Originally Posted by
pitchattitude
Each payment triggers a commitment. That’s the whole point of it being a RETENTION bonus. It does potentially give an opportunity to work some of it off, but the whole idea is to get you hooked on the crack so you stay. Giving you just a nibble of that carrot so you don’t decide you’re just going to starve to death and find somewhere else to feed you, even at the cost of paying back that paltry $30K initial payment.
So I agree with pretty much everything people have been posting, but I'm not sure I understand what the harm is in taking the bonus money, even if you have to repay it a month later. I mean, less than a year ago airlines were sending pilots home, and who knows what next year will bring. Then there's the talk of raising retirement age and/or hiring foreign pilots. Sure, staying at a regional is not the goal, but if you dont take the bonus money this year, and the industry turns to ****, can you still get the money next year (retroactively) if you get stuck?