BLOWINSMOKE:
I've been with allegiant just under a year, so I missed a lot of the hell that the more seasoned guys experienced for years. My view of this place is probably biased towards the rosier side. I'm a PIT FO on the bus. PIT is a terrible example of a typical line/schedule here because we're a one airplane charter base. We have 6 (or 7) crews based here, and unless you're number 1 or 2 in the base (thereby flying the international turns, PUJ and CUN), your schedule is probably pretty bad. I bid mixed lines and usually end up with 5-7 flying days and 13-18 reserve days... I almost always get min days off, but I hardly ever work. Reserve here (at least on the airbus) works more like a regular airline and not a regional, its really only used when something comes up, not so much to fill seats of un-staffed flights. That's how it works in PIT at least, and I think many of the other airbus bases are similar. So I usually end up sitting at home 20-25 days per month, crediting around 75-85 hours, with 11 hard days off. I haven't had too much of a problem getting weekends off, or days off in a row, with exceptions of course. I'm number 3 in base. The TA would obviously be a massive improvement for me, it's a 37% wage increase for 2nd year FO pay; but I'm going to attend the road show and get the union's full speech, as well as read the rest of it for myself; but I'm certainly leaning yes. That said, I think it's absurd how the union and fellow pilots tell us how we need to vote "for what's best for us and our families" which basically is just another way of saying, "it's ok to throw everyone else under the bus if it's good for you" and is pretty much the anti-mantra for what a union is supposed to stand for (in my mind)... so I definitely don't intend on doing that; if I feel our pilot group as a whole is against this thing.

EJET TAXI:
Do a google search for "express jet pilot forum" and it should take you to "the pipe." In there you should see a pretty recent allegiant thread which has the highlights of our TA on the first page. First year pay will be 56 and change I believe, and 2nd year FO pay will be 96. That said, I have never heard any pilot here or heard of any pilot wishing they were back at their regional. I think most would agree that hands down this place is better than a regional... But life circumstances will also play into that (if you're 50 and older and in the top 10% on your list, for example). A great way to sum this place up, which I've heard echoed many times on the line is this: "In 2 years, this will either have been the greatest decision I ever made, or the worst." Basically saying, there's real potential here, but changes need to be made. Changes which most of us think will eventually happen, but we're not necessarily betting our futures on it either (i.e.: lots have resumes out). The infinite TDY seems to happen mostly to guys that are in senior bases (SFB, IWA) and are at the bottom of the list. I don't think it happens to many of our pilots, but its certainly a possibility for all of us. Again this is another thing that needs changing. I don't know yet if our TA provides some relief on this issue. If you want to be in a base that is stacked with super senior guys up until the last few numbers, it should be something you consider. If you want to be somewhere where movement is more common, its probably not too much of a worry. Right now, a junior FO could probably get to any base he wanted within a year, but moving up in that base in anyone's guess. We're a junior pilot group, and if this TA passes, attrition could/should greatly decrease. Upgrade times, I anticipate, are going to go way up.
In summary, to regional guys, I typically say, "yeah, this would be good choice for you."

questions/comments
-Alex-
cel: 484-661-7716