Originally Posted by CLMP

Everything is relative and it depends upon your situation. First of all, contract negotiations time is usually a low-morale time for any carrier, especially when they're going poorly (like ours). However, even in Allegiant's heyday, one could simply describe us as nothing more than a good paying regional (minus the work rules). Throughout the years, management has done a remarkable job of hiring most of its pilots from dejected regional carriers and other less-than-desirable operations. This created the illusion for said pilots that they were entering Shangri La, so they wouldn't complain. We do have a handful of TWA/AA furloughees, but they came here at a time when nobody else was hiring. Plus, several have gone back. For the most part, people were happy due to the "home every night" culture and the pay that was higher than their past regionals. We also were receiving steady pay increases (although we were still light years behind other airlines flying comparable equipment).

Fast forward to today. TDY's have become part of the business model, ripping people from their families for 7-8 months at a time. Negotiations are at a standstill, and the only protections we have are the FARs. Pilots who came from Mesa are now longing for the good 'ol days over there.

So, are things really that bad? The answer is: it depends on what you view as "bad". Some guy flying night freight in an EMB 110 might think all of this is great. However, if you tell a legacy pilot about our working conditions be prepared for them to make a face like they're watching one of those Sarah McClachlan abused puppy commercials. I have a lot of friends at SWA who complain about things, but they're complaining that the elevator doesn't move up to the penthouse fast enough while I'm jiggling the key to my broom closet in the basement.