Originally Posted by
Captain Tony
It's all going according to the plan DAL and ALPA crafted. When regional pay rises to that level the advantage of outsourcing is gone. DAL (and the others, but especially DAL since they've positioned themselves to take advantage of it) will eliminate most RJ flying, taking the CRJ9s and E175s they own to be flown by mainline at the current pay rates in the current DAL PWA. Notice how ALPA is suddenly claiming there's no pilot shortage, it's a pay problem? How convenient.
The skeleton of the regionals will return to the 90s "commuter" airline days code sharing and at risk flying. Endeavor and Envoy will cease to exist. RAH will move toward UAL and AA until they follow suit. Silver and Great Lakes are well positioned for growth in picking up dropped CRJ routes to small cities. SkyWest and its subsidiaries will most likely use their remaining CRJ200s and 700s for at risk flying and use their large airplanes to start a stand alone airline.
It's all going according to the plan...
highly doubt that outcome. transition from smaller rj's to larger will stem the lack of pilot applicants. you can be unhappy about your fedder contracts all you want, since you do not control the quality then mainline shut up. only resolution are via the owned regionals and just waiting to see whom UAL buys. Any statements regarding costs are moot points for the owned regionals since that information does not exist in public and just because management says anything does not mean it is true.
oh the 717 that dal got, let see, southwest painted them, refurbished the interiors and pulling out of Atlanta as a hub turning to a small focus city. guess that did not have anything to do with that.
we will see, in about 18 months.