Originally Posted by
eaglefly
To some degree this is true. The blame lies heavily on the unions that failed in this respect. But, we are where we are (as a profession) and like it or not, most current regional pilots will not make it to a major simply due to the continued proliferation of larger RJ's acquiring more of the domestic market, likely leaving mainline carriers to contract at or close to the rate of retirement.
Stop posting with your hate for the regionals, you are a product of the regional airlines. You are a regional lifer you flowed to mainline without an interview aren't you? You are someone who was handed a job!
Yes, we have a large numbers of pilots at the regionals who don't want to move to other carriers because of how much they would be giving up in QOL and pay, remember these guys won't be walking into a major with 3-5 years of seniority and avoiding those first few years of low pay. These guys are wanting larger RJ. Then there is the SJS crowd, they are only hurting themselves. I don't agree with the speed that a substantial amount of RJ Captains taxi or the way a lot of guys handle themselves but I can only control my actions. The statement you just made is incorrect and you as a mainline pilot has more control over it than we do at the regional (and yes I understand BK ties your hands to a certain extent)
Many Captains that I fly with at Eagle believe you guys messed up by not accepting the TA, many FO in the regional industry understand what you guys at AA are doing and what you are standing up against and we stand behind you and have gotten creative as to not accept taxi instructions around you while ****ing off the captain we are flying with. It is easy to point out the guy taxing with his boards up but it is not easy to point out the regional FO who sat a few extra seconds to make that radio call so AA would call first, the FO who tells ramp on the radio that there is no enough room so the captain now can't try to race by AA. There are many of us out there trying to stand for our profession and not trying to cut corners. Everyones job when it comes to an airplane is to do their job as fast as possible and get the airplane going, it is our job as professional pilots to ensure it is done in a safe manner after all you are responsible for that aircraft, its crew and passengers. Some of us get it, but will probably be stuck in the right seat of an RJ for years as we have gone to the regionals that at the time had the better contracts and working conditions but now are shrinking as the regionals that have the lowest QOL and shortest upgrades grow.
Back to your statement above, this is inaccurate as Delta is reducing total number of airframes, some places will have their service adjusted but if the place can support 3 50 seat RJs a day I am certain they will be able to adapt to 2 65 seat Rj a day or face not having air service. United will likely follow with the RJ airframe reduction, US Airways and AA total will likely reduce RJ airframes as well as a whole either by a merger or separate with their new contracts. AA will likely gain some while US Airways will likely park some. The regional industry will shrink, it is up to mainline pilots again to decide how much they shrink and how big are the airplanes left.