A frankly absurd idea, FANS.
If you think that the public - already deserting Fair-Trade and free range in their droves and about to get hit by austerity unknown since their births - are going to give a monkeys about some arcane dispute involving white male middle-class trainspotters, then you may have another thing coming.
Capt. Sunshine your argument seems a bit self-defeating..
Although I have no doubt that if a P2F pilot is signed off to the line, he/she is as qualified and safe as someone whose airlines has paid for the rating, I think that the practice is immoral and therefore must be stopped before it becomes the norm.
So they're perfectly safe are they? So we're going for the sympathy vote instead? And we have no issue with the individuals themselves, right? So will the captain be able to declare to the rapt audience that he alone is kitemarked with the seal of approval? How will this play as regards CRM?
Presumably though since it's the principle of the thing, then we'd only be able to give the farm-reared gold star to flightcrews who are in BALPA, and those whose airlines don't engage in this practice? Would other BALPA members in the other airlines not resent being tarred with the battery-hen brush?
Possible slogan: "Would you let a surgeon have your life in their hands if they weren't being paid? .... Why then would you let a pilot?"
Poor slogan, you pre-empt the answer. I couldn't care less, as long as he doesn't injure me. If you want to make people actually listen, how about you make them aware of they're actually paying for?
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome on board yada yada yada - I've been up since 4am, managed 5 hours of sleep last night, and by the time we arrive at our destination I'll have been working 11 hours solid. 3 hours longer than even a bus or HGV driver is allowed. Do enjoy your flight."