The jobs at majors have gone away along with the expansion of regionals and their crappy jobs. The result is that regionals are for the most part career destinations for most, the lucky few who hit it right can still make it to a major, but for most that option is no longer in play.

What happens is, by the time majors are hiring, you've already made Captain on an RJ, and are making decent money... not great money, but decent. Most become unwilling at that point to trade their seniority, QOL, and decent pay, for first year major pay, and being the bottom of a seniority list again.... which as we have seen the past six months, is not a good place to be. All combined, regionals have become career jobs for the majority, and stepping stones for the minority.

 

Thats not really accurate or fair to say. I have flown with many CA's that either left for a major or had the opportunity to, but did not. It is achievable but at a great price. As far as the minority thing, yes UAL had some whacked out practices back in the day, but I have flown with many "minority" pilots that can't get an interview anywhere and are some of the best pilots I have ever flown with

 

There is no single indicator responsible for the demise of airline pay and QOL. While deregulation has been the reason many people fly it's also one of the driving forces that the airlines expanded and hired more flight crews. The shift from commuter airlines and their turbo prop service to regional airlines and the advent of RJ's also infringed on airline routes as well as airline philosophy. Throw in pay for training and other guys willing to work for lower sub standard wages and you have a recipe for disaster. While not being a union member, I am having a hard time wrapping my head around their issue. The representation seems to be too spread out and not effective enough for those concerned. The way I see it a pilot who is seniority # 001 doesn't really care too much about the upcoming furloughs because he/she is safe. Maybe a salary reduction but safety is still there. Also I believe that the union as it is today hasn't evolved with the current business models, their power and strengths have been eroded away through different business practices whether it's the economy or bankruptcy. There also aren't anymore airline " men/women" running the show anymore. They are from various other backgrounds culled into the airline position because of their success in other fields. Their maybe a few around however they just aren't as effective. The airline pilot work condition coupled with the lower pay structure will cause prospective pilots to carefully review other options for their career which includes jobs outside aviation.