PilotOnTheRise
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 13, 2002
- Posts
- 215
I recently read a post on one of the forums on FlightInfo.com where someone was arguing that regional airline pay should match major airline pay. My question raised is whether that would cause more harm than good. As I began to think, as I often do, I came up with a scenario that, in my opinion is what would most likely happen if that were to happen ... and it doesn't sound very good. .... hear me out ....
Lets say 10 years from now, after many strikes, the regionals, all RJ's now, up pay to match that of the major airlines. The first thing that will happen is no-one will want to leave that brand new nice RJ to go fly a old MD80 or B737, when they make the same $100K salary. Thus, regional airline minimums will sky rocket because there is no-one leaving. The majors will soon find no use for the older planes, like the MD80s and older B737s, so they will, after a couple years get rid of them. Now the majors have a fleet full of B738s, B757s, B767s and B777s. Thus, the only routes the majors will fly now will be long haul routes. Now, the regionals have taken over all of the destinations that were once served by the majors with their MD80s and B737s. In a scense, the regionals have become the majors, offering more flights. The major will now be left only flying long haul flights, JFK-LAX and overseas flights. The minimums with the majors will of course, as a result, sky rocket as well, since they are now flying longer routes, with larger aircraft. Thus a huge hiring freeze will result. The 1200TT guy now has no chance at a regional job, because they require about 5000TT. But what about those 135 jobs? Of course they will be filled too. All of these people wishing to build the time to get on with a regional will take those jobs and will not leave within a year as most do now, but will stick around for many years building that time. That leaves the only option for the 1200-2000TT guy is instructing, making hardly nothing. 135 operations will not be able to take on the pay raises, so this is what you have. It is extremely hard to get onto a regional and about five times that to get onto a major. The 135 carrier in a scense has now become the regionals, the regionals the majors and the majors, lets call them the admirals now . In a way we are left in the same boat. The 135 (now the regionals) have low pay, and it is what low time guys who currently get on with regionals will have to do. The regionals (now the majors) pay is alot higher, but it doesnt meet the majors (admirals) anymore because they have had to up pay due to the longer routes and fleet full of larger aircraft. So, in a way, we are in the same boat, but even worse. Now the low time guys are stuck making low pay flying freight in a cessna (which there is nothing wrong with flying freight in a cessna), when instead, they could be in a RJ. But they wished for regional pay to be way higher, when that happened ... well, it doesnt concern them, because they cant get on one anyway.
I know regional pay is low, mainly the first year FO pay. However, it is not that bad, as it does up a good bit your second year and with an upgrade to captain. For the sake of young pilots, wanting a job flying in the near future, lets not wish to hard for something that may as a result, make things worse.
Lets say 10 years from now, after many strikes, the regionals, all RJ's now, up pay to match that of the major airlines. The first thing that will happen is no-one will want to leave that brand new nice RJ to go fly a old MD80 or B737, when they make the same $100K salary. Thus, regional airline minimums will sky rocket because there is no-one leaving. The majors will soon find no use for the older planes, like the MD80s and older B737s, so they will, after a couple years get rid of them. Now the majors have a fleet full of B738s, B757s, B767s and B777s. Thus, the only routes the majors will fly now will be long haul routes. Now, the regionals have taken over all of the destinations that were once served by the majors with their MD80s and B737s. In a scense, the regionals have become the majors, offering more flights. The major will now be left only flying long haul flights, JFK-LAX and overseas flights. The minimums with the majors will of course, as a result, sky rocket as well, since they are now flying longer routes, with larger aircraft. Thus a huge hiring freeze will result. The 1200TT guy now has no chance at a regional job, because they require about 5000TT. But what about those 135 jobs? Of course they will be filled too. All of these people wishing to build the time to get on with a regional will take those jobs and will not leave within a year as most do now, but will stick around for many years building that time. That leaves the only option for the 1200-2000TT guy is instructing, making hardly nothing. 135 operations will not be able to take on the pay raises, so this is what you have. It is extremely hard to get onto a regional and about five times that to get onto a major. The 135 carrier in a scense has now become the regionals, the regionals the majors and the majors, lets call them the admirals now . In a way we are left in the same boat. The 135 (now the regionals) have low pay, and it is what low time guys who currently get on with regionals will have to do. The regionals (now the majors) pay is alot higher, but it doesnt meet the majors (admirals) anymore because they have had to up pay due to the longer routes and fleet full of larger aircraft. So, in a way, we are in the same boat, but even worse. Now the low time guys are stuck making low pay flying freight in a cessna (which there is nothing wrong with flying freight in a cessna), when instead, they could be in a RJ. But they wished for regional pay to be way higher, when that happened ... well, it doesnt concern them, because they cant get on one anyway.
I know regional pay is low, mainly the first year FO pay. However, it is not that bad, as it does up a good bit your second year and with an upgrade to captain. For the sake of young pilots, wanting a job flying in the near future, lets not wish to hard for something that may as a result, make things worse.