who holds and maintains one licence and sleeps twice the length of time!).
Do I think the system will change, NO because as you say its been around for a long time. My only point is that it is a major cause of the problems. Its no suprise the A330 conditions arent out yet.
By the way, I thought the Australian conditions are good! (I cant help get the feeling that airline pilots sometimes need a reality check; must be my RAAF experience shining through again)
Enough of the hijacking of this thread, I would be more than happy to continue in a new thread or on Qrewroom if you want.