Y'know, I mentioned this a while back, but....
I keep hearing, every year, that GoJet is going out of business. I keep hearing that about Commutair and Mesa, too. Supposedly Air Wisconsin is on its last breath.
When I ask why the beliefs are so fervent and strong that these airlines are going out of business any minute now, I get the same answer: the FFD model is not sustainable!
But....it sure seems to be, doesn't it? Hell, SKW used to own a couple other regionals. RPA is 10X the size of C5 and seems to be doing just fine.
So...I hear the doom from the mountain - I get it - I just don't understand why, and maybe there's some rationality out there in the histrionics and hand-wringing. I don't know, honestly.
OP - if you're a CA, it seems you can get hired by a lot of legacies right now, and if you want IAD, you certainly would have a shot at UA, I think. Like the others have said, a DCA base is do-able, too.
Can't say if a lateral move would be worth it or not - if you're a CA, you have some seniority and while the allure of a $135K payoff is strong, DEC and lack of seniority (and the likelihood that they'll absolutely flog you on the schedule) does not seem like a prudent move given the other options you have.
But I'm just an FO at a dying FFD regional who freely admits he doesn't really understand the business in the face of the doom.