Originally Posted by
ShyGuy
The difference is the regional's hiring standards and basically take anyone with a pulse (at least in the last decade post 9/11) meant fog a mirror and you were in. Besides, most regional trips were no more than 4 day trips. Compare that to legacy widebody trips and being stuck with a d-bag for 12 days of a stretch. It seems Delta wised up and stopped the flow. You are correct about identical skills required in a regional vs a major job. But the hiring standards aren't the same and nor is the interview process. When the regionals are desperate, they sure will overlook a LOT of things. You know there were quite a few oddballs at 9E that would be a pain to fly with, but with a flow, there's no way to vet them out. An interview process at least gives a chance to weed some of the bad ones out.
The 5% being tool bags will exist and continue regardless of the level. Some guys can play nice in interviews (some even with recs), but in reality are complete tool bags, regardless of screening. Every place has the grouping. Bid against them. Or advice them, if dealing with them, off probation. Being in the left seat has an amazing effect on telling them to "stop". It's amazingly swell to tell the guy to shush and chill.