Gama
I left Gama recently and had no issues with pay when I left. I had already taken my vacation for 2019. My resignation letter stated I was resigning the day before my next tour started. When I calculated what they paid me on my last check, they did pay me those 6 days off and deducted the days I had taken vacation but had not yet earned since you must work through the end of 2019 to fully earn the vacation you take in 2019. My per diem came about 2 or 3 weeks after I submitted it as was always normal.
When I interviewed in 2015 I asked if the company expected to be a career destination or a stepping stone for guys like me who have many years left in their career. I was told by my interviewer that they expected guys like me to stick around about 4 years and move on. For me the better pay, retirement and schedule of 121 were an obvious move. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Gama but didn’t want to keep throwing bags, having a fixed schedule and working in that physically demanding environment until I turn 65.
My observation is that the guys sticking around are mainly guys who burned out on regionals and never want to return to 121 and older guys who are not afraid to work days that average 4 legs and 12 hours of duty. There are also many who just don’t want to go 121 and find that the schedule and lifestyle work for them.