Yup. I think about stuff like this everytime I see Endeavor, Republic, TransStates, Envoy, Skywest, XJet, Piedmont, Compass, CommutAir, and PSA crews getting into shuttles for Courtyard/Renaissance/Hyatt/Marriott/Westin/Hilton-branded properties everywhere--in almost every city we overnight in--while our crews are getting into shuttles for LaQuintas/Days Inns/Microtels/third-tier budget motels 80-90% of the time.

People who weren't in this industry 5-10 years ago might not fully understand what I'm saying here (b/c every regional used to stay at budget motels like that in very recent history)...but we are now the only regional left standing who still puts pilots up at dumps like Days Inn/LaQuinta/Best Westerns on a majority of overnights.

I'm not blaming this on management at all--if I were in JO's position I'd be putting you all up in EconoLodges until it cost me a penny extra in cancellation factor/fatigue calls/etc.. I'm more likely to blame our union--for squandering a lot of negotiating capital and turning a blind eye to things like the hotel buyback program and the alleged under-the-table money going to new hires to prevent empty classrooms at the schoolhouse. In recent history, our MEC is behaving more like a whipping boy than a pitbull/counterweight to regression in pay/benefits/hotels/etc..

There's definitely a downward trend in hotels and work rule interpretations here, and it'll only get worse as long as our new hire classes are full (which is much easier when the company can pay new hires extra money without the union even attempting to say a word about it publicly!!!)