Originally Posted by
akulahunter
Thanks Centerline. So with the assumption (fact?) that I will need to go to the regionals to build time and 121 experience, what is the best route?
I have read (a lot!) on here the last few days (great resource btw) and it seems that the sky is falling. Everyone is miserable or their company is about to fail. If the company isnt going out of business yesterday, then they make you work in a 'draconian' environment. What is the no BS lay of the land?
My complete noob/outsider view is this...
(1) Go with someone like Endeavor/Envoy who have a somewhat defined route the the legacies. (But I havent read a single good thing about them.)
(2) Try to get on with one of the 'higher' paying/larger regionals (SkyW, XJT, Wisc) and 'hope' to get a call from a legacy/large national.
or
(3) Try to get on with a smaller regional (PSA, Silver, etc) and hope they dont fail the day after I get on?
It's hard to see through all of the arguing back and forth to see what a solid route would be. Any suggestions out there?
You have to understand that the misery at the regionals right now is largely due to the change in mandatory retirement from 60 to 65, which set back career progression for everyone, but it really screwed the regional FOs. Some of them have been in the right seat of an RJ for 10 years, and maxed out at pay for at least 4, if not 6. Now that the age 65 rule is in full swing, movement is beginning.
That said, a number of regional pilots (captains, mostly) are lifers, either by design (they make a comfortable living, usually around $100-120,000 or they're an FO married to a bacon-home-bringer, with a good schedule, family life, minimal-to-no commute) or by default (they either never got a degree or have reached the point in life where they aren't willing to start over). This is especially true at Skywest and at the senior half of ExpressJet. But, you won't get called to the majors as a regional FO. There are too many highly experienced captains to choose from.
That said, there are options. TSA has some quick upgrades, but that could change. PSA is getting a ton of planes, so getting in now is good. PSA and Silver aren't going to fail that quickly. If I was in your shoes, I'd aim for jetBlue and Allegiant first, and then the smaller RJ operators next (in hopes of some fast movement), followed by the larger RJ operators, with the understanding that you may need to make it a short stay, followed by a lateral move to a quicker upgrade...but, beware, chasing upgrades is risky.
There's been a lot of discussion about the Endeavor-to-Delta deal. The truth is, the jury is still out. My guess is that the program is legit. But, here's the problem: the interview is conducted by Delta HR people. If you get in, great! BUT--and this is huge--you face the possibility that will NEVER get another interview with Delta. That should give you pause, especially if you have not had time to do a really thorough interview prep.
As for Envoy, AMR has announced that they will be shut down. I wouldn't go there.
As for work environments, life on reserve at all of the regionals is pretty lousy, and at a few, it is downright awful. Hopefully it will be short lived due to hiring. "Draconian" is a bit relative, and a matter of personal perspective, but there is a definite difference between the way the regionals treat their people and the way the majors do.
The most important thing is to do what is best for "Me, Inc." Unfortunately, what you read on here about a lack of loyalty from the companies to the employees is true.