I didn't say anything about delaying the "deal", I said they would prefer to delay a JCBA for as long as possible and they will continue to foment enough hate and discontent to do so. They know pilots better than we know ourselves and they know how to keep us at each others throats.
I think he will "do the deal" and he will be running one airline, just like he is now. All the passengers know is the name on the airplane and that the paint job looks the same. No problem, the passengers couldn't care less how much the pilots get paid, but you can bet your ass "Dougie" does. I think I saw the figure $600,000,000.00 a year to "buy" labor peace with all three pilot groups! That's in real (as in, got to start writing the paychecks) money not synergy "funny" money.
As long as the American pilots get what they want, they won't care how long he manages to string it out (remember they will be sitting behind a very long and tall fence) and believe me if the cost to "Team Tempe" to get the East and West to hold hands and sing "Kumbaya" together is say, half that amount, he will be in no hurry to pony up.
Furthermore, the West has already written the book on how the minority can throw legal roadblocks in front of a JCBA. Lets see, file a DFR, get an injunction maintaining the status quo and were all off to the races, again, sloooowly. Don't think there would be enough East pilots to fund their own "Army"? Think again, like I said you guys have already written the book and I'm sure there are plenty of "smarty pants " lawyers out there who would love to get paid to write a few more chapters!.
Oh sure, there would be a bunch of East pilots that would "go for the money". The question you have to ask yourself is how many? Do you feel lucky? Well do you? I bet "Team Tempe" is pulling for lots of "overtime" in this game!
seajay