I have been with Alaska for 5 years and possibly upgrading in 3+ years. I have a good schedule but the pay is not enough to get by on the west coast, thanks to Kasher. I don't mind moving or even commuting for FEDEX. I don't have a crystal ball, but I want better career stability and pay (I know... so does everyone else). Would you leave Alaska for FEDEX?
Here is one way that a guy could look at it....... In the two to three years that the FedEx guys are saying that it will take to be making 130,000.00 a year as a wide body co-pilot, we will still be in negotiations. We work for a management team that does not have that founders zeal that I think Albie was talking about. They are confident that at the end of protracted negotiations, we will be prevented from taking self help by the courts or the PEB. Would you rather live through that or watch that happen from FedEx.
There is no doubt that the grass is always greener on the other side but in this case there just is not a down side.
It is also apparent that our niches that we have always been strong in are being eroded and we are in no position to fend that off. Our operational reliability continues to slip and that in turn prevents us from taking advantage of growth markets. And while the bench marks ,such as casm, that drive executive compensation continue to be met throught the miracles of modern accounting, the real cost associated with running the airline continue to rise. It is very likely that when we do arrive at the end of mediation in 2009 or 2010, we will be facing mounting losses and real lack of profitability.
I think at some point we will be offered up for sale. It will be for our airplanes and facilities not for our operation and none of that spells stability or career longevity for a pilot........This track that we are on is not new. It began prior to 261 and has been slowly but surely manifesting itself.
So if the fine folks at FedEx have asked you to join them and you intend to fly airplanes for a living, you might just want to say yes....If I had the pedigree that would give me a chance at FedEx, and I planned on making my living flying airplanes, I would happily give up my 8 years with Alaska and join them.....