Rahlifer

ExpressJet used to be THE premiere regional with the best contract and pay. Today’s darling will eventually be tomorrow’s Mesa. It’s a never ending cycle.

Meow1215

Yeah... most people have a hard time understanding that lesson.

KCaviator

Just as people have a hard time understanding ExpressJet is no longer THE premier airline. They are now the bottom of the barrel.

Meow1215

I think most of those people work for XJT. But hey, anyone who thinks any regional is “THE premier airline” is an idiot to start with. It’s still a regional.

Rahlifer

Well no duh. Just pointing out the silliness of the chest thumping posts about whose regional is better. It’s a nonstop merry go round. Republic is getting ready to enter a minimum 5 year contract negotiation period and will quickly drop from the current top spot.

fortyeight

Republic isn’t at the top spot to begin with....

Rahlifer

Top 5. Top 10. It’s hard to gauge accurately from reading all the pompous windbags that rank such things. I personally don’t really give a ****. 😃😃

KCaviator

I’m not trying to tout the company, but I can’t see us quickly dropping even if negotiations take 5 years. I think ALL regional CBAs have peaked for the foreseeable future.

Meow1215

How about that pilot shortage?

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.