Pretty tough to tell a 1 year wonderstick to give up a few seniority numbers for an ex-Eastern pilot. Most of these young'ns don't have any idea what Eastern is. They might never acknowlege the impact that those pilots had on the industry.
The problem is that we've all got this entitelement mentality. It's MINE and you cant have it! When we receive a windfall (and yes, young friends, a slew of 70/90 seat jets for an airline that just a few short years ago was flying J31s and Metros IS, in fact, a windfall) we want every last bit of it to ourselves. You want those airplanes to pad your resume and to build up that PIC turbine so you can go... well, heck. I'm not sure where. I suppose these days its AirTran or Southwest. When I was at Chautauqua it was United. Whatever.
Well, these MDA guys have given up quite a bit as well. Most of them were 10+ year F/Os (and formerly Metrojet Captains) at US Airways. Their union sold them out for this "soft-landing" at MDA. They simply want to make a living. A reasonable slotted integration will not impact your career expectations. Brand-new, E-jets most certainly will.
Just because you have not seen hard times at Chautauqua, doesn't mean its not right around the corner. The most powerful airlines in the industry have been brought to their knees over the years. You are not immune to that fate.
Chautauqua has some amazing people within her ranks. Pilots hired in the early to mid-90s who have chosen to make a career there. They flew Metros and the old PSA Jetstreams (and some even flew the 99'). They know where they've come from and are thankful for the good fortune and hard work that built Chautauqua into a company that might be able to provide them with a career... not just a stepping stone.
Unfortunately Chautauqua has also recently hired some young folks who DO view it as a stepping stone. They are cocky, arrogant, and believe that they are entitled a rapid upgrade, and a quick transition from the "regionals" to the new so-called "majors". They believe that those who came before (from United, US Airways, etc.) are in that position because they made the wrong decisions... and that it could never happen to them.
Well my friends, it can. Take a lesson from your more senior counterparts. Be thankful for what Chautauqua is able to offer you at this time -- it may not be around forever. But while it is, how about a fair integration for some guys who have been less fortunate than yourselves? This profession is, after all, a craps shoot... and the Vegas odds on a successful retirement are pretty darned lousy.
Regards,
Chautauqua Alumni Class of 1996
PS - May we ALL be so lucky as to have a 25+ year career. 13 yrs at Eastern and another 15 at US Airways... not so bad. I'm willing to bet that although things didn't turn out quite the way he planned, he had some real good times over the last 28 years. Black cloud? I don't think so. Our "choices" will not dictate our fate. We won't know until the day we turn 60 whether or not those choices were correct.