Originally Posted by YAKflyer

As an outsider I would disagree and like to give you something to consider. At AA if someone gets hired into one of their regionals they are guaranteed a job with AA. If the regional needs to scrape the bottom of the barrel a little bit to attract people, are all those selected going to be desirable to share a cockpit with or work for AA for 40 years? There is no way for AA to break the contract. Time at a regional (for those who want to move on) should be a time of proving one's self. Anyone who does not work hard to be the best they can be does not deserve (in my estimation) to move on before those who are will to give their best.

I do not think UA hurts themselves in any way being able to be selective in who they hire. In fact I think you should want and be grateful that every restricted ATP that finds their way into the UA system does not have a lock on a job at UA. The big three (AA, DL, UA) will be able to attract pilots to their respective companies. If I were in charge of staffing flight operations at any of the big three I would want to be able to select the very best that meet my standards rather than being forced to take anyone who does not.