My understanding is that this is not "career expectations" as per the ALPA merger policy. After the UAL-US Airways potential merger of 2000, I believe (though someone can correct me if I'm wrong) that the sole definition of what a "career expectation" is relates to narrowbody versus widebody. So in this merger, both "career expectations" are the same: domestic mainline narrowbody aircraft.
For career expecation part, yes. But in the merger I went through before, an arbitrator is most likely going to favor Alaska in ratios for "bringing the more meaningful contract, pay raises, and staffing ratios" that benefit VX."
Or the most realistic scenario, something well inside the middle of those two extremes.
FYI, there are no 4 yr CAs here. I'll be 5 yrs in two more months and I'm not even close. Actually, I'd argue that for pax carriers, after Southwest and Alaska Airlines, Virgin America has the most senior upgrade. 5 yrs seniority can hold CA at just about every other pax airline. Spirit, Allegiant, Sun Country, Frontier, Delta, American (E190), jetBlue. And perhaps Hawaiian (?), Continental/United (?), not sure if these two have any CAs DOH 2011.