Scope clause changes could be biggest impact on airlines since deregulation

[damnflyboy]

For the record, I'm a barbie-jet operator for a regional in ATL. To the Legacy guys: Don't relax scope. Please. All it takes is one mainline pilot group to give up seats, and ALL of our fates are sealed. I can hear it now: "Continental relaxed scope...so to stay competitive, we at Delta must do the same."

 

[ASACRJFlyer]

So what good is a "mainline" job if you are flying the same airplane for less money and a worse schedule because you gave up your longevity and seniority?

If you bring all the RJs over to mainline, at regional rates, that will become the majority of domestic flying. Becareful what you wish for.

PilotYIP answered part of your question in the post immediately following yours. The other part of the answer to the question you pose is that you have to start by getting RJ's back on property as a first step, even if it is at a lower rate than a senior pilot at a regional airline. Why? Because you have to control the asset before you can negiotiate for a higher pay rate.

This is what started this whole mess to begin with. When majors gave away the scope over 76 and less seat jets, they lost control of small jet wages and the regional whipsaw was born. You have to admit, it was brilliant on the part of management to let regional competition drive down salaries as there was always another Mesa or GoJet ready to step on the scene to "lower the bar". After all, regional airlines started out as just a "stepping stone" to that major, no one stopped to think that if their own regional gained flying at the expense of mainline, the job they were building the PIC time to qualify for was effective being removed PERMANENTLY from mainline and shifted to the regional they were working for. If anyone had the balls to stand up and demand a better QOL at their regional so that they could make it a career airline, they were given one hell of a smackdown, losing flying to the competition as the case of Comair proves.

Unless mainline can get control back of the regional fleet, we'll continue to see more domestic flying shifted to the regionals with us competing against ourselves until salaries are only acceptable to those who would or could fly for free anyway.

 

[LearLove]

how about this (for kicks), The regionals (bedford,JO ect.) can buy all the jet of any size they want as long as their flown by the respective code-share(s) mainline pilots.

If the mainline management says "yes can't afford to buy more aircraft" or "we can't get financing but XYZ express can", then fine, let XYZ buy them but we will fly them.

Although I find the mainline management excuse of "we can't afford/finance the jets but XYZ can" to be total BS when the mainline is the one paying XYZ in the first place. 6 or a half dozen of another.