Originally Posted by
tallpilot
C5s airport reserve hell is probably the worst in the industry besides true bottom feeders. It's a shame that hasn't been addressed in the contract. Although I guess big United likes airport standby too. I'm sorry you got stuck there because you couldn't fly enough.
Aviate, American Wholly Owned Regionals and Endeavor all have the same basic premise. The carrot is an eventual (maybe) no interview job at the partner carrier. For some it even works out.
The stick (and the main point of the program) is to keep you in line. Don't call in sick, fly fatigued, don't push back against abuse, etc.
Go to the airline which hires you but if you have multiple choices go to the program for the Big 3 you would least like to work for then spend all your free time at the regional going to job fairs for the other 2. Hopefully you get hired, if not you have the flow as a backup.
Oh I luckily had the timing to bail out of that dumpster fire to a LUVly place that worked out better than UA would have for me in the end a while ago. I do know plenty that are stuck there now though that hiring is back in a dip.
I worry for a lot for the people still coming up through flight training that will follow a path that will potentially stop them from attaining their career goals due to flow BS like this. They get promised a lot without realizing it’s a scam.