Funny, the larger a carrier gets, the more likely these regional managements are to move the flying and break them down. Comair is a good example. WE are a good example...we're down about a 1/3 in 18 months! ExpressJet is about to be next (gee, wonder why)...for regional management, smaller means control.

RE: top of the list...that is what is going to kill us (and funny -- not ha ha funny) --- it's AA management's fault. Pay the top guys at least the DL wage, add a sign on bonus over two years or something so that our most senior 1/3 can move and sustain a career. THEN most of our costs would be decreased so as to be competitive. That won't happen and so I don't see any way for us to become the competitive model that for the short term these FFD contracts will demand (and this is what will hasten our demise AND every other regional FFD's demise). That's also why our AIP and management offers have been unconscionably long 10 year (equates to 14-15 year) duration. That is the only way management can spread their costs out long enough to make it work in the regional FFD model. They say it is airplane costs...no it isn't. If it were you'd see the same durations at RAH, etc. It's labor cost costs versus FFD payments. The Majors are squeezing them and they have nowhere else to go. Problem is not just one is being squeezed and the labor cost dynamics are changing. Hence --- in my humble opinion-- Richard Anderson's and Delta's move to change the FFD dynamic.