We are all happy for those who were able to get hired at Alaska Airlines. My position is and always has been that it is possible for everything to work out but not probable. I have many friends who are siting captains at Horizon Air and did not even get looked at. They hold similar and usually better resumes but were missing the most important attribute which is a very strong internal contact.

My guess is that most everyone at Horizon Air got hired with the same dream of moving on to AS not to mention Skywest and the rest. The reality is that there is not enough room for most. One needs to calculate the risk versus the rewards of the career. Is it worth it to spend a small fortune and take huge risks when the odds are that the best the average pilot can hope for is to spend their days on the seniority list of a regional?

I have spent the last 25 years studying the hiring practices of AS and believe there is a pattern. Unless you are well connected a fat resume holds little value. There will be retirement and some movement however it still is a small company that is facing stiff competition. There are plenty of people on the inside track to supply the needs of HR.

Skyhigh