Low cost major instead of Regionals?
02-21-2019, 08:54 PM
#1
I load my own boxes.
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Oct 2016
Position: CRJ FO
Posts: 22
Low cost major instead of Regionals?
Hello, I am curious on of it would be worth going to one of the low cost majors (Allegiant, Frontier, Spirt) instead of going to a wholly owned regional like everyone else. I would like to end up at a Legacy eventually. However, I noticed that Ameriflight has an agreement with Allegiant and Frontier, just looking for opinions on this path. Btw I am just a CFI candidate still far from actually making this choice, just curious. Thanks
02-22-2019, 06:42 AM
#3
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2010
Position: Baja Vermont
Posts: 5,172
You do realize they get a vote by hiring or not. Apply wherever you think you can get an interview and take the best offers. Too many here think they can plan out their careers upon getting a CP.
GF
GF
02-23-2019, 04:18 PM
#5
Fly or Die
Joined APC: Jan 2019
Posts: 484
I suggest you look at the FO hiring requirements for the LCCs. Chances of you doing 1,500 or 2,500 or even 5,000 hours flight time as a CFI in a Cessna and getting hired by a LCC aren’t great from what I’ve seen. You need 1,000 PIC turbine time to get up to the big leagues generally.
02-24-2019, 01:26 PM
#6
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 39,224
Fastest path to a legacy is a regional with low upgrade times.
Safest path is an AA WO, but you pay a price and it will take longer.
A LCC will take longer, because it will take time to get to an LCC, and once you get there it will take longer to upgrade, much longer than most regionals. Upside is if you get stuck there it pays better than a regional.
But you will need ME turbine time for an LCC. And there are plenty of regional CAs who cannot even get called by the better LCCs. So you can't just decide to go there, you have to get an interview and get hired.
Safest path is an AA WO, but you pay a price and it will take longer.
A LCC will take longer, because it will take time to get to an LCC, and once you get there it will take longer to upgrade, much longer than most regionals. Upside is if you get stuck there it pays better than a regional.
But you will need ME turbine time for an LCC. And there are plenty of regional CAs who cannot even get called by the better LCCs. So you can't just decide to go there, you have to get an interview and get hired.
02-24-2019, 01:46 PM
#7
Perennial Reserve
Joined APC: Jan 2018
Posts: 11,481
Originally Posted by rickair7777
So you can't just decide to go there, you have to get an interview and get hired.
You may be more experienced, or a far better pilot, but the interview is likely to go first to the guy/gal hustling the hardest and showing the most enthusiasm - at least until the majors have a whole lot fewer applicants than they do now.
02-24-2019, 02:30 PM
#8
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2007
Position: Capt
Posts: 3,215
As the Pilot Shortage worsens, what is currently happening in hiring will change.
Currently, you may be able to go directly to an ACMI carrier. In future, it will be much easier to go directly to the LCCs ("Low Cost Majors), or ACMI.
There is also the option of going to -135/charter/fractional directly.
Everyone is different, and everyone's path will be different.
Note: My opinion is that Allegiant is the least desirable of the LCCs.
and
If you go to a regional with a Flow Through, that is the most certain path to get to a major (except currently, ONLY AA has flow through, with Envoy/Piedmont/PSA).
Currently, you may be able to go directly to an ACMI carrier. In future, it will be much easier to go directly to the LCCs ("Low Cost Majors), or ACMI.
There is also the option of going to -135/charter/fractional directly.
Everyone is different, and everyone's path will be different.
Note: My opinion is that Allegiant is the least desirable of the LCCs.
and
If you go to a regional with a Flow Through, that is the most certain path to get to a major (except currently, ONLY AA has flow through, with Envoy/Piedmont/PSA).
02-24-2019, 05:55 PM
#9
Fly or Die
Joined APC: Jan 2019
Posts: 484
I’m not disagreeing with you, but genuinely curious why Allegiant is at the bottom...
Also, ACMI carriers seem to be a pretty low quality of life from everything I’ve read on the cargo-side of this forum.
Also, ACMI carriers seem to be a pretty low quality of life from everything I’ve read on the cargo-side of this forum.
Originally Posted by atpcliff
As the Pilot Shortage worsens, what is currently happening in hiring will change.
Currently, you may be able to go directly to an ACMI carrier. In future, it will be much easier to go directly to the LCCs ("Low Cost Majors), or ACMI.
There is also the option of going to -135/charter/fractional directly.
Everyone is different, and everyone's path will be different.
Note: My opinion is that Allegiant is the least desirable of the LCCs.
and
If you go to a regional with a Flow Through, that is the most certain path to get to a major (except currently, ONLY AA has flow through, with Envoy/Piedmont/PSA).
Currently, you may be able to go directly to an ACMI carrier. In future, it will be much easier to go directly to the LCCs ("Low Cost Majors), or ACMI.
There is also the option of going to -135/charter/fractional directly.
Everyone is different, and everyone's path will be different.
Note: My opinion is that Allegiant is the least desirable of the LCCs.
and
If you go to a regional with a Flow Through, that is the most certain path to get to a major (except currently, ONLY AA has flow through, with Envoy/Piedmont/PSA).
02-24-2019, 06:05 PM
#10
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2018
Position: A320
Posts: 241
Agreed with all shared, best offer you ever get is the one in hand.
I’d also had, much the same way I’ve always heard that “there isn’t any shortage of airline jobs, just good paying ones”, I believe the more I observe that “there isn’t a pilot shortage, just a growing shortage of more experienced applicants.”
Just my .02
I’d also had, much the same way I’ve always heard that “there isn’t any shortage of airline jobs, just good paying ones”, I believe the more I observe that “there isn’t a pilot shortage, just a growing shortage of more experienced applicants.”
Just my .02
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