No I see the data every month as it pertains to UAL, and yes block hours at UAX are decreasing with mainline flying routes it hasn't flown in quite some time. 50 seaters are being parked because they are running out of bodies to fly them, and manufacturers have all but closed up the production lines. A lot of these 50 seaters are maxing out on cycles so it makes sense to park them. Bombardier is focusing on the CS line, and Embraer is focusing on it's Ejet line. Combine the stricter airframe limits, stricter block hour limits, and fewer applicants (just got my "Hey come and work at Skywest" info packet in the mail) at the regionals and you'll continue to see block hours
return to mainline.
Ok Joe, there was one step made by EAL before DAL caved.
Interesting since I found the RJDC and it's named plaintiff's were "fostering hate" and "taking us nowhere". Aside from DL, and UA just outsourcing everything to the regionals and giving you guys "carte blanche" on our flying, how are you not being treated the same? As I see it, we all pay 1.95% to ALPA and it gets distributed as needed so I would argue that regional pilots get much more "bang for their buck" then the mainline pilots. Now, you can continue to hold on to the belief that ALPA holds some magic wand and that someday you'll simply be given a mainline number but that we evil mainline pilots despise you regional pilots and won't let Nat'l wield it.
Or you could get off your a$$ and apply to fly for the airline that controls the code. Novel idea I know. Some of us took the risk and left the comfort of the regional left seat pay check to start all over at the bottom of a mainline carrier.
YHGTBFSM! We make our profits on the international flying along with our business travelers. 737's, Airbuses, and RJ's help move those travelers to the international flights.
The rest of your post has some truth to it, but the truth ends with the "furlough back to the regionals". I can tell you with 100% certainty that at UA we are actively looking at the used market for Airbuses and 737's. As a matter of fact, UA has tabled the 100 seat jet search in favor of more 737-700's and A319's. We are investing $80-$100 mill at DENTK for pilot training. We are hiring 100+ per month.