70? Was a zero missing from that? Not saying I don't believe you, but that sounds awfully low.

While I disagree that they will WANT to bring them in-house, they will probably NEED to bring them in-house to ensure that flying is staffed.

What I'm concerned about, is that the 9E-type agreements become the favored solution. Clearly mgmt teams are attempting to use this carrot as a means to keep pilots off the mainline longevity scale at significantly depressed rates.

I believe that the coming decade will provide the opportunity to turn this career around. We, collectively as a profession, need to ensure that we make the most of these opportunities. I'm not sure exactly how to go about it, but allowing an off-list C scale (9E et al) is not an acceptable solution. I'm heartened by the EGL and XJT groups rejection of their BS contracts. The more regional pilots refuse to accept substandard living conditions, the better our collective leverage becomes for recovering the flying - to everyone's benefit.

Given the 9E precedent though, it seems like the only way to bring it all back home is if they feel some crushing pain staffing-wise. We need to have our strategy in place when the company comes asking for help with a solution. The only answer IMO is "bring all that flying to mainline and offer those pilots jobs at the bottom of the Delta seniority list."

Sooner or later the various regionals are going to begin defaulting on their performance obligations because they can't staff the airplanes. That will provide Delta the leverage necessary to reclaim the airframes (ie get out of the contracts Freedom style.) Once Delta, the corporation, decides that they are taking over the flying, there is no DFR conversation or Comair power-play shenanigans. If Delta wants/needs to get this done, it will be done. We MUST have our solution/suggestion ready when they come to us.