Originally Posted by TallFlyer

Just to clarify, I'm about 8 months in and still on reserve, reserve next month as well. Expect lots and lots of airport reserve, I've had regular (2 hour callout) maybe 3 times. Upgrades will probably be closer to three years than two. Still quick by comparison, but it's not the nearly instant upgrade that some suggest.

For my perspective, if this doesn't attract new hires it's going to a very interesting time around here in short order. Yes, first year is fantastic, far better than anywhere else save Horizon. 2nd year is roughly on par, 3rd year is meh. Captain pay is still about $15 less than just about any RJ operator.

Sure, it's a turboprop you say, but SkyWest has way better rates for a turboprop with less seats than the Dash for the same mainline partner. Other regionals out there have similar upgrade times in jet equipment. We still don't know what our domiciles will be come the summer. IAD and EWR are most likely staying, but they could disappear as well. CLE guys, especially FOs, have been bailing left and right.

All that said, we've got a fantastic group of airmen around here that are fun to fly with. Although this is my first experience working in a unionized carrier, our union volunteers have consistently gone above and beyond to make this a better place to work. There is a real camaraderie here that is further solidified by the shared experience of freezing one's hindquarters off in the winter, and sweating uncontrollably in the summer.

There are a lot of positives to working here, to be sure. Only you can look at the industry as a whole and decide is C5 is the place you want to be. Does this new agreement make it a better place? Absolutely, ten times over. This company has officially bent over backwards for commuters. There is now no punative action for missing your commute so long as you have two options to get to work with adequate seats 24 hours prior. I can't think of any other airline, regional, LCC, Major, or Legacy that has agreed to contractual provisions to purchase hotel rooms for commuters in base. Those hotel rooms are also provided if you have a night or day off in base between trips.

Is it enough to encourage more new hires, and stem the FO exodus currently happening? Personally, I'm not convinced. I could be wrong, and no doubt others will disagree with me. I'm good with that.