Sorry, CX doesn't have a seniority system -- if we had a seniority system, people's careers wouldn't be stunted by some ex-Oasis schmuck that shouldn't be here in the first place. Either have a seniority system or don't -- either way is better than what we've got.

With a true seniority system, Oasis captains would be demoted to FO's. Oh, I know what you're going to say... They came here as captains, so they should get to keep that. So what??? Other airlines with a seniority system promote and demote people as necessary, why in the hell do we have to honor the mistake of a former manager for the rest of our careers? If you don't like the demotion, then you're free to leave. Nobody wants you here anyway.

Or get rid of the seniority system altogether. Guys could get upgraded on merit and experience rather than just the luck of having an early hire date. That would work, too. Just, pick a damned side one way or the other. Our union is useless!

Based on todays AOA newsletter regarding basings negotiations I think we are there already.

Ask a US Armed Forces officer (as in Lt, Capt, Major, etc.) about promotions based on "merit" in their system. As far as I understand, in their "up or out" system, f you are not promoted after 2 years of being eligible (with 2 opportunities for promotion) then that's it, you then retire. That goes for each rank. Wonder how much brown nosing, backstabbing, nepotism and politics goes on?

Imagine the chaos if the 20% of pilots who have their private, unfair, RP-ignoring arrangements with crew control turned into 100% of pilots trying to make private arrangements with crew control? And every manager. And every trainer.

The only people now wishing to get rid of seniority are the ones that have already benefited from it to get promoted but find themselves stuck at the bottom part of the captains list and can't change jobs to get better rosters while hating the non-truly-seniority-based issues that don't work well for them, like leave and type changes, or those who now wish they could take their qualifications elsewhere without starting over at the bottom.

It cuts both ways, and you can't have it both ways.