Everyone getting caught up in the minutiae, but you highlighted the important part. First of all, there would have to be a need to hire. I just don’t see a real need any time soon, especially with all the trainees sent home in various stages of training. Secondly, a significant enough downturn to cause a huge influx of UA furloughs would mean flying was decimated (second wave, bankruptcy, scope lookbacks, any combination of those). It’s kind of a catch 22: need to hire more so the hiring pool is furloughed UA, but actually no need to hire due to industry cutbacks.

As for your your most recent comment about working at Home Depot, that’s not exactly a bad idea. A while back in the commutair forum I did some back-of-a-napkin math. At their rates (and similarly gojet and Mesa) and commuting to reserve with little to no callouts (ie you’re not racking up per diem, you’re only making 1st year pay on min guarantee, paying for a crash pad or hotel), you stand to make about as much or maybe a little less by finding a local job. Actual amounts vary. If you look up minimum wage, some states still pay a paltry $7.50, whereas others are $10-12 or more. Breaking down the actual work time/duty footprint shows the pay is pretty similar. A typical 4 day for me pays 19hrs and a TAFB of 78. Second year pay at 19hrs is approximately $950. If I were to get paid my state’s minimum wage for the 78 hours I was actually gone and working, that’s $12*78 which is $936. Now before anyone gets up in arms, yes I know you won’t be working 78 hours a week at a minimum wage job. But the local job will have you home every day, driving to work, more time at home, and no airline commuting and paying for a place while out of reserve. And the numbers get a bit closer if you look at something like C5 first year pay instead of OO at whatever longevity pay they give them. It’s also assuming you only got a minimum wage job. If you can get more like a $15-20/hr job at home, it starts looking more attractive to wait it out. I suppose the most compelling reason to take the potential regional job would be if they were hiring and you already had the type rating and you had the inside scoop telling you that you’d be based within 2 hours of where you presently live. I know the thought crossed my mind back in the CFI days when flying was slow, and it’s crossed my mind many times this summer since our jobs are perpetually in jeopardy.

But again, it’s all a bit moot if there’s no regional jobs to even hire for. I’m more of a cynic by nature but I have been expecting growth to be very slow and probably just whatever trainees have clung on throughout all this.