A lot of opinions on this issue, but, truthfully, I really don't think it will make much of a difference in our ability to travel, no matter how we do it.
Personally, I like seniority and feel that retirees should travel on the same priority as active employees. I don't have a lot of seniority (DOH 2001), but that has never really been an issue. I plan the flights and have not really had a problem. Honestly, I have been bumped more by revenue pax than by more senior non-revs.
One thing being said here is our ability to hire would be easier if retirees went after active employees. I don't really think that most new hires understand enough to make a decision based on that. All they care about at that time is "wow, we can fly for free!". But, let's say they do. How will it help us if that new hire knows that we took the ability to board with active employees away? If it were me, I would wonder what they will take from me when I retire. Maybe the company will change and not let retirees travel at all! I understand all the financial policies that have changed, but this is something that costs the company nothing, and should have stayed as promised.
Either way, I don't see people in mass droves not being able to get anywhere, after all, we all give our friends buddy passes, and they go behind everyone, and usually they get where they are going! Employees of affiliates and registered guests fly as an S5 (which is after retirees), and they also get to fly, and are able to.
Despite the fact that I agree with DOH vs FCFS, and I think retirees should travel as promised, I think it is an exageration, when anyone one says "if they do that we'll never get to fly". We will all get to fly, it's just that some of us will have to get used to a new way of doing it!
