The argument is actually simple, BA as ever are trying to muddy the waters, and convince us they have our best interests at heart too....(pause for hysterical laughter) or, more honestly, asking us why the BACC should do anything at all for us. At least the latter approach is selfishly honest.
We would be expected to believe that the rate for all pilots should ideally be the same. Hmm, some logic, but no realism. Does one expect the Captain of a Fleetwood fishing smack to be paid the same as the man commanding QE2? I don't think I even need to answer that.
Change is inevitable. What s truly saddening is the inability of BA to actually UNDERSTAND why some people really don't want their system. We are not trying to change your own system, but we would quite like to keep our own, thank you. Scope has not benefited a single Regional Pilot in the USA, but it has certainly protected a lot of jobs on larger a/c - well, up to the current Chapter 11 new entrants anyway. But of course, it makes perfect sense in these dark days to insist on 737s and Airbuses flying around with pax numbers which would make a healthy profit on an Emb/146, but which are driving the operators out of business.
Butr anyway - a small wager. One year from now, there WILL be an RJ Fleet staffed by BACX pilots in a ration of around 2 - 1 to ex BA. In three years there WILL be BACX operated 737s and Airbuses in tandem with GB. In four years, all mainline recruitment will first pass through BACX, and in five years, we will all be part of mainline, on mainline Ts and Cs, and the Company will again be haemorraging money. At which point......they will probably buy Highland Airways, Loganair and Eastern, and away we all go again.
Kinda funny really, but I'm not laughing as BA take the first faltering steps to destroying my livelihood.
