Originally Posted by
HSLD
And that's the issue - a "regional" pilot is no longer paying dues for a few years with the realistic expectation to progress to a "major". Instead, because of [bankruptcy induced] scope relaxation at the majors regional flying is expanding and mainline flying is shrinking. You don't have to be an economist to figure out what that does to manpower needs. Regional" flying has suddenly becomes a career prospect.
In the last 20 years "Regional flying" has gone from true regional routes flying turboprop equipment under part 135, to narrowbody jets flying near-transcon segments under part 121. Major airlines are effectively outsourcing narrow body flying and again, it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the career progression for labor.
On the other end of the spectrum, American, United, and Continental are actively lobbying for Anti Trust Immunity. ATI, if passed will outsource US airline jobs that currently operate International routes to overseas workers. This is a big deal that's getting very little press from any of the national unions. If you haven't done so already - read this thread and TAKE ACTION it only takes a few minutes. http://www.airlinepilotforums.com/ma...ght-scope.html
Pilot compensation should be suitable to support a family with work rules that allow a decent quality of life. Are we there? And what are you willing to do about it?
Excellent point. Leading up to this point making the situation ripe for this is that, in the last 15 to 20 years, due to our very lax immigration policy and the sprouting of countless flight schools catering to foreign students, we've had an influx of foreign pilots, mostly from Europe, but also from South America who wind up staying here in the US, taking US pilot jobs from US citizens. For example, I've met numerous British pilots who came over here to learn to fly because it is so much cheaper to fly here then in their own country and then they get a job with a US airlines like NWA, Airtran, DAL and others.
Yes, pilot compensation at the regional level in the US is not adequate to support a family.