I like the fantasy, but the reality is that if AA can afford to run its regionals as "cost centers" and lose money on them, it can also afford to do so with the contractors, many of which are run so much more efficiently (SKYW is to Amazon as Envoy is to the DMV) that they may actually lose less working with a contractor.

 

It's important to remember that if a wholly owned is struggling to keep up with attrition (which they all will be if they're not already), then management will be actively working against increasing the flow.

Although it's funny because not increasing the flow means more will jump ship to other Majors instead of waiting around, which means AA is essentially training pilots for their competitors.

 

And there you have the problem. Management that can’t see the sky for the clouds, won’t do anything that might be good for the pilot group and always in reaction mode because of it.

 

Yeah I think one of my breakthrough moments in understanding the industry was when I realized that management's goal, especially at the regional level, wasn't a win win with pilots but rather to get more than they give.

So they'll actively avoid doing things that could improve the operation or quality of life because they see that as giving up leverage without getting enough back.

 

The other breakthrough moment is realizing that mainline pilots don’t regard you as junior fellow comrades-in-arms, but as cheap competition undercutting them for mainline passengers and little more than scabs. It was different, perhaps, when regionals were flying 20 pax turboprops on short trips to the hub, but with 85,000 pound regional aircraft carrying 76 pax for 2500 miles from hub to hub, the guys at mainline have ceased to be amused. Look at the threads for Alaska which has no scope but is expanding their flying through OO and QX for an idea of what mainline pilots think of the regionals…

 

They won’t they have to.
look at the 2014 concession CBA. They wouldn’t listen that the shortage was here, and were just going to move planes to PSA and PDT until we were the next Comair. We told them repeatedly that it was time to start improving the CBA, not worsen it. They signed it in December 2014 and within 4 months we’re giving unlimited hotels in base, hotels for commuters, and A passes when needed.
They furlough right up until flight cancel due to staffing. They hire like crazy right up until they need to furlough.

if you haven’t figured out yet that they do not know what they’re doing, then you never will. They are oiling a machine built long ago by folks much smarter than they’ll ever be. We told Pedro in 2013 that RW wasn’t the guy, that he’d eventually run the airline into the ground. The recent FAA letter just highlights his perpetual zeal to cut costs and corners eventually chipped away enough of the safety net programs that events were happening too frequently for clearly preventable reasons. Nope, D-0 and A-14 are all that count.

rest assured, once things get bad, they’ll increase flow all on their own for recruiting.... no need to buy what you’ll get anyway. I would not be surprised if AA goes to a 75% hiring from their regionals prorated by size. What you guys need is a single list across carriers. Welcome to the 90’s all over again, except this time the staffing shortage gives you better bargaining position.

 

That's what makes it so depressing/annoying when some folks particularly at the wholly owneds drink the kool-aid and convince themselves that they actually work for mainline.

 

you answered why they won’t do that yourself. See, you’re learning.

 

I think mainline pilots don't really think twice about the regionals other than being frustrated by scope.

 

I think the point attempting to be made is that mainline pilots are not a regional pilots friend, even at the WO’s. Hell even when I first started at Envoy I thought it was one big team, sadly that reality came to a vault rather quickly.

Do I think they hate regional pilots, no. Do I think mainline would lift a finger to help regional pilots, no I don’t.