Originally Posted by HandyHansell

You kind of make my point. A crappy regional? Sure NJA looks good at first glance and you may be happy. Look deeper though and it has flaws that are deep. A major or even a nice national airline? Not worth it to jump ship.

Look at what a B6 pilot at year 1 through 12 males compared to a NJA pilot. Sure NJA pilot starts off ahead but by year 3 he is left far in the dust. They don’t have WB so the comparison may be closer for you but helll a year 3 FO at B6 can easily bring home 140-160 while working 14 days a month. They have a crappy PBS system too but they can manipulate their schedule with ease. At NJA I ask for the 12th of next month off and even though I’m number 14 in my seat I usually have to PTO it to get it off as they slap it in them middle of a 7 day. No flexibility at all.

The dispatchers at NJA are usually former screen readers who moved up. They usually last a bit but the good ones head out the door on first call at the airlines. In addition the releases are done 4 hours in advance, so you have double check everything looking for new NOTAMS and weather changes that invalidate the release that they will not look into. It’s a constant churn.

My record at NJA is a week with an airplane with 7 deferred items. The only big one was a lav deferred, they just didn’t care as long as the metal moved. We would have to refuse longer flights all the time that week. It’s a little better now as the planes are new but once their age increase it will happen again...

To each His own, just go in with eyes wide open. Don’t fall for the hype on either end. It’s not all balloons and parties and it’s not all crap, it is what it is. If you think it’s Nirvana you most likely will be let down, if you go in thinking it is another regional but with greater job responsibilities, you can like it.

Lastly the healthcare is NOT free. We accepted a lower yearly salary to keep it free. No DC into retirement so at NJA you will not run into 415 limits like most major guys have. They are not limos, it’s Lyft or Uber and don’t pick Uber black unless you want to talk to the ACP about cost. Sure you can tip the guys like crazy and I hope you do just don’t be the guy that still believes Granny’s advise, actually tip the rampers and only claim that. Hotel points and airline miles? Used to be more valuable, it gets watered down every year.