I think the "regionals" (as they are now made up) will not "die" for at last another 5 years. What WILL occur over that period is contraction and consolidation. In the effort to maintain more seats, smaller aircraft (and thus markets) will be the first to vaporize, ultimately ending up a 67-76 seat segment of the industry flying solely to more mid size cities and mixing in with legacy flights in many others.

Eventually though, absent a Hail Mary to bring in A LOT of fresh, new right-seat meat, another paradigm will have to be embraced.