I agree - and I'm a regional pilot! I am able to have a job due to the fallout from deregulation. I tend to agree with the guys that say all flying that says Delta/AA/etc should be flown by mainline. Fly whatever size jet you want, as long as its owned by mainline. Is there some rule that says Delta can't buy an RJ? No. I understand that this will make the road from zero time to an airline cockpit longer, but at least there will be more hope for a mainline gig at some point.

In addition, to mainline guys: protect your scope! Mainline pilots havo no one to blame but mainline pilots for all the RJ's out there. Delta pilots allowed regionals to operate 76 seaters in excess of the number specified in the contract in exchange for a no furlough clause. And what are we looking at only a few short months later? Delta furlough rumors and people hoping that a judge will uphold the furlough clause in court. It shouldn't have gotten that far. "Oh you have too many 76 seat RJ's? Park 'em." Anyway, I know that's somewhat off the subject but it's a slippery slope to what we're dealing with now. Protect what the pilots before us have won through hard work and at the risk of their own jobs, and we won't have to talk about "taking it back"

 

Be careful what you wish for... I agree that our current laissez-faire system isn't working, but what we need is moderate federal restructuring of the system, not full re-regulation.

Remember that now most countries have followed our lead and deregulated their aviation industries. It's tough to compete as the regulated one in a de-regulated market - look at the situation Alitalia is currently in...

The pendulum has swung far to one side, but it's starting to look as if gravity will pull it back. What we really need are updates to all of the industries antiquities: rest, NAS, training requirements, and government handling of BK's. Regulation (in the sense that a federal agency would decide which airlines fly which routes and for what price) won't be a viable solution.

If we could convince congress and the FAA to invest in new aviation technologies, provide greater oversight to the financial conditions of the airlines, and closer examine training from the 141 Wonder Pilot schools to the airlines, then we could really make a difference.

Right Seat, I agree with you that greater government intervention is necessary. However, it has to be done in a well conceived and efficient way to be effective. As we examine and brainstorm and write letters to our officials, we need to take a strongly critical look at the history and decisions that led us to this point in time. Both the innovator and the historian have equal parts to play.