I agree. That's why the near trend will be to go 76 seat RJs like CRJ9s and E175s. The 110 seat jet replacing DC9s and MD88s is still a couple of years away, I think, although it could happen sooner. I do agree A318 is probably a good option as well.

The best place to be in the near future is the fractionals. The worst fractional is better than any of the regionals; without all the bickering.

The MD-88 is a 142 seat a/c. Yes NWA's DC-9's (100 seats) can be replaced by the E-190/5's or the C-series but the 88's have too many seats. In order to properly replace them you need a 737 or an A320. That is unless you plan on reducing capacity.

But I understand your point.

Overall, I'm optimistic. The history of flying is haphazard. Airlines come and go, pilots move with the flow. The short term, based on history, people will still fly and many jobs will be around and because of many factors, most upgrade times are dramatically slowing again. The companies that charge enough to stay around will survive and grow. Others will fail. I wish you all the best in your aviation endeavors. I have been tremendously fortunate.

We are generally a happy family in the cockpit itself. Never met a group anywhere I did not like or enjoy being around. The challenge is that we are all on different points of the escalator trying to make a go of it as a career. Some like Skyhigh, hit some tough points and left. A wise move for him and his family. Others start anywhere to get a foot in the door and all hope to move along quickly to a better gig.
This is the every present challenge. We, like family, nitpick and raise cane with others who don't fit our ideal for the industry.
It is dissappointing that unions can't get along for a common purpose. ALPA can't get along with ALPA, (the most recent DAL/NWA issue). Independents can't get along with ALPA. (AMR and TWA). It is standard in the industry, maybe some day, regardlesss of airline or union, we would mentor the industry more effectively at the flight schools, universities and in the market.
If the professional unions and many of us individually, took a proactive aproach cooperatively, then we wouldn't rip the throats out of some person who wanders on to a forum like this and belittle them after they made some big decisions. We need to approach the industry as a profession that leads folks into the business. We need to influence those who desire to join to have a more uniform and informed understanding of the business. We need to make the entry conditions better. At present, we let industry management drive the market and entry conditions. A clear example is no union should ever allow pay for training in any contract, take the decisions away from a new person. Our collective response to date: Let each company management decide and WE deride anyone who does it as lowering the bar for the rest of us. Well, who was around to influence that decision? Yep, the old guys like me. What did I do to prevent Jonathan Ornstein from tossing that disaster at my fellow aviators? Nothing. Easy excuses, not my company, etc. Everyone flying professionally is responsible for mentoring the folks coming into the business. If you had a team of Legacy, Major, National,LCC, Cargo, Regional, Fractional, Charter, Part 135, CFI's & Corporate pilot leaders taking charge of our profession we would find the bar going back up, even in a difficult business world. I often disagree with Skyhigh's approach, but I respect him immensely for calling the limits and trying to inform others of the challenges and costs. Easy to blame others, but I'm part of the problem. Time to get myself and others to change our collective, professional approach....

Gloom and doom, if energy costs and recessionary pressures intersect during the summer Travel season.

Just seems like this industry is getting worse and worse. Just when it can't get any worse, it does. I don't like to sound this way, but it's just common sense. If past performance is a reflection of what is to come with the airlines, then I'm certainly not expecting any improvements. I just can't will myself to leave because I enjoy flying airplanes still, although that infatuation is starting to fade year by year. Maybe this is something all airline pilots go through, I don't know. Times are definitely tough right now for those of us @ the airlines. I keep hoping things will get better, but that is just so inconsistent with what I've experienced in this industry thus far...I have a high tolerance for the B.S. that comes w/ this job, that's another reason I've lasted as long as I have.

well said salty..........

B.s.
 

Well written...

I think that over time the fun side of aviation begins to subside while the shortcomings become more pronounced. Unless there is a pot of gold at the end of the regional rainbow it seem to me to be difficult to remain satisfied at work and to be able to stick it out.

Skyhigh

On the line, the general consensus and thoughts re. the industry are not represented on this board from what I see. People still like the job abd understand that the times are tough right now!