Death of the Regionals
 

Currently a CFI, just joined APC. Looks like there's a lot of knowledgeable folks on here. Would like opinions from you guys on whether or not the regionals will be around in the next few years. Looking forward to the responses/debates.

Lemme check my crystal ball and I'll get back to you.

thank you sweetheart

Will the Redsox win the world series? Remember, theres no such thing as a stupid question, only stupid people.

As a Cfi getting close to 1500, I think about this sometimes too. I'm sure we will see some regionals either disappear or merge, but I think they'll still be around for a while. Really big ones like republic may shrink a bit as mainline takes back the flying, but I'm sure there will still be jobs for us

If you're starting flight training anytime soon or further along than that, there will be plenty of regional stepping stone opportunities for you on the road to majors. If upgrades stall, the majors will just hire regional SIC's.

Possibility that regionals might downsize to a shadow of their current size in the long run, but if that happens the majors will probably have to do ab-initio training because THEY are going to need pilots badly.

Worst case, you'll start on a narrowbody instead of an RJ.

What will most likely happen is that Major airlines will only hire through their regional feeds, no exceptions. For example, if you want to work for American Airlines, you will first have to work for Envoy, PSA, or Piedmont (the wholly owned regionals). No exceptions. The other major airlines will also probably do something similar.

This is the only way the the airlines will be able to save their regional feed.

The way it could work is first you take a job at Republic or Skywest, then after you have built up some experience, you get hired at PSA or Envoy, work there for a few more years then flow to American.

The airlines will do what they can to preserve their feeds as long as possible.

The real question will be if we have a job this time next year with NAI coming in.

Possibly one of the dumbest things I have read on here.

I assure you its not. Try to have some vision.

If you are American Airlines, how would you preserve your regional flow?

You could:

1.) Mandate all new hires at American come through their regional feed, no exceptions including military.

2.) When the regional feed becomes as expensive as simply operating those aircraft in house, that's what you do, fly RJ's in house.

One has a large price tag. The other does not. Option 1 creates a new rung on the career ladder.