Originally Posted by
angryrat
Now they are VH registered the case maybe successful.
Why? If I recall correctly the court case did not proceed once it was determined the Fair Work Act has no jurisdiction over an NZ employer, which Jetconnect technically is, albeit a sham employer of convenience.
Changing the aircraft registration won't change that. Fair Work doesn't give a toss about aircraft registration - that's CASA's concern. As has already been noted on this thread, VA NZ and JQ NZ already fly VH tails. They just need an Aus licence to do so.
So I'm thinking, Jetconnect can either:
1. continue to exist as normal and fly VH tails, in which case the airframes will be more flexible but the pilots will not; or
2. cease to exist with the pilots somehow absorbed into mainline under SHWA conditions with a NZ base, in which case both airframes and pilots will be more flexible to fly domestic routes.
Option 2 is more flexible, and more complex, but might help with a mainline 737 pilot shortage - so it could be attractive to the Company.
From previous posts it appears option 1 is the "advertised" preferred option, but they haven't commited to it yet. Possibly because option 2 is still under negotiation. Option 2 might actually be the preferred long term goal, pending the outcome of industrial negotiation.
I have no connection to any sources, so this is again, pure speculation. However, the CP has emailed mainline pilots indicating that AIPA talks are underway.