Quote:
Originally Posted by freezingflyboy
Hahahaha...what delusional fantasy world are you living in?!?! 
Do you HONESTLY think that the current system of sub-contracting small aircraft flying is a recent or accidental development? Do you HONESTLY think that if it was cheaper or more efficient for a mainline carrier to fly every route on their own metal that they would still rather outsource that flying? Lets pretend you're even half-right and mainline carriers go back to the system of wholly-owned regional partners, THEY ARE STILL OUTSOURCING FLYING. And you, as a pilot at that wholly-owned regional, are still nothing more than an entry-level B-scale employee.
Why would any mainline carrier want to take on the additional risk and cost of operating their own regional unit when they can contract out that flying for cheaper. Even if they go one step further and bring that regional flying completely in-house and operate the regional aircraft on the same certificate and seniority lists, all you've done is increase your total labor costs (longer longevity), your fleet costs now that you've added a new type to your operation AND your own management overhead now that your operation is that much larger.
When a mainline carrier contracts out with 2 or 3 or 4 different regional carriers they don't care that there are 2 or 3 or 4 duplicated managements or operations people or maintenance or whatever. All they are looking at is a simple cost-comparison. They look at what it would cost them to do the flying themselves (cost A) and what it would cost to pay a small-lift operator to do the flying (cost B). If cost A > cost B then that flying goes to the small-lift operator. It really is as simple as that. They don't call them bean-counters for nothing. |
I'm going to hang it all out there and say that Mason brings up some very good points. I agree that there will probably be some consolidation but hopefully not in the direction that Midwest went by getting mainline airplane to be flown by a regional carrier for regional rates thus maximizing profits even more (Mainline in name only).
I wish mainline would take back all of the flying that is not regional flying. STL-IAD, SLC-PIT, SLC-MSY, etc are all regional flights. Some of the regional jets flying these long segments with their high available cost per available seat mile with a high frequency is ludicrous. Instead of sending a CRJ-200 5 times per day (very high CASM) send a 757 twice or three times per day. Yeah the mainline pilots cost more but they can carry more, have more flexibility (alternates and capacity/etc), and provide passengers with more service and comfort than "sit down, shut up, and here is your coke."
Why doesn't this happen? Why aren't mainline pilots flying mainline airplanes on mainline routes? Why aren't regional pilots flying very efficient turboprops to feed the hub? Why doesn't United Airlines have a better feel for what oil is going to do even though their CEO is an ex oil exec who is sure to have some good connections still in the business? I guess because their competitor offers this level of frequency into crappy, small town XYZ and jet service. As far as Glen T, I guess his ineptitude is directly proportional to the size of his paycheck.