If I could write a letter to MGMT industry wide...

Cherokee_Cruiser said:
We have guys writing letters to our management (CEO and COO). They don't care and I doubt it makes any difference.

It's a seniority job and they know that. If you're at a regional they expect you'll move on. If you're at a Major/LCC, they want to get you to work as cheaply as possible and know that those in their 20s and 30s will probably try to leave, those 40+ are probably golden handcuffed with age and seniority. If you're at a legacy, they expect you'll ride out your career with them.

As much as I hate to say it, regional pilots have it good today. Try 10 years ago. Today you have 5-digit sign on bonuses, first year pay hitting 40-50k (or more), and AA regionals have a guaranteed flow program that is working very well today. Others have a partnership for a guaranteed interview and/or guaranteed number (slots) of pilots from their regional counterparts. Today you can pretty much upgrade right at FAR mins and company mins. It's crazy how much quick movement the regionals have today.
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The main reason for all the movement all of a sudden is partially a result of what the regionals did for the better part of two decades. The only reason they are now offering bonuses and flow/pathway is to suck more people into their cheap labor. Because without that they know that people no longer are willing to fly in the same conditions that was considered normal 10 plus years ago.

Do you think if another stagnant period arrives they will still offer all of these incentives? Let’s say age 70 then another economy collapse. I sure as heck don’t think so. The only reason things are better again is because they’re desperate to staff their cheap labor. That’s why only one maybe two regionals right now you can make 45k in hard money first year. Other than that it’s all bonuses and unique marketing techniques, like including per diem and travel benefits. As soon as the music stops, the lower rungs will again stoop lower because they will have to survive. The majors will whipsaw them against each other again, and we will be on the recieving end of the opposite of what is happening now.
 
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JDean3204 said:
The main reason for all the movement all of a sudden is partially a result of what the regionals did for the better part of two decades. The only reason they are now offering bonuses and flow/pathway is to suck more people into their cheap labor. Because without that they know that people no longer are willing to fly in the same conditions that was considered normal 10 plus years ago.

Do you think if another stagnant period arrives they will still offer all of these incentives? Let’s say age 70 then another economy collapse. I sure as heck don’t think so. The only reason things are better again is because they’re desperate to staff their cheap labor. That’s why only one maybe two regionals right now you can make 45k in hard money first year. Other than that it’s all bonuses and unique marketing techniques, like including per diem and travel benefits. As soon as the music stops, the lower rungs will again stoop lower because they will have to survive. The majors will whipsaw them against each other again, and we will be on the recieving end of the opposite of what is happening now.
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Just curious which regional you work for?
 
Yes regional pilots are subsidizing mainline wages. It's meant to be a revolving door employer so don't get your panties in a bunch....vote with your feet. Managment can and does use this as leverage. It's difficult to listen to the lamentations of regional lifers and I'm sure that is happening at horizon..it happens at OO too. Go abroad and recieve handsome sums of money if money is what you're after, it is quickly becoming a globalized profession. It's a great time to be ATP rated and our generation got it easier than in the past, as far as equipment progression goes: c172-> rj -> NB/WB.

As far as I can tell the pilot career has always attracted high risk -high reward individuals because that is the nature the business (brankrupty, mergers, catastrophes, boom and bust economoic cycles, maintaining your medical, constant checking and training). It is volatile.. period... and one little screw up can cost a career earnings of hundreds of thousands. I think the problem most guys who are stuck at the regionals for more than 5yrs face is they let Ego get in the way. Won't accept anything less than delta or united or fedex for example. Others put their family needs first and that could be hindering career progression. Seems to me the name of the game is make strategic sacrifices. That is , It's a marathon not a sprint.
 
