Isn't the ultimate answer to all of this that the legacy carriers just cut out the middle men, the regionals, and make RJ's part of their wholly owned fleet?

I know there are issues of scope and this isn't going to happen anytime soon, but why wouldn't Delta or United or the potential AA/USAir just decide to fly their own RJ's and staff them own their own pilots?

Maybe that model isn't feasible due to existing contracts and scope, but it would make their own forecasting and scheduling much easier. It might mean a reduction in jobs, but it might also lead to higher pay and higher time applicants.

Right now, regionals are at the whims of their bigger counterparts. How can one make projections on growth or hiring if it's all dependant on month to month dealing with the legacies?