Unfortunately for us all trying to get to a major or just a 6 figure $$$salary, we might be waiting a while. We are all pawns in a game of Big Business that management is playing. Who can make the most money. Pilots seem to want to blame other pilots for the industry turning upside down & inside out. That is just not the case. We do 1 thing, fly airplanes.
To keep some sort of sanity we unfortunately must just go with the flow and expect change. Lets face it if we all did not love to fly we would put up with half of the crap we have to deal with. I have been flying since the late 80's. During the 90's you needed 3000hrs total time, 1000 muti & 500 turbine with your ATP to be considered for an interview with Eagle, Chautauqua, or Business Express. Not to mention you had to pay $10,000 for training. Not many Companies were hiring back then either.
I look back now and if I were 21 or 22 and had 1000TT and a company said they were going to pay me $20,000/yr to fly a jet I would have jumped at the chance to skip the whole Flight instructor Charter pilot rout. Not to mention live at home with Mom & Dad. Great way to get some experience and not have too many bills or commitments. Agreed there are allot of pompous immature egotistical kids flying in the cockpits today who need a little brush of reality and a wake-up call that their are allot of people who can do the same thing they can do and probably better.
As far as Hiring at The "Republic Airways Holdings" family, Blackpilot628 is correct, 2000 pilots by the end of 2006. I have heard rumors about 3-4000 pilots total by 2007-8 once all the 170/75's get on-line. Should we get 190's who knows. All speculation at this point.
Good-luck to all who apply.
Happy Landings to all