My gut feeling is inline with Walnut's.
We should all be grateful for the bounty that this can bring the two groups. I honestly believe that the two groups can bring forward a synergy that was all but impossible before yesterday for both groups.
I therefore share No walkover's positivity and understand their sentiments. Both groups have much to gain, can we not look forward rather than viewing things purely in the immediate short term.
I do also understand why there is a certain dissatisfaction with regard to lack of BALPA HQ acting as a facilitator to bring a united front but having said that, I think it may just be that they do not want to waste energy prior to yesterday's announcement. It will be very interesting though how they act and the message they portray.
I understand that BALPA has a massive revenue stream from the BA folk and why it would be in their interests to come down on this side of the debate. From a BMI perspective, I can completely see why No pushover and others would feel aggrieved if this were the case by BALPA after the previous merger.
Ultimately though, I think that the only fair and honourable position BALPA can take, is the one that protects themselves from contentious issues following their advice. To that end, it may not be a decision that either BA or BMI pilots actually want to hear and quite possibly completely different or in between the two CCs.
I personally do not think that there should have to be a type freeze. What would be interesting would be to see how many bmi pilots actually would want to change fleet. For sure some may want to, e.g. some of the remaining BMED staff would have joined a company with expectations of flying longer distances and the respective lifestyle issues. Then again some of the BMI staff may not have chosen to apply to BA/longhaul because they were happy flying around Europe and returning home more regularly.
I think that some of the BA pilots maybe surprised at the percentage of BMI pilots that may wish to jump ships. In fact, we do have a fleet bid form somewhere, which would show how many actually requested to transfer fleet if the option became available.