Studi, please re read the long Q and A statement. The answers to your questions are answered quite comprehensively in there.
In brief though. Integration brings all the pilot workforce under the SCOPE agreement and hence work done on all aircraft with over 100 seats will be kept in BA mainline. The chance of a LoCo start up outwith SCOPE as a standalone is almost impossible due to the lack of space/slots at LHR. Without integration the basic building blocks for that new airline are already in place.
If there is no integration there is no need for IAG to maintain the BMI terms and conditions when the a initial period which TUPE applies is over. The new airline can re employ on whatever conditions it wants...not a great place to be.
This is not a merger. IAG is buying BMI and can do with it as it wishes, with the workforce on side or not. That is what this is about. Do we want to be in the negotiations arguing for the best we can expect or looking on as our futures are decided entirely by the bean counters?
As for where BMI FO's fit into seniority lists and fairness. Maybe being at the bottom of the list in and expanding airline is better than having your job conditions dictated to you after a new paint job is put on your aircraft. For those of us that have moved through different companies we understand seniority is not transferable. In some airlines seniority means nothing, in others it is everything. BA is the latter. Why should those that chose to move to BA from other jobs prior to this be disadvantaged by being pushed down the list by those that did not choose to take that decision?
We all make career choices some lucky others not, some considered others through necessity. That is part of this industry.
I enjoy reading your postings playing devils advocate. However you do seem to advocate a non conciliatory approach which in this situation does not exist as a genuine option. This is a bad job, we are trying to make the best of it.
I look forward to flying with colleagues from all backgrounds. The future BMI pilots will be warmly welcomed and all our job security fought for from within. That will not happen so easily if there is discontent about their integration with regard to current BA pilots CHOSEN lifestyle/career prospects. I can only empathise with the current angst amongst BMI pilots. Unlike many of my past colleagues at least they are not staring at redundancy, the desperate search for any job going and all that entails for family and lifestyle. This could be very different.
Jazzy