Quote: "Consumers should be concerned. Fares could rise as regional airlines are forced to raise pilots' pay. Aviation experts predict that some regional airlines may fail, which could lead to reduced service at smaller airports." Fortunes sour for regional airlines as majors prosper
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I think it's reasonable to say that with a $10/hour salary increase (
across the board), airlines can stymie the pilot shortage and they would go a long way toward making regional airline pilot pay commensurate with the education, experience, and levels of professionalism and responsibility required for the position.
So let's do some math and see just how stingy, (and stupid) management actually is.
In a 50 seat airplane, (given an 80% load factor, or 40 passengers), an increase of $10/hour for
each pilot equates to
50 CENTS per passenger, on a 1 hour flight. For a 2 hour leg,.....it's
$1 per passenger.
On a 76 seat airplane, the numbers are even more inconsequential. Again, given an 80% load factor, (61 passengers), a $10/hour increase equates to less than
33 CENTS per passenger,.....or
65 CENTS on a two hour flight.
So if you believe the context of the above USA Today article, you would take away the idea that airfares will necessarily increase or service will be reduced at smaller airports and some airlines will
FAIL,.......
all over 33 CENTS!
I know they're stingy. But can they really be that stupid?