Chadzat, what are my thoughts about Skywest/VARA pilots? I've been vocal on how management have handled some issues ie use of 457 pilots, but I haven't said anything against the pilots. My statements on other posts about VARA's future fleet is based on information senior management have told the VAA pilot group at numerous pilot forums. Anyone with Airline management experience knows having such a mixed and old fleet is not sustainable long term.
My statement above about the 7th of May is based on how the PAC Blue/VANZ pilots were integrated into the VAA pilot list. Their date of joining was based on when they first became employed by Virgin and not one of the contract companies. I and many other VAA pilots have heard Skywest/ VARA pilots talking in the crew rooms about a future integrated pilot list and how some senior Skywest/VARA pilots are expecting to be placed towards the top of the combined list, due to their length of service at Skywest and there is no way the VAA pilots would allow that.
Skywest were taken over by VAA (larger company), it wasn't a merger. If it was a merger than perhaps the senior Skywest pilots should deserve to be further up the list on any proposed combined pilot list.
An important thing to remember even if there is a combined pilot list, each company will continue to operate under separate AOC's and EBA's, as is the current situation with VAA, VAI and VANZ.
BTW the VAA EBA has far better conditions than the Skywest EBA!