Understated wrote:The only difference between the two systems is the training cost resulting from pilots bidding to maximize their income. That is the whole objective of status pay. So excuse my ignorance, but I still don't get it. Why does Air Canada want to keep bumping pilots off the top of the list?
It's not the only difference: The other is the cost associated with planning; the time required to replace a pilot who has retired.
If you look at the Equipment Bids, you will notice that retiring pilot names are stricken off the list as much as 18 months before the pilot retires. In other words, the Company has been given an 18 month time allotment to replace a pilot. Most of the retiring pilots are coming off the B777 Captain position. So, how long does it take to replace a B777 Captain?
Well let's see. It takes approximately 2 months to train an A330 Captain to replace a B777 Captain. However, before the A330 Captain can be trained off, a B767 Captain has to be trained in order to replace him. Before that can happen, an A320 captain would have to be trained on to the B767. This exercise is repeated right down to the lowest equipment/position on the equipment list.
At the end of the day, the Company almost needs to know 18 months into the future as to their hiring requirements, just to replace one B777 Captain.
At the present time, the Company knows exactly the number of pilots they need to hire, because pilots are leaving at the top level at a pre-determined date (within a small margin of error - if pilots were to leave any earlier than 60, they would be financially penalised on their pension).
Now, let’s suppose that pilots, who are mostly B777 Captains, are given the choice of date as to when to retire. How can the Company plan for this? For example, one B777 captain may still wish to retire at age 60. However, another one would like to go until 60½ , while another wants to go until 61⅜ , and another goes to 62¾, etc. Everybody will be going at a different time than expected, not giving the Company any notice as to when they want to leave.
The Company’s planning is shot out the window. Either they will hire too many pilots (most of the excess will sit on the B777, as you've seen with the latest bid with Vilven & Kelly being listed as additional pilots to the needed requirement of pilots), or not enough to crew the airline.
So, if you don’t have enough pilots, how much will this cost the Company in cancelled flights over an 18-months period?
Now, let’s take everything that I said above and take it to the extreme.
On what equipment/position will most pilots who are between the ages of 60 and 65 find themselves on?
On what equipment/position will most pilots who are over the age of 65 find themselves on?
If you answered B777 Captain and B777 F/O respectively, then you are correct.
So again, taking this to the extreme, let’s assume that every single B777 Captain is between 60 and 65, and every F/O is over 65. Is there anything preventing these pilots from leaving all at the same time?
Let’s assume that the Company pisses us off once again like they’ve done so many times in the past. Unfortunately for those of us who are under 60, we have to take it on the chin, because in our seniority-based industry, we cannot leave; we cannot take our seniority with us to go somewhere else.
However, there is nothing holding back a person who has nothing to lose; he can just hang it all up, and live off a lavish pension. So under this extreme case, if at the same time, every over 60 pilot had enough, the entire B777 fleet would be grounded for up to 18 months.
So, how much would this cost Air Canada? Now, you know why their lawyers are worried?
P.S. Although lack of planning will also affect the Company under a Status based pay system, it surely wouldn’t take 18 months to replace that B777 Captain – probably something like 3 months, and not all of the over 60 pilots will be on the B777 - they will be spread throughout the fleet.
As we are presently in Negots, I'm sure the Company is clamoring for a Status-based pay system to ensure that they aren't held hostage by the pilots wishing to remain past 60.