NineGturn

Very well said Steve. The regionals are simply a massive B scale created by the majors ...both management and the unions. There is absolutely no practical or safety reason for this business model except to create a B scale system designed to use the unions against the pilots.

pete2800

Your logic doesn't quite work.

If I quit, I'm replaced by someone on first year pay, which is cheaper than what I cost the company.

If I stay as I'm currently employed at the regional with the best payscale in the industry, I can work for increased compensation and benefits while being the most expensive regional FO possible. With my current level of experience, there isn't a way for me to cost this industry more money.

Chupacabras

CEO says, "we are already seeing reduced profits as we park planes because we cannot recruit or retain pilots to fly them. Eventually, there will be no revenue since we won't have pilots as the leave to other carriers that pay better. Reduced profits are better than shutting the place down Mr. shareholder"

Chupacabras

For those who say money won't fix the problem, just look at 9E. After the company increased every pilots' pay by 20k per year, attrition is way down to half of what it was, and recruiting is way up. As soon as the money was announced people started applying. It's always all about the money. Other regionals need to have a talk with their mainline partners about changing these agreements if they want airplanes flow reliably on their behalf. This is what Delta and 9E did-bonuses paid by delta. Yes 9E is owned by delta, but the relationship is the same-mainline needing regional feed by a third party.

Steve McCroskey

The problem is that the mainlines don't need regionals. They want them to reduce costs. It saves them because they get to hire someone doing their flying for them for 3+ years and then start them at the bottom of the pay scale again. Its all about saving as much money as possible by reducing operating costs.

chrisreedrules

I have talked to a few pilots from Endeavor who left AFTER the bonus was offered. Anyone going to 9E for the money is being short-sighted.

NineGturn

Again...dead on right!!

If a mainline can wait until the average pilot is 35-45 years old to hire them they will save $millions in labor costs than if they hire those same pilots at 25-35. Especially if those same pilots spend ten years working at dirt cheap costs before they even have to give them a seniority number at mainline.

The whole thing is a massive scam you are forced to participate in. Otherwise why would the majors hire regional pilots at all? The model wont work without the carrot but they've figured out how to drag that carrot out more than ten years.

The whole thing is starting to bite the airlines now but only if regional pilots have the balls to stand up and fight instead of continuing to cower and chase the carrot.

galaxy flyer

I don't know of anyone forcing someone to be a pilot.

Pete2800,

Great rationalization you have there.

GF

iahflyr

The pilot unions are the biggest blocker to regional FO pay increases. Regional airline management is not stupid. They understand that in order to attract pilots, they need to pay FO's better. But that money has to come from somewhere. Every time an airline tries to raise first year pay, or start a signing bonus, the union tries it's hardest to block it because they believe "if anyone gets a raise, everyone should get a raise." We used to call that communism.

Setpropeller

The problem is that we complain and complain and complain but do nothing about the situation and yet we expect things to miraculously change, that's the definition of Insanity my friends. It's modern day slavery they are trying to make things as difficult as possible so that you either quit or go insane. This profession has been destroyed at the regional level. There is no adequate compensation which is ok as long as there is quality of life (multiple days off, commutable lines, productive trips). Now we gave in to more concessions and our quality of life is been taken away. Yet there's plenty of mediocre 2nd and 3rd class pilots getting hire by the regionals cause this companies need to fill the seats. Here's the F*&K part about this, the FAA implemented all this changes (1500hrs, 117 rules) all to help place experience and well rested pilots in the cockpit. I wonder what they'll do when a plane slam into the ground cause by pilot error. Always have a backup plan.