Switching regionals bad idea?
 

Let’s say you joined a regional with low pay but you thought you could make up for it by flying more. Now it turns out you have been on reserve for 6 months making minimum guaranteed and needed a line check to extend consolidation deadline (in other words things are super slow with little to no movement). Would it hurt your career progression to go to another regional that offers better pay, QOL and same base? Would it be worth to give up my seniority at this smaller regional with “fast” upgrades and seniority movement and go to a bigger more established regional where things are more stable? How would a short stay look during future interview?

I know it’s not an easy decision and there are many factors involved. I am looking for advice from people who have done it and whether or not they were happier with the outcome. Thank you.

Put in your apps to the other regionals you might prefer but delay your class start date until after your off probation (typically 6 months) ar your current regional. That makes it clear to future employers that you weren’t let go or allowed to “voluntarily” resign in lieu of termination and keeps your record pristine. At the same time, you don)t really lose much, because you are likely at least three months away from class date anywhere you might apply today, just because it will take them that long to do the PRIA and other checks.

So all you are really doing is giving up about three months seniority - not a huge deal in the grand scheme of things - and it buys you another six months to see if you will feel different about your current regional once you are holding a line.

If you can’t hold a line after one year, or if you still are getting trivial amounts of flying, no future employer is going to look askance at you if you explain you changed regionals because you wanted to fly rather than sit. Most will look at that as a plus, as long as they are sure that your move was voluntary and you gave the first regional a fair shot.

When I wrote six months, I meant an ADDITIONAL six months, a total of one year.

If you finish probation and can articulate a respectable reason for leaving it's not an issue at an interview.

Don't want any doubts about getting asked to leave, of for them to think your reason was immature.

Thank you for the advice. So if I understood you correctly you would not just 6 months on the line, total of 9 months including training? That would include one loft.

He wrote after you are off probation for a total of 12 months minimum.

Leaving within 12 months is typically okay moving regional to regional (meaning they often don’t care) but I know people who have had leaving their first regional with less than 12 months on property be an issue for the major airlines that they applied to. Ie they were asked about it during a job fair and told they should be on track in a couple more years while a peer with very similar background but no withdrawal during probation scored an interview.