Let me through this at you. You become a lifer at xyz regional. At some of them you top out the pay scale in 20 years as a capatain at maybe 120 an hour? Vs you do 4 years maybe at a regional and get picked up at a major and be a lifer first officer. After 3 years your making 190 an hour on a wide body, sure you would be on reserve on it but if you live in base it's easy money. Or you could be a senior first officer on a narrow body. Many many more options at a major, better pay, if you get in the next 5 years or so your seniority will go up. To me it's a no brainer. I knew a few lifers at my regional and they all said they don't want to give up QOL. I get it, I do, but if they can suck it up for a year, maybe 2, the QOL at a major is significantly better.