Most people aren't hanging out at the top of the payscale are regionals just because it's fun. Fact is that since I started flying in the United States in 2004 (after starting my career working in Europe) hiring has only been in fits and spurts and many majors have really not hired much at all. The last time there was significant hiring was about 4 years ago and many of those were furloughed shortly afterwards by United and a couple other carriers. The United guys are only now getting recalled.

American has not hired a pilot off the streets in years and hiring at UPS and FedEx has been insignificant.

I think most RJ guys with more than 5 years of seniority want out of their airlines but opportunities have been limited. The payscales are what pilots negotiate, not what management wants. So to set an arbitrarily low number just to keep things moving is Ornstein-esque.

As long as I have to be stuck at my company I am going to milk it for all it's worth. My retirement will thank me. I don't really care what the company thinks about our senior, stagnant pilot seniority list.