Originally Posted by
madeinUSA
Excuse me for my lack of insight and ignorance on the issue, but as a regional airline pilot, wouldn't we be better off with more options than 3 legacy carriers and a few good paying majors? I get an ALPA email every week about how we need to protect our jobs against this foreign "threat". Personally I would have gone to Emirates a long time ago if I didn't have to move to the Middle East. Wouldn't it be nice to have a Chicago or NY base? I know Toyota employs thousands of US workers here with good pay and benefits. I can see how if you are a legacy pilot it would be against your better judgment but as a regional pilot the more options the better right?
There is no restriction against a foreign airline basing pilots in the U.S. Cathay Pacific uses several US cities as pilot domiciles (not sure about any other airlines). I don't think that's the case with Emirates yet, but given their expansion plans I wouldn't rule it out. So, go get hired if that suits you.
You're confusing the "threat" in the ALPA magazine and emails with where pilots are based. There are several "threats" the magazine talks about, but basing pilot in the U.S. isn't one of them. Some of the issues ALPA is concerned with are: Cabotage (foreign airlines flying from US destination to another US destination), foreign ownership of US airlines, US government contracts being awarded to foreign airlines and a US sponsored security screening streamline plan in the UAE which would benefit local airlines and put US airlines at a competitive disadvantage.