They can't staff the flying they have, people don't want to go get paid $20-30k a year after spending $100k+ for flight training or having to be a cfi for years on end with few students in the pipeline. The 1500 hour rule really hurt the regionals being able to get young pilots.

When I was at my regional I was the 2nd highest time in my class with something like 1700 hours. Almost everybody else had 500 and under and barely met the multi minimums of something like 50 hours (if that).

United isn't the only one. They are following in the footsteps of delta who started putting mainline jets on short domestic routes once dominated by rjs. Flights as short as ATL-TYS or VPS. Take 2 50 seat rjs out of service and replace it with a 319 or 717.

As they should, it frees up slots, it frees up airspace, you need less pilots overall (but more at mainline), reduced frequency should mean higher fares, equal or increase in ASMs. More first class service to hopefully bring in higher profits margins per flight.

Overall it is a great thing, more control, more regional guys and gals will get on with mainline, dependence on regionals who struggle with staffing and underpay will be reduced, more airframes at mainline and pilots beneath those on the list already provide a comfort level, especially for the twice furloughed united guys.

All good things. And the 756 not doing fuel stops coming back from Europe will be a nice bonus for the passengers as well. I just wish they would keep all the 757 aircraft and streamline the cockpits like the 764.