Originally Posted by Sink r8

I was talking about the confluence of factors forcing (i.e. exerting pressure towards) an agreement, not a "forced" agreement in the sense that it is mandatory.

I just don't know how the regional model survives without scope givebacks, I don't see us willing to do this; I see Delta needing to get out of as many 50-seat agreements as quickly as possible; I see the fact that all airlines have "thousands" of qualified applicants on file, but they're the same applicants for all airlines, and I see the requirements for F/O's going up, shutting out the regionals even further; I don't see us willing to sign on for any unplanned arbitration, but I don't see why we wouldn't agree to putting the RJ pilots on the list with a pre-agreed SLI; I see manuacturers itching to make a sale...

...so I suspect there is opportunity there.

I don't really know how the regionals structure this without their stock price affected by the perspective of not growing, but then again, I think most regionals are getting close to an even less pleasant outcome for stockholders.

So I think there is a confluence of factors conspiring to wrap up the small-gauge end of the scope problem.

All pure speculation, of course.