This is a really interesting problem.
I'm a lifer, so really I will never step out of the gate without my ID but the day is coming where a lot of experience does and the training pipelineand breadth of new generation experience falls short of filling those gaps.
FRIs need to be given out now to retain people before the airline exodus.
The problem with FRIs from a finance point of view is that it costs a lot of money and, post FRI, you can never have any concrete proof that the people that have stayed have done so because of the FRI.
I think its time the RAF looked at some lower cost preemptive options rather than the costly FRI Hail Marys.
How about transitioning people to PA spine on offer and not making them wait to their 38 point. Wouldn't cost much and people would be progressing in pay and benefits. That would keep some people.
Perhaps also a way to give people their current gratuity as an advance with a tied in RoS. How many people do you know have left because the gratuity and pension make it financially stupid to stay.
Just some thoughts
Wides