gazoo34

I’m on this thread because I’m instructing future airline pilots and I’m trying to be informed and give them sound advice as to where they should go after they graduate. It makes me sick that students are paying $120,000 for this school and can only expect “burger flipping” wages when they graduate.
As far as Skywest not having CAT II they don’t need it. ALK just got the Virgin aircraft and those aircraft and skywest could easily pick up the QX flying.

I’m a PNW pilot I've only wanted to fly for ALK/QX since I was 12 and was side tracked by military ;} so I’m rooting for ALK to do the right thing but I don’t see it happening.

OregonAviator

you sound really bitter and angry for some reason, does OO not rub your feet anymore cause they have to use that money to pay new hires??? Dream on dude, even with turbo props we still provide a better service to alaska than the plastic OO sisters do.

snackysmores

Virgin a320s picking up our 30 min flights lmao, yeah right.. The virgin planes will be doing the same markets they've always been doing, they aren't going to sacrifice those routes and gates to do ours. Apparently nothing I can say will convince you that our feed can't be easily taken over so I'm just going to stop.

The pay will improve at Horizon, there is going to be a crisis point within the next few months and they will pay up to get the operation staffed. Nothing is more important to Alaska than their overinflated stock price and they won't risk letting that drop. They are sitting on billions and and billions in cash reserves so it's not like they can't afford to pay more, they just don't want to. The market will force their hand soon.

EngineOut

I'll hand you that. I don't do 6 legs a day. Shoot, I don't do 3 legs a day very often. I fly plenty, just not turns within the PNW.

Point made? I hope so.

snackysmores

You know you're a regional pilot when you can't boast about pay, so instead you brag about how few legs you have to fly (yet still block higher than us) hahah.

EngineOut

Indeed. Just wait until we start bit**ing about how you're stealing "our flying" when your 175s come!

snackysmores

And please everyone let's not turn this thread into a Horizon vs. SkyWest bashing thread. Everyone knows that Horizon pilots can out-fly, out-drink, and out-game your average skywest pilot any day of the week.

Let's stick to the Horizon facts and information, thanks.

OregonAviator

I hope i'm not coming off as an asshat, I don't want enemies over this crap. I just really think this place still has great potential to be awesome again and I actually do enjoy working here a ton when you don't think about the money lmao. I've got faith things will change for the better here. Side note, I actually love flying the Q400, hopefully that didn't just make some QX pilots grind their teeth too much lolol

EngineOut

I know all the above is true I gracefully bow out.

And, it is SkyWest. Don't ever forget to capitalize the Sky AND the West. Thank you.

Jonneaux

You must be projecting your own resentment because I'm about the most content pilot you will ever meet. I hear nothing but bitterness and anger in your post. Whatever happens at Horizon won't effect me. I'm just on the outside looking in and it is glaringly obvious that you have a huge hole in your boat. Had you noticed?

I ask again, is your seniority list shrinking or growing?

If you think you can't be replaced in short order, you are mistaken. In February of 1998 SkyWest replaced Westair as the west coast United Express carrier. About forty planes were added in one month, doubling the size of the company. In less than a year the fleet went from about 40 to 96. We have planes, we have the pilots. Alaska has had a single feeder before.

Growing or shrinking?

I think that the most likely outcome is that Horizon will be sold off and combined with another carrier, most likely SkyWest, which will probably be good for a majority of Horizon's pilots as they will finally have the opportunity for advancement.