I think UAL is just beginning to realize, their regionals are being rapidly drained of pilots. DAL insourced a lot of the issue with the 717s. AA has direct flow+$$ newhire bonus, filling up classes. So far, crickets from Willis Tower. 200 XJT pilots gone in last few months. They all flew United passengers. So that would seem a problem at some point.

Options:

1 Insource. Probably 90-100 seat aircraft to fill in for RJ staffing losses. (the DAL solution).

2 Buyout the regionals, (AA solution). Flow equivalent to Envoy.

3 Combination of options 1+2

4 Do nothing. Continue to hemorrhage pilots to other airlines. (Current solution).