Originally Posted by
dashtrash300
The QOL reasoning is BS...people don't grow up hoping that one day they can fly a CRJ or a Dash 8 for their career. Good luck building a retirement or helping pay for your kid's college on $90K a year. I want to go to the majors and I want to retire and not be forced to work at home depot just because I was "comfortable" making $90K a year and not ever having to go through being an FO again. I am sure your kids will thank you when they are paying off their student loan debt and your debt well after you pass.
Perhaps, but perhaps they'll also have memories of their dad at home as opposed to commuting to reserve for a few years before getting furloughed. I personally plan to make the jump, the majors' lists are gonna be virtually replaced between now and 2030 or so, but I can't blame a guy who realizes what he has, is thankful for it and doesn't let his ego string him along in an attempt to fly a bigger airplane.
Are the regionals a sure bet? Absolutely not, but career choice in this business is all a calculated gamble and the QOL of a senior regional captain is still better than almost any 9 to 5 jobs out there (if you've got the right attitude). There are some guys who vehemently oppose the idea of going to a major without any real facts about it (retirement figures, eventual QOL increases, etc) and also guys who have a total hard-on for the majors and virtually ignore the risks, both mindsets are frustrating to come across, but if somebody is making an informed decision, who are we to judge?