JB007, as you should probably realise, the situation is not as black and white a picture as you envisage. Whilst Flybe has historically been an airline for those at the extremes of their careers, it has had an opportunity to correct this, and with a fleet potential in excess of 140 airframes within the next few years, it will be pretty big. No longer an airline along the lines of one normally associated with the extremes of one's career, i.e. not in the ASW or Eastern league. At the moment there are in excess of 700 pilots on the seniority list. That will get bigger.
Pay, Scheduling & Pensions are the three major issues at the moment, and with not terribly much effort, a compromise could be found. However, there is no interest from the management at all. The company has grown well under the leadership of a good management team, but also with the hard work of a workforce that, I think is fair to say, have all really bought into the plans that French and the board have laid out. We have won numerous awards, we have been innovative and flexible w.r.t to the severe winters & ash, operating where other airlines have cancelled. Of course this is what we signed up to, but the continuing examples of so many crew going above and beyond are part of the Flybe way.
Put the above into the context of constant great sentiment from the company but, ultimately, virtually zero action towards our betterment in several years, and folk are getting fairly hacked off. Particularly when a 2% payrise offered, actually equates to only 0.3% (and especially after making good profits during a payfreeze), and a 50:50 pension offer transpires for some to be a 70:30 in favour of the company. Negotiation with the union is almost nil and then the info provided from HQ is spun and simplified so that the above appears to be a great deal, when it clearly is not with the revelation of a few more facts omitted in several communique.
Flybe isn't my first airline and at this rate it won't be my last, but that is irrelevant. Many people would like to stay and make a career, regardless of their backgrounds and with a little flexibility from above, it is very possible. With no movement on pay and conditions, many other airlines are much more attractive to so many at Flybe. We need to fix these growing pains.