As far as the ALPA scope acreement is concerned, I would imagine in any case that a VA pilot could only fly DL metal if a US citizen but a scope agreement forcing DL pilots to fly DL metal is enforecable although may need to work for the next contract to be signed. Similarly DL & VS can agree on broadly a 50/50 split or whatever on their joint venture between the UK & US - isn't that what KL & DL (and before them NW did between the NL & US)? BALPA could probabaly go to a UK court and argue that any scope argeement limiting the amount of non US flying VS could do was illegal - isn't that why EU airlines must be 51% owned by EU citizens?
(I'd like to know what BALPA would think if the Allied Pilots Association tried ti limit the size of BA's operations to that of AA.)
There is a difference: AA don't own 49% of BA.
DL can't acquire any more of DL but there is no reason why AFKLM couldn't acquire the 51% & effectively outsource the management to DL (although there is still the question of whether that would be considered as EU control). Would a DL manager who is an EU citizen be OK?
One further thought, might it be worth VS splitting itself into two, one serving the US & one to serve other routes. They could share certain support operations such as maintenance. Not sure who would own any minority stake in the latter - ASKLM?
Ant thoughts?
Is AF/KL in a fit financial state to buy anything at present?