Does DAL have PBS? That's the reason these CAL Captain positions are going so junior I think. I would perhaps add that to the equation.
The CAL guys aren't going to retire IMHO. They'll go to LTD first and we all fund that.
I guess the only thing I would really want to verbalize to you Cougar is (and this is looking at the big picture over many decades): When things get tough in this business (and they do), CAL will go to their employees first and they will go deep. Employees are the shock absorber at CAL. Conversely, when things are good they are incredibly stingy with the regular employees. I'm almost half way up the list and I want to see us change first year pay like we we're dragging these guys out of a fire! I'm also glad we protected the 100% lump sum, but that being said, these potential CAL retirees don't want to go. There's a reason DAL doesn't have a pilot under 50. Yes, they had more career earnings, but they are also understood the situation. Senior CAL pilots will be slow to grasp things and will pattern mgt in hitting up their fellow employees when they need a break. (We just sent a CAL pilot to run ALPA and look what he's doing). I don't know...It seems like the DAL pilots have shown a lot more savvy over the years. In twenty five years you'll know for sure what was the best choice.
The CAL guys aren't going to retire IMHO. They'll go to LTD first and we all fund that.
I guess the only thing I would really want to verbalize to you Cougar is (and this is looking at the big picture over many decades): When things get tough in this business (and they do), CAL will go to their employees first and they will go deep. Employees are the shock absorber at CAL. Conversely, when things are good they are incredibly stingy with the regular employees. I'm almost half way up the list and I want to see us change first year pay like we we're dragging these guys out of a fire! I'm also glad we protected the 100% lump sum, but that being said, these potential CAL retirees don't want to go. There's a reason DAL doesn't have a pilot under 50. Yes, they had more career earnings, but they are also understood the situation. Senior CAL pilots will be slow to grasp things and will pattern mgt in hitting up their fellow employees when they need a break. (We just sent a CAL pilot to run ALPA and look what he's doing). I don't know...It seems like the DAL pilots have shown a lot more savvy over the years. In twenty five years you'll know for sure what was the best choice.