Originally Posted by
LUPilot
Since most threads are posting in favor of the AA WO flow, I'll present the other side.
Personally, I am not as convinced on the AA WOs. I like how with airlines such as Republic and Skywest, it is possible to get a feel for the company culture of each Legacy that they fly for. One trip may be AA, and the next may be Delta, United, or Alaskan if you're going with Skywest. I find value in getting to explore the ins and outs of each company before committing to one. Then, when it's time to go to a major, I can make an informed decision on which one I want to fly for. With the WO you fly for American, and then you're trapped in the AA system. If you decide to leave the AA system then you're going in more blind than you would be otherwise. Right now, I am still a student working on my flight training, and about 3-4 years from starting a class at a regional. Right now, I want to work for Delta (which may be why I'm not as in love with the flows), but I also realize that once I get to the airlines it won't be all glitz and glamour. I want my regional to let me experience the industry, and get a feel for where I want the rest of my career to go. If I realize I don't want to fly for Delta, then I have learned that lesson before I commit to working for them.
Also, I've heard horror stories of the flow working backwards. For instance an exceptional pilot in the regionals was going through training for his flow, but made a mistake. Then he couldn't move up to the major but couldn't go back down because everyone had already moved up in seniority, and ended up being out of a job.
Overall, any regional will get you to a major. It's a relatively short term phase of life. If the end goal is to make it a major, any of them will get the job done, it just depends what you want to get out of it. Also, I'd say it's important to weigh all of the posted QOL metrics.
No offense but not being in the industry yet has you pretty clueless, and it shows in this post. First off it's pretty rare for someone to operate under all carriers like you suggest. Unless your bouncing around from airframe to airframe and base to base. Which is also unlikely. You also don't get a feel for each airlines culture just by flying for them. You may get a feel for their flight benefits and how they handle customer service, booking, rebooking, and all that type of stuff that you see at the gate. You absolutely do not get a feel for the pilot culture and their management just cause you fly for them. I could commute to an AA wholly owned out of ATL and ride the delta jumpseat and get way more of a feel for that, as opposed to the guy flying delta routes and based in ATL.
As for your horror story with the flow, I'm calling BS. The PSA flow for example keeps you on the seniority list until you finish IOE at American. Therefore, if you fail then you actually just come back and keep your seniority and longevity. I'd also think that PDT and Envoy have something along these lines negotiated with the flow agreements as well.
Any regional will not get you to a major either. Just ask Mesa pilots, or better yet, their LEC. You've got a lot to learn still, but please don't base your decision off of trying to fly for multiple carriers at one place so that you can "learn their culture...."