Originally Posted by
knobbycobby
IsDon,
Just wondering why the A330 and then the A380 was negotiated into the Long Haul award?
Why didn't they use Cobam,Jetconnect etc etc and get a "flatter structure" or a "paycut".
Having flown with company negotiators I specifically asked them if such a threat was real/plausible.
The reply was a definite NO.
Good question.
The 330 was a bit of an aberration. The rate for this aircraft was based on the rate for the classic 747-300. Can't remember but it was something like classic plus 5%. Certainly above the classic. I remember thinking at the time, good on the negotiators getting that one agreed to. Fact is though the 330 was never going to do much overtime flying so it was always going to be a flat cost base, like the 767. That was why there was no intention to have it crewed outside the agreement I suspect.
The 380 pay rate came about, if you recall, straight after the vote down of the EBA8 debacle. This failed EBA is still quoted by some as the best EBA ever. Well the vast majority thought it was crap and for good reason. Anyway, I digress.
In the vacuum left after this no vote the company and AIPA agreed to a quick and dirty rollover of EBA7 with a rate for the 380 set at 747-400 + X%. We'd spent countless months wasting energy on EBA8, on both sides. I don't think there was any energy left to start with a clean sheet of paper and start that process all over again. Oldmeadow and co's modus operandi was always delay, delay, and when you can't think of what to do delay some more. Knowing that an effective pay freeze was in place for this whole delay, the back pay for which was another point of negotiation.
At the time, the rank and file were just over it, and I suspect the company were too. I suspect that's why it was added to the existing agreement as it was the path of least resistance.
Remember also, that the 380 was only doing what flying the 744 was doing at the time. Given that planned flying it's a reasonable position to say that the 380 carries X% more revenue, we want X% more to fly it. With the same overtime that was paid to the 400 crews between LAX and Oz that's probably reasonable in the light of the circumstances that existed at the time. Dallas hadn't been thought of. If Dallas were on the radar, I expect the 380 would not have been included as it was.