Originally Posted by
rickair7777
There are plenty of reasons to be concerned about the future of the airline industry, but being replaced by foreigners (or automation) are not among them.
- The foreign airlines generally pay better than the average US airline pilot. That's probably true for majors, and definitely true if you average the regionals into the mix.
- Scope clauses would slow cabotage even if it were legal.
- Growth in air travel in Asia will create higher demand (and pay) for Asian pilots. Why come to here to work for less when you can stay home and make more? European pilots will go to Asia before the US.
- National security interests will not lightly allow the cabotage nose under the tent. Between Air Egypt and MH, there is plenty of smoke to infer the potential for fire...and that will be a done deal if MH turns out to have been an inside job.
The Norwegian Air issue shows they are trying to break down the system the way the shipping industry is run. If you get a situation where a few big holding companies employ the airlines, AND a furthering of Open Skies, I could see US airlines not being against reciprocal agreement where a foreign airline could be allowed to pick up and drop off passengers as they fly from say, Europe to NY, to LA, for example. There is a lot of outrage against the lack of customer service in the US airlines, I would not discount that.