It's absolutely unacceptable for a regional to fly these aircraft. BUT - I refuse to take the blame because the "major" airline pilot groups could not adequately protect their scope. Everyone forgets that RAH would still be flying turboprops in the Northeast if US, UAL, and DAL didn't relax scope on their contracts. First it was 50 seaters, then 70, then 76, and at US Air it's 86 seats!

What is RAH management supposed to do? Not take advantage of this fact so someone else can? You think SKW, GJ, Mesa, Pinnacle, etc. etc. wouldn't jump at the chance to up the revenues and secure more flying with bigger airplanes? HA! They're not in it to play nice...they're in it to make as much money as they can.

And what is an RAH pilot supposed to do?? Walk off the job because management is angering the rest of the industry?? The best we can do is tighten up the contract, go for more pay, better work rules, etc. etc. We're 1.5 years into that now and if the ASA contract is any indication...it's still another 2.5 years away. Everyone acts like because we got 190's we can just automatically strike with absolutely no repercussions.

But it all comes back to scope. ALPA gave away everyones jobs back in the 90's when it started relaxing scope for RJ's. It has only gotten much much worse. You want to put a stop to the bleeding? Get stronger scope language. Period. RAH took major concessions on pay and work rules to put an iron clad scope clause in our contract. But calling me a scab because I should up to work one day and we had -190's on property is a friggin' joke.