Keep in mind that this new law basically returns the new hire minimums to what they competitively were for years and years. Not too long ago a regional wouldn't look at you unless you had a couple of thousand TT and 400-500 multi. Those were MINIMUMS. I know the younger "ME" generation would prefer to be owed, or given a job, but once again were are returning to a minimum qualification to be in front of the door. It's about time. I

I'm with you until you say the "me"generation. I'd like to point out the baby boomer generation has f'd this country up beyond repair

Will there be a shortage? Will pay increase? Who really knows. The retirement numbers point to a lot of movement, but like others have pointed out, a reduction in frequency in exchange for larger capacity might offset some of the retirements.
I am going to try something crazy for this site and look at some positives. People are traveling at an increased rate every year. The mainline partners are making near record profits despite the high fuel cost. Foreign markets are growing and offering attractive compensation packages to pilots of various levels of experience. There is scheduled attrition averaging over 2000 pilots a year for the next decade. Even with the unfortunate events at Comair, Pinnacle, and Eagle, there has been a large amount of growth at the regional ranks the past 18 months.
This industry has always been hindsight 20/20, it's a gamble on where pay will go. But if you already have your ratings, and are waiting for pay to go up, I would suggest get in ASAP, one of the only constants in this game is seniority is everything.

+1, I agree.

???? No there hasn't.... Who are you talking about?

I know who he is talking about............ In before the lock.

What growth are you talking about? The Only hiring regionals have done is for attrition, or when one airline loses flying and another gains it, that is not growth that is moving pieces.

You don't understand. Try being at a company for 5 years makin substandard money while your company cries poor and then offers 5k to a new hire.

Get over it.

The MEC was protecting their membership.

So far there has been announced furloughs of 450 at Pinnacle, less than 100 at Eagle, all of which were not on property 18 months ago, and 147 currently furloughed at Comair. Expressjet/ASA alone have hired over 700, Skywest isn't too far behind that, Air Wisconsin has been running constant classes, throw in the hiring of Compass, Republic, Horizon, Commutair, Piedmont, and our favorite Gojets, and there has been a lot of growth. That also isn't including the 500+ hires at Eagle either. I know we hate positive slants but the numbers don't lie.

Is that capacity growth? Or just replacing those who have jumped ship? Is anyone taking new aircraft deliveries (not re-shuffled frames from other whipsawed carriers)?