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RamRise said:
Yes regional pilots are subsidizing mainline wages. It's meant to be a revolving door employer so don't get your panties in a bunch....vote with your feet. Managment can and does use this as leverage. It's difficult to listen to the lamentations of regional lifers and I'm sure that is happening at horizon..it happens at OO too. Go abroad and recieve handsome sums of money if money is what you're after, it is quickly becoming a globalized profession. It's a great time to be ATP rated and our generation got it easier than in the past, as far as equipment progression goes: c172-> rj -> NB/WB. The pilot career has always attracted high risk -high reward individuals. I think the problem most guys who are stuck at the regionals for more than 5yrs face is they let Ego get in the way. Won't accept anything less than delta or united or fedex for example. Others put their family needs first and that could be hindering career progression. as far as I can tell the profession is a game of strategic sacrifice. It's a marathon not a sprint.
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I definitely get it as far as the pilot side. Don’t like flying for the regionals? Get your time and get out. The problem is only in the last few years has the revolving door been in motion again. Prior to that, even if pilots wanted to move on they simply couldn’t because of the economic issues. Life still happened for many during those times, so the ones that are beyond the tipping point in their careers are still hesitant to move on. I don’t blame them for doing so either, why waste years of the one life you have to live waiting for a call that just wasn’t happening for most. It is very humbling to me knowing that my timing has been spot on so far, I guess I just feel for those that havn’t been so lucky. I hear new guys dis on lifers so much, when it is us that need to take a step back and realize we are at the graces of good timing and a good economy right now, all subject to change of course.
 
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I want to reiterate this is not me trying to complain. I’m very happy to be where I am, I enjoy my job and feel very lucky to be doing this as a career. I’m simply trying to bring attention to reasons why a pilot shortage is upon us, it isn’t because people just stopped wanting to fly or they lack the knowledge and skills necessary. It is because of the conditions that the industry has exposed pilots to in the past. Now as this issue floats out to the general public everyone thinks it’s an issue with a rule requiring a certain amount of time to be qualified to fly an airliner. I just wanted to throw the BS flag out on that.

The only solution I see in the next ten years is to say goodbye to the regional model, if 4000 pilots a year leave the regionals I guarantee you won’t have 4000 filling their seats. This hiring wave truly hasn’t even kicked off yet, and we have regionals hiring street CA’s and forcing FO’s to upgrade. There isn’t a single regional aside from Expressjet where one can’t upgrade right at 1000 121. If you look at some regionals hiring advertisements they are targeting regional pilots from other airlines with bonuses and street CA positions. All this is happening already, we havn’t even hit 2000 a year retiring from the top yet.. Throw in some more growth with those numbers and I’m telling you the regionals will be in a very very tough situation here soon. BUT... The first major to truly absorb a regional into its seniority list will have no issues filling their 50-76 seat jets because they will provide pilots with known continuity. Flow really isn’t known, it is a metering tool for mainline to stop the draining of their cheap labor. That will be evident here in 3-4 years at AA.
 
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JDean3204 said:
The main reason for all the movement all of a sudden is partially a result of what the regionals did for the better part of two decades. The only reason they are now offering bonuses and flow/pathway is to suck more people into their cheap labor. Because without that they know that people no longer are willing to fly in the same conditions that was considered normal 10 plus years ago.

Do you think if another stagnant period arrives they will still offer all of these incentives? Let’s say age 70 then another economy collapse. I sure as heck don’t think so. The only reason things are better again is because they’re desperate to staff their cheap labor. That’s why only one maybe two regionals right now you can make 45k in hard money first year. Other than that it’s all bonuses and unique marketing techniques, like including per diem and travel benefits. As soon as the music stops, the lower rungs will again stoop lower because they will have to survive. The majors will whipsaw them against each other again, and we will be on the recieving end of the opposite of what is happening now.
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IMO it has almost solely to do with the 1,500 hr rule and the massive movement at the major airlines.

Make no mistake, if the 1500 hr rule is abolished and we have 250 hr RJ FOs again, regional airline wages will come down and bonuses will dry up.
 
TLDR; They literally don't care. Not even a bit. I promise. Been in meetings with regional CEO's, 2 of them same company. One feigned great interest in the most pleasant way, the other would just smirk and sort of pretend to be your friend. Neither gave a single flying fudgcicle. Both counted their millions, both allowed their minions to run us over when needed and rebuffed every sincere letter written like this. Your time & energy are better spent elsewhere.
 
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BigZ said:
I can think of a couple more still doing that
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I thought both piedmont and commutair stopped the Dash's this year. GLA went TU and does Cape Air count as far as 121 carriers? I am failing to remember if they have 121 ops.
 
Its too expensive to learn to fly and financing options aren’t there like it used to be. This is the only reason for any shortage. All the signing bonuses in the world aren’t going to pay for flight training.
 
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