Comair/major airline discussion

[RueterF16]

pay scale

Yes you're right the pay wasn't the topic.

What makes a regional a regional?

It's not the type of aircraft they fly or the pay scale they have for their pilots. A fractional that pays their pilots better than a regional, isn't a major airline.

The difference between airlines is the financial impact they will have on the economy. In this case it's not the "size that matters." Nor is it the type of equipment.

This is a throw back to earlier times where large aircraft were the only game in town and smaller jets were thought of as luxury jets for the wealthy only.

If an airline earns a billion dollars a year flying RJ's then I would bet they had to fly quite a bit. The impact they would have on the economy, should they not be there, dictates whether or not they are a major airline.

Using this philosopy, they are a major airline. Not to mention the fact that, if they were seperate from Delta, they would be making a boatload of money, maybe not a billion dollars but, they would be doing pretty well...

 

[skydiverdriver]

I think the fact that people have a difference of opinion means that there is no definition of a regional. To say that an airline flies regional jets means nothing. The BAE-146 used to be a "big" jet, but nobody bought it (except maybe the old PSA). So they call it an RJ now,and it sells well. I also think it's interesting how people take one word I say and change the meaning, without saying anything about other arguments like the question of Air Canada. They fly CRJ's, but also fly larger jets. So, what are they? What is Midway? What was Delta when they had F-27's? What was America West when they had DH-8's? I know Comair is just a regional to us, and I don't have any misconseptions about that. However, the old names no longer make sense since they were coined when commuter airlines had piston and turboprops, and now I think things are a bit different. There is a difference between regionals and majors, and that is the whole problem. Thanks for playing gang.