Originally Posted by Saabless

Legacy carriers with wholly owned regionals will thrive. They will have a pipeline of people signing up with them because of their quick flow throughs in the near future. Maybe seniority numbers give out, if things get tight. New hire regional FOs will flow within 4 or 5 years due to retirement numbers. People will always go to a regional that has a quick flow through to a major. Envoy will be the first "place to go to" once things spool up. Majors without flow throughs will have a tough time attracting new hires for their regionals. Therefore affecting their regional reliability.

Ask a 23 year old 1,500 hour pilot where he wants to start at. They will pick a regional that has a quick flow or seniority number given out, over a quick upgrade at some other regional.