goinaround

The OP was wondering which route gets him from a regional to a legacy. He wants to be at a legacy. I think the answer is obvious.....LCC. It's the lifestyle he desires.

Pretty much every other post to this thread has been folks defending their own career decisions.

goinaround

Welcome back.......

nitefr8dog

And you make the most money with the highest retirement as compensation for the time you lost with your family. Because no matter how you slice it ULCC, ACMI or Legacy that's what it all boils down too.....time lost.
I

ImmaAHole

Damn it!!!!

ImmaAHole

via Imgflip Meme Generator

Cujo665

See, not all ACMI are alike either.
Example, Omni hauls pax not boxes. We have lines going from jetbridge to jetbridge at the same terminals as the Legacy/LCC's. Some schedules are an earliest departure is 9AM and a latest arrival of 1045PM. They fly 1 leg and have either 2 or 3 nights RON, then repeat. Most of the other flying is military unscheduled (some AMC scheduled), but is still pax only, with FA's.
As for me, I prefer Dunks over Starbucks.

I never said one was better than the other. I have said they are different, and each will appeal to different folks, differently. The objective is to be happy with what you're doing.

Puck Hawg

I really am a believer in the better choice of the 2 is the one that works best for you. I live outside of BNA, and there’s not a major player based at BNA (yes, there’s Allegiant, but no thanks). I commuted for 15 years at a regional, and that flat out sucked. Problem is, my family is happy where we live. Our friends and family are here, and I’m done commuting, so...to me, being home based is HUGE. I only drive back and forth to work once a month, only have to fool around with being crammed into the back of a tin can a couple times, and I normally have two straight weeks off of work.

Will I ever make $300-$400k like my buddies at the “big players?” No, but the cost of living is cheap and $150-$200k is big money where I am.

Point being, make the choice that’s best for you and your family.

Fixnem2Flyinem

That is the best way to look at it. This post by Puck Hawg that will probably get lost in the pages of crap this website contains is the key to career happiness.

I am in the same boat, last year I left a regional with a pathway to a “major” for an ACMI. The airline was more so an LCC in my mind, especially since it had acquired an LCC a few years ago. The majority of my friends and colleagues thought I was nuts, telling me I’m throwing away a lottery ticket before I cashed it. Maybe I did, who knows.

All I know is this ACMI opportunity has changed my life at home. No more 2-3 days off at a time rushing around to get things done, or the occasional one day off that turns into a laundry and conjugal visit. I found out early on that commuting was not the lifestyle for me, in base was good. But I knew in order to keep that base I’d either have to stay a dash captain at the regional, or flow and commute for an unknown amount of time through my child’s early years. The “major” I was planning to go to isn’t known for its great QOL for commuters, in fact quite the opposite. So I took a gamble. Home base of my choosing, ability to switch that home base if needed, getting a paid ticket to work, no crash pads even while on reserve and out of home base, keeping all flight and hotel points, if there is a scheduled overnight at your home base you still have the option for a hotel room if it’s a short overnight. Those are all things that have turned an okay job into a great job imo. The PayScale could certainly be better, but I know with the pay we get here I’ll be able to live very comfortably.

It is all relative, everyone has their reasons to choose a certain path. If you’re chasing money then yes, ACMI and for that matter LCC isn’t the end game. If you just want to enjoy your life, your job and not always disappointingly measure your pecker to those that have more than you, then either option should suit you fine.

To the OP, just so this doesn’t look like another decision defending rant without any substance to the original reason for creating this thread. If the majors are your endgame, definitely go LCC or better yet stay regional and rack up that PIC. ACMI isn’t really conducive to building time fast as the schedules aren’t quite as efficient to build the logbook up. If the big 3 is your goal, stay focused on that. Don’t derail that process just to get another type rating, it really won’t help all that much. A jet, is a jet, is a jet...

Guys like nitef8dog do bring up valid concerns about the ACMI industry. It is all contract work, it can certainly turn either direction quickly. That is just the nature of the ACMI sector, and one should keep that in mind if they choose to go ACMI. It would be safe to say having a backup plan or exit strategy isn’t a bad idea if you’re looking at ACMI. I know the senior guys, especially the old Airborne folks tell me to keep an open mind. I listen to them, their stories and stay humbled. For now, it’s just contingency planning but if this place stays the same or gets better I can definitely see myself here for the remainder.

Constantly complaining about it, telling others they shouldn’t do it, and degrading the companies isn’t helping at all. I’d take all that energy and time that I must have, get off these forums and go find a new job. I heard plenty of places are hiring.

Skippy69

Buy this guy a beer.

Amen.

N4865G

I dare to bump up this post to get your feedback on what's changed since this exchange 3 years ago.
In today's environment, with several of those ACMI lots having new contracts in place is the ULCC still a 'better' option for someone not anchored to any particular place in the country?
Thanks