Mesabah

Delta had some bad attitude issues with Compass flows, from which, NWA did the screening process back then. Culture probably plays the biggest role in whether a flow will be successful or not. A flow should display an additional level of humility if taken up to mainline.



If a pilot is a total failure, they can be eliminated during the mainline probationary period. That's certainly a lot more expensive for an airline, but not more expensive than operating the regional jets at mainline if it comes to that.

CrispyBacon

Of course Mainline pilots apply different standards to 28 year old captains based upon the company they fly for. 28 year old Delta captain is worth more then a 55 year old RJ captain to these narcissistic boomer know it alls.

100% READY TO DISSOLVE ALPA! Regional representation is a LIE.

rickair7777

Sounds like somebody had an epiphany. I wouldn't dissolve alpa (you can't) but maybe form a national regional union instead. Number one on the agenda should be a regional one-list, to mitigate the damage from whipsaw.

No, major pilots do not have any incentive to help out regional pilots at their own expense, particularly when any largess extended to the regionals would come out of the pockets of mainline pilots!

And mil guys have a tight bond with their squadron bros, far more so than regional pilots for each other... they could teach ya'll a thing or two about unity

Your next realization should be that the regionals are essentially internships for pilots... you should be looking to get a permanent position at mainline. If you chose not to, or chose to stay in the mail room if the bigs don't call, then you're at the mercy of the system for the rest of your career.

I once thought that I might be able to stay at the regionals (money not being nearly as big an issue as QOL for me), but I was wrong and realized it soon enough.

BoldPilot

I think we should just enjoy the good times in this industry for the time being! Things are eventually going to turn for the worse.

PotatoChip

This is unfortunate and one of many reasons there should be no regional airline industry. The more pilots that express this opinion and accept it, the more likely there is to never be any improvement. It's NOT an internship. Interns aren't tasked with high-level, technically demanding jobs, that are EXACTLY the same as the "real" job. This isn't 1994. Regional pilots don't make up a small fraction of the industry anymore flying short 100 mile legs. Regional pilots unfortunately now make up a huge portion of the flying at every legacy and fly routes that span over half the continent. That's not an intern, that's a mainline job flown by a subcontractor. Mainline unions would never allow subcontracting routes to a third party B-scaled pilot group.... unless it's a regional, than it is totally acceptable.
Further, as you are well aware, economies crumble, recessions happen, and years go by without any hiring at the major level. Before you know it, pilots are "interns" for 15 years and then deemed un-hireable because they haven't progressed their career. Unreal.
"You can fly OUR passengers, OUR colors, at OUR gates, but you cannot have OUR pay, you don't deserve that."

rickair7777

"should" according to who? Not anyone who matters.

All true from the perspective of the pilots, who have little say in the matter... or are played with such skill that they don't exercise what influence they might have. Remember, our masters sit around all day figuring out how to manipulate us, that's what they DO. Airline tickets are largely a commodity, so the money to be made is largely in cost control/reduction, not product differentiation. Pax quickly take quality for granted and then sort by price anyway.

Fleet Warp

This thread is lit with truth. The regional industry is filled with good people who got stuck here the last 20 years. And now many of us can't get out. The worst part about all this is the ignorance of and complete acceptance by mainline pilots. We all suffered from the lost decade. Some of us still suffer. And nothing will change until mainline pilots stand up together with regionals and say no more. There is little difference to b scales of old. We must stop pandering to corporate greed.

PotatoChip

Should according to me. I’m the author. Thought that was pretty clear since I didn’t specify otherwise.

But thank you for letting me know I don’t matter; as it is I already knew that.

PotatoChip

I respectfully disagree.
We have a lot of say in the matter. Scope is a great example. Unions have the ability to negotiate based on such contingencies as the amount of aircraft they fly.
Individual pilots have a say by choosing not to fly at a regional with zero career progression.
I have some pipe dreams on how this should be handled from an ALPA National position, but there is a reason it’s only a pipe dream and we will continue to be exploited for a while yet.

PotatoChip

Respectfully, that’s the worst thing we should do.
Carpe diem.
We should never stop trying to improve our profession.