Why was there pressure on scope? The mainline carriers promised their pilots a veritable smorgassboard of new aircraft (widebodies) if the pilots would allow "competitive rates" on the regional aircraft. When the flying the commuters were doing were the less than 300-500nm flights in turboprops to extremely small communities it was a bit different than the current style of RJ flying being done. Scope should never had been given away by the majors but at any rate for the regional pilots to claim ownership of something that does not bear any risk on their behalf is lame. With the cost plus contracts you see very little pride in doing a good job, saving fuel and treating the passengers well on the RJ ops. The RJ operations are the equivilant to using a call center in India to handle reservations. It is a non-company employee, working on a contracted rate to do a service.
I ride the RJ's very infrequently and when I do I notice that the pilots rarely if ever turn off the seat belt sign, communicate an appreciation to the customers, give an estimated arrival time or weather. It is almost always as if the plane is unmanned. Maybe it is?
What the RJ operations were pitched to the pilots during scope negotiations and what they have become are two different animals. I still remember the briefing we were given at UAL. We were told the RJ's would not be used to replace city pairs, only to fill gaps during off peak times. We would not pull out of citys just sub a mid day 737 with an RJ. That has proved to be very far from the truth.
Again, it is not YOUR flying if you are not bearing the risk.
