Yep, such is the industry. Everyone is trying to move on to a "career airline" that has good pay, work rules, and benefits. Until we fix the outsourcing problem, that's not going to go away, Joey. Most people aren't content to spend a career at the regionals. You say yourself that "30%" of the regional guys are lifers (I think that's an exaggeration, but for argument's sake...), so you're admitting that nearly 3/4 of all regional pilots are planning to move on. It's just reality.
Not at all. I don't ridicule that guys that are making a career out of the regionals, I ridicule guys that are doing so and have such an inferiority complex that they've devoted their lives to trying to steal mainline seniority while simultaneously trying to convince everyone that their regional is the best thing since sliced bread.
Not too good. Arrogant mainline pilots wouldn't sit down to talk about it, and arrogant RJ lifers wouldn't consider reasonable integration proposals. People like you killed the idea, Joey.