You are ignoring the fundamental changes in the industry that have occurred since the boom of the late '90s. The difference is that now, unlike then, it is impossible to achieve a significant revenue premium. It is rare now that a business customer, the former bread and butter of the legacy carriers, is willing to walk up at the last minute and plunk down a couple grand for a last minute round trip. Pricing power in the industry has disappeared. If anything, it is the LCC's that set the prices that the legacy carriers must scramble to follow (on the low end, of course.) You seem to be implying that since you have a superior business model (right now you do), that what happens with your compensation and bennefits in the future is irrelevant. With this kind of thinking, it is my opinion that you will one day find yourself in a predicament similar to the one that the legacy carrier pilots and their companies find themselves in today. As I said, as your costs go up you gradually will become vulnerable to a new entrant with new employees, back loaded aircraft lease structures, and a little Wall Street hype to attract capital infusion. What was it that your CEO said in that USA Today interview several weeks ago? He said it was all about (quote) "costs, costs, costs." If you don't think that you are part of that equation, then someday you will have a rude awakening.
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