Originally Posted by
tpersuit
http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/sh...299#post347299
Maybe some of you guys at the Majors could tell these guys a thing or two about who should be flying under the mainlines name. Obviously some of them think it shouldn't be CAL pilots.
I tried but, they just say I work for ExpressJet and act like they don't poach on Mainline flying like we do. I think CAL pilots should fly our 50-seaters, but to think its alright to fly 70-seaters for CAL is better than a 50-seater jet?
Personally, I would be quite happy to see CAL pilots carrying each and every passenger holding a Continental ticket. If the CAL pilots can pull it off, more power to them! If it means the mainline would absorb my company's flying, I would gladly give up my regional job, apply at CAL, and go back to flying 135 while I waited for an interview.
You quoted Phoenix 23684 who said, "P.S. I'm glad I'm at Colgan flying the Saab for that reason, we don't take jobs away from the majors. Can't see a Boeing landing at Del Rio or Victoria, TX." He gets it!
Colgan's entire fleet of four 1900s and 31 Saabs total some 1000 seats with a practical range of less than 300 miles. Oh, I forgot the 15 Q400s Colgan should have by year's end: that is another 1100 seats whose range goes up to a whopping 400-500 miles.*
XJT on the other hand has 30 135s and 244 145s or more than 13,000 seats with ranges up to 1500 miles.*
So if you were a CAL pilot, which "regional" would you see as more of a threat? Which flying would you rather have back: San Antonio to Sacramento or IAH to Abilene?
Too many folks worry about the mosquitoes when the hyenas are killing the herd.
* I have used total fleet numbers for simplicity. I realize Colgan serves three mainlines; XJT serves two and a healthy charter business.