RTP Advice - Envoy or PSA?
 

Okay, so having interviewed with both, I now have offers from both. I am leaning towards PSA for no reason other than I think the commute will be better for me. I live midway between DC and Charlotte, so I could easily drive to either if necessary. And with family in DC, I wouldn't need a crash pad if I successfully bid there. None of Envoy's bases provide this level of convenience.

Reading through these forums and other online sources, it is hard to say which airline is the better option for a new hire. The programs look pretty similar, and upgrade times look about the same. Frankly, as a former military helicopter pilot, this is all very overwhelming.

My goal is to fly regional and then apply to other carriers or move to corporate as soon as I have the hours. So, I am not terribly concerned about flow to American.

I know these questions often degenerate quickly, but I am hoping someone can help me gain confidence in my decision. As Envoy pilots or followers, can you tell me why I might choose Envoy despite the commute issue? What as a newbie in this industry am I overlooking?

Thanks for the help.

Not commuting is worth a lot.

I'm an Envoy guy, but as previously stated, the commute can make or break this job. If you think you can drive to a PSA base, do it! Commuting can turn this job into a living hell compared to driving to work. I used to commute, and now I drive to work. It's a completely different job, night and day difference. I don't particularly like living in the base I'm in, but I hate commuting even more.

I would not choose Envoy when you could drive to a PSA base. I would recommend Envoy to anyone except commuters who have a choice of another airline that they could drive to. As a whole I think Envoy is a better choice seeing the PSA MEC just had a "no confidence vote" on their CEO. Good luck which ever you choose.

That first paragraph of yours answered your question. Always always drive to work.

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All of these replies are honest opinions from current Envoy guys. In before the company salesmen and recruiters come in and start spewing some nonsense. Both airlines are wholly owned by AAG with pretty comparable pay and benefits. There are some small pros and cons to each. But nothing Envoy has to offer over PSA is worth commuting to. Now, if you asked if you should commute to Envoy or drive to work at Mesa or Gojet, then my answer would be different.

Thanks, everyone. It is a 2-3 hour drive to PSA's DC base, but it is doable. And again, I have family in DC who has offered to let me crash with them whenever I need.

It's reassuring to hear others agree that PSA may be the better option for me, especially coming from an Envoy pilot.

That's a long drive, but it beats the hell out of trying to find flights that work around your schedule, stress about whether or not you'll get on, or have to commute in a day early because your sign in is before any flights make it in. Or finishing a trip and not being able to go until the next day because all of the flights have left. You just don't realize how stressful and miserable commuting is until you've lived it. It might not sound horrible from the surface, but it is.

Seriously man, if you can take one that doesn't involve a commute, take it. The difference in the end is negligible on all other matters but the commute is such a quality of life issue that it rates near the top of my list. I work at Envoy and have very few issues with them, so take that for whats its worth. In addition, I commute, it sucks. The stress, worry and lost time sucks the life out of you, seriously, not kidding. I love my job but the commute part makes me not even want to do it anymore sometimes, lol.

PSA all the way in my opinion.

I sincerely appreciate the candid responses from those of you commuting. For those that have said it sucks, can I ask how far your commute is? I plan to fly to DC from my local airport when my schedule allows me as my drive will be hours. And there is always the chance I won't get DC as my base, in which case, I am stuck commuting like you guys.