Try and get hired at American ASAP. Nothing will improve your live better than living in base and if moving is not an option switch airlines now before your seniority makes it prohibitive. This is why spirit was my number one choice airline. Otherwise I'd be trying to go to a legacy, but going back to commuting long term sounds like a death sentence for my sanity and my marriage. I never realized how much time and money you leave on the table when you commute- until I stopped.

 

Right now the micro trend is the ER, but I don't expect that to continue for long. Historically the 88 has been the fastest all around AC to get a base you want (that has it). With this amount of hiring though, you should probably get it after your first year anyway even if you guess wrong.

If I had to guess right now, I'd guess the 88 then the ER then the 320. Being the plug (or anywhere near) sucks, but it sucks a lot less if you live in base. MSP 320 plugs (the bottom part of the category) love the base and the plane, so the movement out will be slower. Local MSP 88 pilots will probably start to migrate to the ER once the music stops and chairs are pulled away, so the 88 should be easier to get into category, possibly within your first year.

Like I said though, the micro trend, for the brief moment of now, is the ER is the fastest. But that can and probably will change rapidly. Can you sneak in before the music stops? Maybe, and some have. But long term the 88 is the fastest. Either way though, if even half this much hiring continues as retirements pick up even slightly, you shouldn't be a commuter for longer than a year or so regardless.

 

So, for someone selecting tomorrow, if there are no ATL spots left, would 7ER temporarily be a faster route to ATL than the 88? I had planned on jumping on the 88 if ATL isn't available with the hopes of getting to ATL as soon as possible.

 

Like gloopy said ---> The ER has a lot of movement the last couple bids but it would be a gamble. The music is going to stop in that category eventually. They are scheduled to park some 757s in the near future. The exact date when that happens seems to be a moving target.

M88 or 717 is probably a safer bet if you want ATL. Especially if you don't want to go back to the schoolhouse in your 2nd year.

(then again, 6 weeks of school isn't nearly so painful if you live in Atlanta and can go home every night instead of the Holiday Inn)

 

Along the same lines...faster to lax on the 7er or the 717?

 

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The 717 is pretty senior in ATL and DTW if that's your aim. In NYC and LAX a new hire can get it pretty quickly. Not sure how fast you'll be off reserve in LAX since the category is still new.

 

Thanks MikeF16. I don't mind reserve as much as commuting to nyc. Hope our drop tomorrow has some atl at least!

 

However, they aren't finished staffing it. Particularly with an extra 3 jets on the way after the 88th AirTran. Not a huge difference, but it is another ~18 pilots per seat just for those. They have to go somewhere.

 

Please post the drop for us poolies in waiting.

I know past performance is no indication of future...............

 

As for ATL I'd say the 88 would have the highest odds of getting back to ATL first. Normally I'd say 717 next, but they're still a little fat from pumping up the category for future deliveries then prematurely opening two more bases for it. The 88 ATL is short anyway and there's lots of movement in and out of it pretty much every AE. The ER is a gamble as the pendulum has swung deep into junior territory for the bottom quintile. That could continue for several more AE's or it could stop with this last one.

Maybe think about what your second choice commuter base would be if ATL isn't available yet still offers a good chance of getting ATL soon and that might help you pick.