Originally Posted by
garrett490
When do you guys think the regionals will begin to buy each other out/merge/consolidate in some form? To me it seems obvious that the regional airlines are going to have to consolidate in order to have a consistent supply of pilots. Why pay for them one by one (sign on bonuses) when you could buy a few thousand at a time (with financing I might add) by merging with or buying out another regional? Once they merge they can utilize us however they see fit and furlough the excess or take on as much flying as American/Delta/United can through at them.
There will be no more regional mergers. The "Pinacolaba" fiasco and the mess that Skywest/ASA/Expressjet are have shown (along with the shut down of Comair) that is is FAR more cost effective to close shop, transfer aircraft and rehire furloughees to the bottom of the list.
You've already seen it the past year or so with transfers of 145's and 700's from one carrier to the next, both amongst privately held and wholly owned subsidiaries.
There won't be mergers. Just shrinking and shut downs. Mergers are a pipe dream of pilots.