Guys....the pilot shortage that is currently being experienced at an ALARMING rate with all regional airlines is just the preface to what is going to become a storm of epic proportions. Do NOT worry about who has a flow and who doesn't - everyone who gets into the game today will have a guaranteed job at a major 5 years from now very similarly to how easy it is to get a job with ANY regional today.
The pool of qualified and able regional airline captains WILL EVENTUALLY DRY UP, and so will off the street hires. The airline industry is safe for another few years before the actual pilots that will have to come to the rescue are those who are just turning 1500 hours.....and those are not being produced very quickly either.
Everyone is so worried about a flow and not being part of it. Remember just a few years ago, schools like ATP, and interview prep companies like Kit Darby and Emerald Coast were making BANK by flaunting their "regional airline" agreements and connections. Remember when ATP was (and I think still is) charging a ridiculous $1500 to provide you interview prep with REPUBLIC??????? ROTFLMAO.
Fast forward 2-3 years....and now we are getting to pretty much pick the regional we want to fly for and the regionals themselves are doing everything in their power to treat the new wave with utmost respect because they know how easy it will be to lose them to anyone else in today's market.
Looking at the outlook, the growth of the legacies, their airplane orders, the retirements, etc......the current 9000 regional airline captains will most likely only take care of legacy retirement issues over the next 5 years....without even taking into effect the fact that all 3 legacies have 500+ aircraft orders coming in - just in the next few years.
3-5 years from now, majors will be opening their doors to ANYONE with the qualifications required, no matter where they come from - in the same way that regionals are doing it now. It's a no brainer.