What would it take for 'the regionals' to cease to exist?

Zap - I wish you all the best - you know that.

You've been flirting with the stay or go to airlines question a long time and I wonder if you are really trying to make a decision or justify a decision you really want to make? The airline life hasn't exactly been kind to you, but for some reason it's alluring - and I understand that. Sometimes something is incredibly attractive even if it's bad for you (witness 99% of the women I've ever dated). Here's the thing - whatever decision you make at this point probably needs to be a final decision. If you jump ship, then do it and don't look back and certainly do not second-guess yourself if things with that decision go badly, or let other people second guess. If you decide to stay, embrace the deal you have and purge any other thoughts from your mind - because you'll always wonder "what if..."

Finally, I'd stay put and get a nice taildragger to fly most likely (assuming job security was the same between options).

Also, I would not go anywhere Seggy was at. No matter how much money, time off, etc.
 
Zap, whatever the decision is, I hope you post a thorough write up. I have enjoyed your posts on recurrent training and your list thread.
 
Try not fulfilling your obligations to provide feed to your legacy/freight partners under the guise of your inability to recruit and hire personnel will cause your contracts to become null and void! Don't make me get ugly! I miss management so much I am looking for someone to fire or looking to shred a contract.
 
jmreii said:
Try not fulfilling your obligations to provide feed to your legacy/freight partners under the guise of your inability to recruit and hire personnel will cause your contracts to become null and void! Don't make me get ugly! I miss management so much I am looking for someone to fire or looking to shred a contract.
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What?

Good luck zap!
 
WhatRJ said:
Im interested in hearing what you folks (who currently work for or know a great deal about the regionals) think it would take for the 'regionals' to disappear.
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Mainline pilots grow a pair and walk the talk (ala Southwest Airlines) or Mainline management grow a soul. Basically it ain't happening! If anything I expect the regionals to get bigger as mainline continues to cannibalize narrow bodies for widebody carrots.
 
ZapBrannigan said:
50? Where did you find that number? Most people consider the cut off between 40 and 45. Anything later isn't financially viable.

Leaving a >$100,000 job is tough because you take the initial loss and then even once you are back to your present rate of pay, you have to make up for what was lost and then consider the value of that money had you been investing it during the interim.

I'm 3 months from turning 40 and struggling with that decision right now.
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I was in a similar situation not too long ago....had multiple choices and went with my 'perceived' best option. FWIW......I made the move. Although I took a big financial hit initially, I should be recouping that loss, and then some, w/in a few years. For me the potential reward was more than worth the risk involved. Not to mention improved stability.....well, as much as that's possible in this ridiculous industry.
Best of luck in your decision.
 
Hootie said:
Mainline pilots grow a pair and walk the talk (ala Southwest Airlines) or Mainline management grow a soul. Basically it ain't happening! If anything I expect the regionals to get bigger as mainline continues to cannibalize narrow bodies for widebody carrots.
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On that subject: "We don't want that little airplane" is a mentality that needs to just go away.

Yes, you do want that little airplane. You want all the airplanes. Get real.
 
I've just read though 90 posts and I don't think anyone really has pointed out what is really going to happen with the regional airlines.

The regional airlines will cease to exist when they can no longer hire enough pilots to fly their aircraft. They will then go into "shrink mode" with the pilots they have left.

That time is quickly coming. The majors continue to grow and will pick up routes. The majors will hire pilots from the regional airlines which will accelerate the demise of those regional airlines.

The regional airlines will be unable to hire enough qualified pilots to stay in business.

End of story. End of regional airlines.

Joe
 
SeanD said:
Probably more than you might imagine. The majors just started hiring not too long ago. There are quite a few out there who wont take the pay cut to move on.
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I agree with you, I think joefriday doesn't quite see how many guys have no desire to even apply at a legacy for multiple reasons. Many dont need regional inc. to be around forever, just for 15 or twenty more years.


-butjust a thought-
United could go to a mega regional and suck up all the pilots through a buyout or contract negotiations and contract regional inc as an AMI, opposed to ACMI. Mega regional doesn't have to worry about finding applicants, united would attract most 121 applicants. United addopts eaxct pay scheme for the regional jet as they were paid before. The senior CRJ captain stays put flying the same aircraft in the same city.
Would a senior airbus fo bid CRJ captain? The real world us air experience says not really.
 
JOEFRIDAY2 said:
I've just read though 90 posts and I don't think anyone really has pointed out what is really going to happen with the regional airlines.

The regional airlines will cease to exist when they can no longer hire enough pilots to fly their aircraft. They will then go into "shrink mode" with the pilots they have left.

That time is quickly coming. The majors continue to grow and will pick up routes. The majors will hire pilots from the regional airlines which will accelerate the demise of those regional airlines.

The regional airlines will be unable to hire enough qualified pilots to stay in business.

End of story. End of regional airlines.

Joe
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Even props? If airlines want to save money, they'll start flying more turoprops on regional routes and not jets.
You'd save enough money in fuel, you could afford to pay the pilot.
 
WhatRJ said:
Im interested in hearing what you folks (who currently work for or know a great deal about the regionals) think it would take for the 'regionals' to disappear. I know this likely wont happen as they are a pivotal stepping stone for getting to the majors and time building but lets just talk hypothetically.

A huge merger into 1 or 2 'super' regionals? Throw some theories at me :)
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Regional airlines in the modern context exist to provide a service that the mainline carriers are not providing: airline service to smaller communities. Therefore, for the regional carriers to go away, the mainline carriers will have to find a way to profitably service those communities.
 
z987k said:
Even props? If airlines want to save money, they'll start flying more turoprops on regional routes and not jets.
You'd save enough money in fuel, you could afford to pay the pilot.
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Passengers don't like/trust prop planes, it's a non-starter
 
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