Originally Posted by
JB22
50 seat regional jets will be used in limited markets where they are profitable or used for EAS. The future is the larger regional jets that the majors now favor. In training at Skywest, they are saying the 50 and 70 seat RJs will fade away as the Embraer 175s appear, but will be spread out amongst all airlines. I just plan on upgrading as soon as I can add getting out. As regional airlines can't find pilots to fly, they will have to focus on the more lucrative flying and cull the rest. All regionals will shrink, many will fail and mainline flying will leave us lowlife commuter pilots more opportunity to move on.
Great theory, except that most of the majors are pretty much scoped out on the large RJ's, Delta in particular. In the last Delta TA, they wanted to swap 25 50 seaters for 25 76 seaters. Even with a clause requiring Delta to bring on new narrowbody aircraft at mainline to do so, the TA was voted down. I can't say that was the only reason it didn't pass, but most mainline pilots who voice their opinions seem to think the release of scope during all the BK's was the single most detrimental factor to their careers. This leads me to believe we won't see a relaxation of scope, thus any of those additional 175's will either be 700/900 replacements or come from another regional who loses them.