Airline mergers
 

I know this might not be the best place for this, however, since there have been a number of mergers, buyouts etc over the last year or so. I was wondering if anyone was able to comment to how T's and C's have changed at these various airlines or how negotiations regarding merging of the pilot workforces has been achieved.

Still feels like I am flying for the old company (and we are four years in). Not sure if many of my colleagues even realize the fact that we are no longer a standalone company. T&C’s have remained the same, and negotiations between the union and our company still take place in the same setting as before.

There are arrangements in place to divide the total production between the companies and pilot groups. Basically keeping in place the respective size relations pre merger/take-over. Which for the first four years has given us a moderate rate of growth.

The combined company has performed quite well.

The pilot groups are separate. Each company has its own seniority list, but from day one a so called “third list” was called into being. On this third list are all pilot who have been hired after the “merger”/take over. The pilots get their spot on their respective company’s seniority list, and at the same time get a spot on the “third” list. If more than one pilot joins on any respective day, their birthday will determine their place (the oldest one getting the highest spot), this is also the way it works on our company’s seniority list.

If the downturn takes on more ominous proportions whereby production cuts might be possible it will be a real test of all the deals. But so far so good.