Fastest path to legacy: LCC or Regional CA?
#191
#192
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2020
Posts: 407
That’s what 30 years in the airlines will do. Bankruptcies, mergers, negotiations, retirement losses, red eyes etc. Don’t forget the only working 9 days a month and all the time zone changes. The senior long haul captains are flying in a different world.
#193
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Joined APC: Jul 2014
Posts: 257
I never planned to stay at my LCC for life, finally got the job offer at a Major, but decided for family, QOL that I stay here. You never know what life will bring your way or what the economy will do. At the end of the day when the music stops it is 100x better to be at a LLC/National than ANY regional period. Only regional pilots would think otherwise.
#194
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Joined APC: Jan 2011
Posts: 480
Actually some people might very well have said that... about 5-8 years ago. Recall that ULCC's only recently got pay + 401k in the ballpark with the top tier.
I was one of those people because I couldn't take a permanent paycut to go to the right seat at a ULCC, and maybe someday break even after I upgraded. That combined with seniority/schedule/vacay made it a loosing proposition for a seasoned regional CA. Second year regional FO? Sure, why not? And that's what they got...
All different now of course.
Regional PIC + instructor/LCA + other leadership opportunities have always been the faster path to the top tier. Whether you should pursue that aggressively depends on age and motivation.
I was one of those people because I couldn't take a permanent paycut to go to the right seat at a ULCC, and maybe someday break even after I upgraded. That combined with seniority/schedule/vacay made it a loosing proposition for a seasoned regional CA. Second year regional FO? Sure, why not? And that's what they got...
All different now of course.
Regional PIC + instructor/LCA + other leadership opportunities have always been the faster path to the top tier. Whether you should pursue that aggressively depends on age and motivation.
Ultimately, I got back to a regular schedule and updating my apps again this last spring and was fortunate enough to move on. My view would be very different, possibly, if the results were different. I'm a head down, 121 PIC, LCA, extra-curricular advocate, but a big part of that is due to my own experience. And while I chose to focus only on 3, that in no way implies that it was financially the best choice - or 'better'. Better is in the eye of the beholder. As a second career type, I had a goal to be a LCA at my regional and, at some point, get to a legacy. If $ had been my only goal, my path may not have been the best and perhaps an LCC would have been best...
#195
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Joined APC: Jul 2017
Posts: 159
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