Originally Posted by
DenverPilot8
As hard as it was to leave a Captain job to take a pay cut to go to a ULCC I can say that my QOL has vastly improved since leaving the regionals. The lines where I am now average 15-16 days off per month and in Winter months top 17 days off average. Every person will have a different set of circumstances and reasons to either stay or make the move. But one thing is clear. Almost everyone regardless of where you are will have their shot eventually at one of the legacies if that's where they want to be. Whether you're a regional FO, Captain, or ULCC pilot.
I agree. The QOL at a ULCC such as Frontier or Spirit is better than most (if not all) regionals, and the earning potential is also much more in the long run. That is why I don't think it is a bad move to go to a place like that AFTER you get 1000 TPIC. If for some reason I never get hired at a legacy id rather be stuck at Spirit than a regional. However, if you go to a ULCC prior to getting 1000TPIC, you may have just limited your upward mobility. That may be okay for people who already have limited upward mobility (no college degree, DUI etc.). In short, I think leaving for a ULCC from the right seat of a regional is foolish.