Originally Posted by BealBadDeal

If a FA or a pilot's family member comes down with cancer it may cost the insurer 500,000 in treatment. Most airlines self-insure. To counter that there is one bean counter owner who will have the company give the FA or pilot a checkride that will not be passed. The person is then fired. Of course the company's position is that the termination was because of the failed check ride and not the cost of the cancer treatment.

If you think that the only thing that matters is which has a base close to where you live I believe you should reconsider your priorities. Don't worry about whether the insurance will be there when you need it, go to a respectable airline. Skywest is an airline of integrity.

To give you some examples of airlines without integrity: I was offered a job at Republic, but when the upper management found out about my disability (does not affect me as a pilot) they came up with an excuse to rescind their employment offer. I showed them that their excuse was invalid and they reluctantly made the offer again. I did not go. Another airline called me for an interview. I did not return their call and they called again and spent 45 minutes trying to sell me in going there. I mentioned my disability and suddenly the interview offer became a "send in an application and maybe we will interview you." I pointed out that they already scheduled me for an interview and there was a 15 minute placing me on hold period. Then they came back and gave me the information about the interview and that they would send me the list of required items. I never got the list so I called several times and finally received the email. I called and told them I could not get the items in the 4 days they gave me. They called me back and said that since I would not be able to attend the interview as scheduled they were rescinding the interview offer.

My disability does not affect me as a pilot and is not even visible. These airlines merely think that if the public had pilots like me people might not fly on them despite the fact that many pilots have the same thing.

When your 4 year old comes down with leukemia you don't want to have to tell them that you just lost your job and therefore your insurance. Its not all about the base. Go to the good and respectable airlines.