Originally Posted by
RB211
The comment about the "hobbyist" being the new backbone of a regional is the absolute dumbest thing I ever heard on this forum. Most of the ones I know make at least 5x as much on the side than what the regional pays. The second that crew track gives them something they don't want, they quit. They quit when the fun wanes. If you want to retain them, well.. Your better off retaining all of your pilots with a higher QOL, and all that it entails.
Making a blanket statement like that is ALWAYS a dumb thing. Some of the hobbyists are retired, or not in need of money. Most are senior and/or live in base, so their QOL is not impacted all that much by reducing days off. Many have wives who want them out of the house. Why would they quit at the drop of a hat? They don't care about losing ground, since they are hobbyists. The certainly don't want to go back on reserve, and they they don't want to lose healthcare. The part of what I said about hobbyists forming the back bone of the new regionals was a little bit tongue in cheek.