Originally Posted by
billyho
Really who cares? There's two types of Regionals.... Regional "A" Is the one that has a better contract, better pay, Maybe a okay schedule. But it has a 4-5 year upgrade because of it's good pay more people are making a career there. Then you have the "B" regionals that have not so good pay, not so good contract, schedules suck. But if you go and suck it up then you upgrade in just under two years.
So which is better for you?? Some think go and upgrade and you'll be sitting in the right seat of a mainline carrier before Pilot "A" even upgrades. Nothing wrong with that.
Or go with airline "A" you have more money and better QOL and can actually pay your bills and live while flying.
Which is better??? It's been the same song and dance forever. Just depends on how you want to get where you're going. Like I said it all McDonalds until you get to a major.
Unfortunately not every regional fits into two categories. Sometimes the companies with good pay have the worst job security and movement, or have bases you don't want to live in. Sometimes good companies also have good movement and outlook. True, the cheap dates are the mainline favorites. But winning RFPs isn't always about pay scales to pilots (reliability, ability to staff at set time line, aircraft lease agreements, longevity of pilot group, etc).
If you're junior and a senior guy takes the gamble and leaves for a quick upgrade, what do you care your seniority just went up. And if the Jr FO leaves, management isn't delighted to reset pay, they probably lost money on training costs.
The originating idealism of this thread seems to follow this logic: "It is mainline management's goal to shuffle flying routinely. Why? To incentivise hand fulls of low-mid seniority FOs to chase movement at another carrier. All to make regional costs very slightly hardly noticeably cheaper, which may just allow regional management more of shot at bidding low for the mainline partners. Dont make lateral moves, even if it might benefit you, it's playing into management's game and hurts us all at large!" If this sounds right to you, take off the tin foil hat, your giving the MBA grads way too much credit.