Originally Posted by chrisreedrules

Maybe... I think the hiring by mainline hasn’t even really begun in earnest yet. And the current market trends don’t necessarily account for the LCCs to grow or say someone like Moxy coming along and needing to hire a bunch of pilots etc.

I think what we’ll really start to see is that each legacy carrier will begin to “tighten” the career path to their respective airline much like AA already has. If you want to work for AA you go to a WO. If you want to work for Delta you go to Endeavor. If you want to work for UA you go to CommutAir or ExpressJet and whoever else shakes out. Hiring outside of these programs for civilians will start slowing and eventually become a trickle compared to what it currently is. It’s one of the only real ways for the legacies to secure their relatively cheap regional feed long term.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see Southwest announce some sort of preferential interview program as the retirements and hiring at the legacies kick into full swing over the next couple years.

As far as pay I don’t think we’ve quite reached the top just yet. But I think a lot of the improvements regionals will benefit from are going to be contractual and QOL improvements. At least at the “good” regionals anyway. Pay attracts people. QOL keeps them there.

Originally Posted by Rahlifer

I think the last line is the conundrum for the management types. The regional model is still predicated on being the cheapest at all cost. Turnover is essential to keeping the costs low. Pay and bonuses will get the fresh meat in the door, but if the QOL is too good, you become top heavy with the expensive labor at the top of the pay scale. So from a management standpoint, you want to damage the QOL just enough to encourage the expensive widgets to leave or you’ll have to take steps to remove them which leads to a whole new can of worms.

Originally Posted by chrisreedrules

Which is where flow programs and interview programs come in. And for now at least, the flavor of the week doesn’t seem to be who can do it the cheapest, but the most reliably.

Originally Posted by fortyeight

If that were the case Skywest wouldn’t be anywhere near LGA. It’s still who can do it the cheapest. Look at BB’s Memorial Day update for further proof.

Originally Posted by KCaviator

Pretty sure this guy works for PSA, so he wouldn’t understand your reference. But yes, BB said the codeshare partners are saying we’re too expensive.

You’re definitely right, and chrisreedrules is definitely wrong, about reliability though. SkyWest wouldn’t be in LGA, ExpressJet wouldn’t of gotten new aircraft, and we’d be getting all of the new flying. All the majors (except maybe Delta) care about is who can do it the cheapest.

Originally Posted by chrisreedrules

Then why did AA put Mesa “on notice” for poor performance? Heard they offered to do the flying for cheaper and AA said no, they don’t care about that right now. They want the performance to improve above all.

Originally Posted by KCaviator

Let’s see AA put their money where their mouth is then.

Originally Posted by dera

JO and DP are drinking buddies, Mesa has to mess up real bad for that relationship to end.

Originally Posted by fortyeight

Again, it’s all about money. If it was about performance and reliability Mesa wouldn’t be providing regional services. Skywest wouldn’t be in LGA. Expressjet wouldn’t have gotten 25 175’s. And GoJet wouldn’t be retrofitting and flying the 550 or whatever United is calling it.

It is and always be 100% about money with our codeshare partners. Nothing else. That’s why regionals exist in the first place. If they truly cared about performance they could just bring it in-house to have full control of their product.