Militant? Moi? The reference to our aircraft and routes relates specifically to the RJ 100 and the routes from the regions. The routes in question were all operated by BAR, and the aircraft in question are the former CFE, now BA aircraft. If, as you say, the losses made on some of these routes are nothing to do with the cost of the pilots, then why can the pilots not stay on and operate the routes? Why are the ex-CFE guys not permitted to remain on their current (inexpensive) payscales and fly out of the regions if they choose to do so? Why are the current BAR pilots not retrained to fly the RJ100, which is unlikely to be more expensive than training the BACE pilots on it (excluding those 146 rated already)? The answer is because politicking is the key factor in the demise of the regions, not operational efficiency, and that is the reason we are suspiscious. To suggest that BACE will always turn a profit on marginal BA routes is pure fallacy. Do you think BACE are making a profit on the late BHX-BRU service, the one so unreliable they've lost the slot for it?
To address a couple of your points directly:
2) I can think of a very valid reason why the regions/franchises can't be used as a training ground. How happy do you think GB would be if they were paying for FO training only to find them being poached constantly by BA? The regions already get recruits from the standard BA pool, how will offering them x years in the regions/franchises attract a better class of candidate? I thought we'd already established there was no question about the calibre of franchise pilots?
3) We already have a multi tier pay scale, LHR at the top, with lower scales for LGW and the regions, with lower scales still for CEPs. The lower you go, the harder you work and for less money? Sound fair to you? Should I get fewer days off, do more sectors and still earn significantly less than my LHR colleagues, even factoring in London Weighting? What about the regional captains who live in the same street as LHR captains but earn less? Where do you draw the line - when the new starters are working a 6 month probation for free? Multi tier pay scales achieve only one thing and that is to drive pay down. I am amused but not surprised that some people have still not grasped this concept and are keen to exert downward pressure on the pay of those trying to get a foot on the ladder.
To address your final comment, nobody has any desire to turn franchises into bloated clones of Waterside, quite the opposite in fact, but we do expect to protect our job opportunities. Theres no economic reason why giving BA pilots access to franchise/regional flying should damage the company, after all Stelios and Cassini pay comparable rates to most of our crew.