Here's my aviation outlook...
Crj 70's will replace the MD-80's, 737's at major airlines. More flights, more frequency Delta is doing this now out of DFW.
A Delta pilot friend of mine is worried that the MD-80's will be gone in the next 5 years because of the growth of Delta's regionals.
Rj 70's replace the MD-80's and the MD-80 pilots replace the retiring age 60 pilots at Delta.
There are over 1000 orders for rj's now not including the order for USAirways and United if and when they emerge out of bankrupcy. 300-400 rj's more for each airline.
Crj's will only get bigger; Crj 90's Mesa (Freedom) is getting delivered this Spring 03.
So basicly, the "regional" airline will be the last stop in many pilots careers. The airline executives will put pilot groups against pilot groups for the lowest bidder to do the work. Sure pay will go up in the commuter level but only a couple of dollars everytime the contract is negotiated and that happens every 3-5 years pending the length of the contract.
Most International flying will be code shared by other foreign airlines that are subsidized by that country. Air France, JAL etc.
Some trans-con flying will also be code shared by foreign airlines. For example, an Air France flight from LAX to CDG with a stop in JFK will be able to sell seats on the LAX to JFK segment. Which foreign airlines are not allowed to do today. The flight will have Delta code sharing passengers.
This is known as caboge. This was defeated in the early 90's but will most likely become a hot topic again.
The industry will show it's hand in the next few years when the big numbers of age 60 pilots retire. If some of the furloughed pilots are recalled to replace them things could stay the same. If no firloughed pilots are recalled to replace them, then the major airlines will shrink and let the commuters be the workhorse of the industry.
Crj 70's will replace the MD-80's, 737's at major airlines. More flights, more frequency Delta is doing this now out of DFW.
A Delta pilot friend of mine is worried that the MD-80's will be gone in the next 5 years because of the growth of Delta's regionals.
Rj 70's replace the MD-80's and the MD-80 pilots replace the retiring age 60 pilots at Delta.
There are over 1000 orders for rj's now not including the order for USAirways and United if and when they emerge out of bankrupcy. 300-400 rj's more for each airline.
Crj's will only get bigger; Crj 90's Mesa (Freedom) is getting delivered this Spring 03.
So basicly, the "regional" airline will be the last stop in many pilots careers. The airline executives will put pilot groups against pilot groups for the lowest bidder to do the work. Sure pay will go up in the commuter level but only a couple of dollars everytime the contract is negotiated and that happens every 3-5 years pending the length of the contract.
Most International flying will be code shared by other foreign airlines that are subsidized by that country. Air France, JAL etc.
Some trans-con flying will also be code shared by foreign airlines. For example, an Air France flight from LAX to CDG with a stop in JFK will be able to sell seats on the LAX to JFK segment. Which foreign airlines are not allowed to do today. The flight will have Delta code sharing passengers.
This is known as caboge. This was defeated in the early 90's but will most likely become a hot topic again.
The industry will show it's hand in the next few years when the big numbers of age 60 pilots retire. If some of the furloughed pilots are recalled to replace them things could stay the same. If no firloughed pilots are recalled to replace them, then the major airlines will shrink and let the commuters be the workhorse of the industry.
