JDMJ's evidently not speaking of the big picture. The regional industry, and more importantly the industry as a whole, is hugely different now. The rapid movement and eventual brass rings for those who paid a few dues are largely a thing of the past. Yeah, mgmt will always try to nickel and dime, that song remains the same. That's their job after all; but the career path and resultant wealth accumulation of the typical pilot (not all, mind you) has taken a dramatic turn for the worse.