Betpump, so true.
RF was a worry for the company, as he was consistent, logical, very measured, and smart.
That's why I query whether the membership is smart enough to resist the forthcoming company begging bowl in one hand and gun in the other.
After all, DS managed to hoodwink a good many of the membership to vote for him. What does that say about our collective smarts in being able to counter CX who already have all the steps in their playbook written down, rehearsed and put into play.
Having been here 30 years, they are predictable in their methods. They already know where they will end up, the current HPE and subsequent letter from AT are just pre-amble, conditioning, expectation management that follows the usual and predictable approach.
They'll have the usual press releases, we've cut management positions, everyone else is pay frozen, pilots earn $blah$, we'd like them to help pull the company through these lean times. All designed to remove any public support for the pilots.
Wouldn't surprise me if as part of the ARAPA dismantling, CX choose to provide some HKPA incentive for those signing on to C&T in an attempt to revive the negligible (bar ADL/AKL questionables) training captain applicants.
Stand by for smoke & mirrors mixed with divide & conquer mixed with a little old fashioned Swire arrogance in the very near future.
And bar having a sizeable team of forensic accountants going through the company and group records, I would treat any minor 3rd party accountant just being given a glimpse of the few areas the company wish to show, with a great deal of suspicion.
Remember, once the finite fuel hedging losses are over, by 2018/19, the core business is still, and should continue to make a profit.
Smoke & mirrors!