higney85

Why are you stirring a pot you can't look into? So this whole idea of new hires is now happening, with us having a "record" class next month at endeavor (largest to date in pure endeavor terms), and for the last 3-ish years we had a bankruptcy, merger, close of 2 pilot bases, loss of -900's, an entire airline, then -200's to staff the then new -900's... Followed by LOA's completely reversing the situation for those on property with money and high potential movement.

New hires allows for upgrades. For many years many, if not all, regionals had "street CA's", then 2008 hit. Nothing moved, pretty much anywhere in the industry, until 2011 when things started slowly moving again. Now it's 2015 and movement of both airframes and overall seats (due to major and LCC hiring) is picking up again. What an upgrade was yesterday is not necessarily what a upgrade is tomorrow. It comes down to aircraft to fly, seats to occupy, and money to bring new folks for the right seat and retention.

I'm not saying 9E is the coolest thing since sliced bread, but look at the industry and a realistic outcome for a new hire. $80k as a bonus regardless of seat and the likelihood of a left seat in a few years isn't a bad spot, especially with a possible movmemnt to DL if someone wants it. The hiring of PSA and TSA for the left seat has been done, so where else can you get in the left seat sooner, with more money, and a shot at one of the big 3 on an expedited basis? Sure, the last part can be fought, but the precedent is now in place, that nobody else has.