"If you're saying that the gov should mandate ATP mins across the board at the regionals that's different but even then we won't truly know if an atp min would be wiling to sell their souls just as much for a jet job."

Yes, that's what I'm saying. The government should mandate that only 1500 hour or better ATPs can get hired at an airline.

I'm sure many ATPs would work for crap as well. They already do. But the point of this is supply and demand.

Let's say that next year there are 10,000 pilots with more than 250 hours and at least a commercial certificate who want to be new hire airline pilots.

Let's say that the regionals need 2,000 pilots next year. Obviously the airlines will find enough bodies to work at any price if 10,000 are available.

But, lets say that out of the 10,000 pilots seeking work only 1,000 have ATPs. If the airlines are required to hire only ATPs, but there are less ATPs available than pilots needed (2,000 in my example) then the airlines are going to have to compete for those ATPs. Pilots can go to the highest bidder. Airlines will be forced to raise pay to attract a limited body of pilots. Poach from one another, if you will.

Now, I'm just guessing on these figures. Who really knows how many pilots will be hired and when. Someone probably has a better sense on pilot numbers than I do. But I think it's a fairly good estimate that 9 out of 10 guys looking for regional work don't have ATPs now-a-days.

Supply and demand. Even politicians skeptical of interfering with the market will get behind that. (And no, I don't think requiring an ATP is interfering with the market any more than requireing a driver's license is).