Noone is pointing fingers, just expressing frustration at the obvious whip-sawing occuring. In the past 15 years, regional carriers that previously only flew 50-60 turboprops on 100-200 NM routes to feed major carrier partners at large hubs have now expanded to 250+ RJs flying longer-haul, hub-and-spoke 500-1500 NM routes previously served by major carrier partner's larger aircraft. What many don't realize is that major airline jobs are going away, being replaced by lower-compensated regional jobs, and that is bad for anyone who wants to make a career in this business.

Economically, it makes sense; but what it really is is lower-cost relacement of higher-paying upper-middle-income jobs in this country. Look at Wal-Mart, K-Mart and Target, replacing full-service department stores such as Woolworth and others. Employees who earned higher salaries with full benefits are now laid-off or unemployed, while employees at discounters make much less with little or no benefits to speak of. (Read Lou Dobbs' "War on the Middle Class).

Someone earlier in this thread made a comment about Bob Crandall desiring all AA/AMR domestic flying to be flown by AMR Eagle pilots, and all AA Int'l routes to be flown by AA pilots. That would require about 200 AA large mainline jets with about 2500 pilots; AMR Eagle would need about 450-500 RJs with about 5500 pilots, approximately. Now, with AA's CBA vs. Eagle's CBA, that would outsource/replace/supercede roughly 6000 mainline jobs, which would go away and never return.

Is that what you or any other young pilot 'paying their dues' want? Do you want to be a regional pilot forever or do you want to fly at the major airlines? Because rest assured, if regionals keep expanding, and swallowing up mainline routes, there won't be any major airline jobs to aspire to.