National / Jet carriers like SKW, XJT, RAH, ASA or any other are not going to pay mainline rates to fly 80-100 set aircraft. If the Mainline wanted that cost structure they would fly them themselves. Reality is that mainline carriers DONT want to fly aircraft that size, their eye is on LONG HAUL, INTERNATIONAL and HIGHLY profitable routes.....

NOW....can, will and should these carriers pay more for the likes of the 700, 900 and 170/175 ...yes... will those payscales ever equal what an equivalent mainline rate would possibly be... highly unlikely.

Reality is that this business has been evolving and changing for 20 years. Mainline carriers are flying bigger and bigger aircraft and getting rid of the smaller aircraft all during this time. At the same time the old "regional" carrier has taken on a different role... at JET carriers flying those smaller aircraft and yes maybe slightly less profitable routes that mainline doesnt want to directly fly.

NONE of that precludes better pay and benefits and work rules. But the fact is that pay at THIS level will never equal the pay at THAT level.


and in fact... I believe other than a few isolated cases so called regional airlines are NOT regional at all. Perhaps this forum should be JET/NATIONAL airlines........ just a thought