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Do ULCCs want to fly the stuff to BMI, AVP, etc that legacies can, even with adjusted regional feed? I’m not underestimating what ULCCs can do, not at all, but it’s a massive network to replicate, and they themselves don’t have the RJs that you’re advocating for. Pilot costs at LCCs are not as low as they used to be, and a growing network and having to hub/spoke to fill in gaps raises costs. This isn’t black and white. There’s a world where regionals exist, fly a large chunk of traffic, and feed majors. It might not be as large as it used to be. You’re free to go back to 2008 and look at the size of regionals then. Originally Posted by LAXtoDEN
Careful for what you wish for. Open up those slots and create growth for your competitors I guarantee you the pay will increase for pilots at the ULCC’s. You can say the pay will never decrease at UA, but when Southwest starts running you guys out of business with their lower rates and growth you handed them on platter, then what?? You’re already giving into concessions due to “circumstances”. And don’t take that personal we did the same thing at OO, I’m just saying it how it is.
AA seems happy replacing 50 seat jets with 65 seaters. Delta has been pushing the 220 in on what we’re once RJ routes such as Texas to Hubs. United has the ability to add 76 seat planes tomorrow if they wanted, but they haven’t pulled the trigger, so you can see what it means. There’s an E2-175 out there, and I’m sure legacy pilots would be happy to negotiate a rate to fly it. 220 already burns less than an ERJ-175, with 40 more people in the back. Many who are “newer” to the 121 world don’t remember the days it was mainline DC-9s and the like flying routes that RJs now do. It’s happened before.