Jetlife

Alaska meets the definition of a legacy, and a major. It does NOT meet the definition of a regional. Lets just clear that up. Your definitions are not really officially recognized terms. There is no "major national" and technically Alaska, JB and SWA go international. BTW all the airlines you listed are majors by definition.... Not sure why we keep trying to muddy waters with weird and nonstandard definitions.

Size of the airline has been a much more effective (unfortunately) tool in determining pay than labeling it a national, major or legacy ever has.

Beta82

Perfectly stated. Who care what you call the airline. Alaska is a regional carrier. It operates mostly out of a region, the west coast. They even tout this! It does mostly regional flying dabbling in transcons and modcons. This means as a pilot you will fly mostly regional flying. It’s hard to compare it to a major airline, because that it’s not. The work rules are on par or below a regional contract. The pay (inc retirement) is the only thing approaching a Legacy/Major/ National/whatever payrates. As said above, If you come to this airline, set your expectations to the level of regional carrier with better pay and I think you will be happy.

None of this means we shouldn’t fight for better. It’s just what it is.

KnockKnock

By this definition, SWA, JB, Spirit, Frontier, Allegiant, former VX and all narrow body flying at UAL, DAL and AA is “regional” flying. Same type of flying at all mentioned above. All mostly domestic with a little transcon/international sprinkled into the mix. You’re absolutely right in saying “who cares what you call an airline”. Pilots assign titles and categories to tickle their egos. Alaska is a financially sound airline. It is in the midsts of an acquisition/merger/SLI causing angst among the pilot group. The contract needs to be updated to match that of our peers. Every airline has it’s malcontents that will try to dissuade new hires from coming just as every airline has it’s diehard champions. The truth always lies somewhere in the middle. Alaska works for me and that’s why I came here. I’ve been able to carve out a pretty good QOL. I’m 100% behind the fight for improvements just as EVERY pilot at EVERY airline should ALWAYS be trying to improve their airline. If you want to come here as a steppingstone, do that. If you want to come here for a career, you can do that too.

mccronek

Just curious, pay notes says most junior captain is 2012 hire, what is most junior captain DOH at PDX?

AltoCumulus

July - 2007

echelon

Anyone know when the junior CA lineholder (this August for example) company wide was hired?

ShyGuy

On the VX side early August 2012 DOH is the plug CA. I don’t know about lineholder, that changes every month with increase/decrease in flying hours and pilot leaves. For the remainder of the year the new 48 upgrades are all on Boeing’s. I think last time their most junior CA plug was a May 2013 hire. Lots of SEA FO bypassers.

The wild card is the SLI. Regardless if you’re hired now you’d be about 3,000 with only ~625 retirements in the next 10 yrs. You will be a FO longer than any of the other big 6 carriers.

Klsytakesit

Junior capt in the company is a 2/14 hire. SEA is the junior base and from the junior capt to the most junior pilot in 08 who is a SEA capt there are only 28 numbers on the base position list. Our list has a 4 year hole in it from ‘08 to ‘12...Upgrade is forecast to stretch back out to or more traditional 8yrs.

Beta82

FWIW, Had a 787 FO in the jumpseat yesterday; he said he would be 87% in the most junior narrow body domicile as a captain. He was 19 years at United.

symbian simian

Just because I’ve seen it used both ways, do you mean he has 13% below him? I always think of being 1% as being at the top.