Sparse
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 25, 2005
- Posts
- 510
Well, since Flexjet is now the only non-union fractional among the major players I'd say the pattern has already formed!
Will it amount to a hill of beans of change? Unfortunately I don't think so. Look what happened to FO and CA esp. Having a union doesn't mean much when the parent company decides to get out of the fractional biz and cuts the company in half. Avantair is a low cost business model, there's no way they can afford a contract that comes close to what NJA has, and Flex isn't far behind NJA even without a contract. Haven't heard anything from Options in ages, but I don't see them getting an industry leading package based on their history. That pretty much leaves NJA and Flex, and seeing as how we're the two most expensive already I don't see how we could get any significant improvements without pricing ourselves out of the market completely. And don't forget all the fracs have to compete on some level with charter and XO. Even if we all had the same pay and benefits and cost about the same too many people would run to the charter companies who would be sig cheaper.
If it depends on patterning bargaining I would say NJ has the most to lose. Flex, no contract, CA, out of business, Options, ( fill in the blanks) Avaintair, bottom feeder, xo ditto. The fractional model and career is dead.