How long is Skywest's contract with United? I know that ALPA is pushing for a sunset clause that says they can continue to fly their RJ's outside of CAL's scope protection until Skywest's contract expires.

The downside of this is that yes, we at mainline will lose some flying while these 70 seat RJ's are out flying around. Also, this only delays you RJ drivers from a decent paycheck while you wait to get hired to fly something bigger. Trust me, I've been there before and it's no fun waiting for that bigger airplane to fly.

If ALPA would stick up for regional airline pay and treatment then 50% of the flying wouldn't be going to the regionals. Airlines are saving big bucks with regional labor costs.

Sky West guys/gals,,, ALPA did nothing for me at MESA and I am currently taking a non pilot aviation job just to get by. I wouldn't recommend ALPA.

This outcome has severely negatively affected the career prospects of regional airline pilots as well, probably many times more so since it will run its course over the remaining several decades of active service (and into retirement).

As far as I can tell, the interests of NO airline pilots were being served by allowing this to go down. Not an impressive performance to many looking at the organization from the outside in.

:mad:

Why do you assume we want to "move up" to first year pay and loss of all seniority so that WE can get fuloughed in 2 years when oil returns to $150 a barrel and Jeff states that the "plan" only accounted for $80 a barrel?

No thanks. How about this: you direct our union to fight for your interests, and I'll direct our union to fight for my interests. May he with the best lawyers win!

Here we go again......

Yeah really...

Working for less $$ helps no one (major or regional). Would sure be nice to get the entire industry turned around, and get all pilots on board w refusing to accept further sacrifices...

Allowed?? Like they have control over giving us table scraps? PLEEEASE!! They have NO place and NO say and thus DON'T have the abilty to ALLOW or DISALLOW anything.

That's why the sabre rattling rhetoric, ALPA focus towards Regionals looks like impotent has beens.

That's not going to happen. The market and industry cannot support it. Be glad we are helping the majors with codeshare by supplimenting their former markets.

Read next post.

It's all about timing. I've never been furloughed and the timing just worked out for me. It took me 5 1/2 years to leave a regional to get to a major, and I've never looked back. People questioned me as to why I would leave. I was in the top 10% of the regional, check airman, living in base, and home every night. Problem was that the pay wasn't spectacular, I only got at most 16 days off a month, and I wanted more opportunities than flying 6 legs a day.

Now fast forward, I'm at CAL. I only had 2 weeks on reserve as a new hire, never been furloughed, average 18-19 days off a month, and after 3rd year pay at CAL I made more than I would have after 12 years at the regional.

If you are comfortable working at the regional and enjoy the lifestyle, then stay there, I'm just saying that there are opportunities out there for better stuff so when the timing is right, make your move.

Just don't get upset at others like myself who took a calculated chance and things worked out. I can't stand people who whine about their current position/life but they make no effort to improve their lives. I don't know you, maybe you did try and it didn't work out. I don't know, not my deal. I just don't understand why people want to stay at a regional. It makes absolutely no sense to me, but to each his own.