Shifting the pilots straight into short haul commands? Ok, let's take it a step further. What if the company thought that the 787's flown by Jetstar would be better utilised in Qantas? Hmmmm, now we have the company expecting it to be ok to shift 8 aircraft worth of Jetstar crews onto the longhaul award bypassing seniority.
I’m not sure your argument makes sense but I’m ready to be corrected.
If JC pilots were incorporated onto the SH award and into the seniority list, they would be both quarantined and at the bottom. Ie the most senior JC Captain would be below the last Second Officer who joined.
Let’s say that the most senior JC pilot was a couple of years from retirement and really liked the idea of being an SO for a couple of years and seeing how a LH crew operated. After a year or so ( whatever quarantine was agreed on) he could apply for any NEW SO slots that had been created since the integration. If he tootled off to that new role then a command position would be available, JC is meeting its internal requirements for DE commands at the moment so that command would go to any Mainline FO who wanted to make the move. That is a command that isn’t available at the moment and hasn’t been for years. As time rolls on and the quarantine lifts it will simply be an Auckland or Wellington base available to any Mainline pilot who has the seniority.
As for the Jetstar 787 analogy, they too would be on the bottom of the seniority list. Right now those 787 F/O and Capt positions aren’t available to QF crew but down the track they would be. You mention the pilots of the future, to me it seems that a short term messy integration of seniority greatly benefits the ten year old at Mascott dreaming of being a Qantas pilot.
Happy to try and see it from a different angle.
Cheers