Aerotrinamic

Hey thanks for the replies. Aren't any E-jets going to PDX?

About the tuition reimbursement: you get the money ahead of time (sometimes maybe even years in advance) and if you leave before the 2 years are up, you give back the pro rated rest..

But I didn't spent it yet so I'm not a slave just yet

amcnd

Going on the hope of the ERJ in PDX is a gamble... most of SkyWests are in PDX. Plus with the VX merger things are going to move around..

snackysmores

If you do come here I would keep the money thing to yourself. Alaska is blatantly violating our contract by giving money to a select few pilots and not everyone, and as soon as you come on property it's going to court and Alaska will once again be laughed out of the courtroom during arbitration when they argue "We didn't give money to any new hires, we gave it to a flight school...who then gave it to the new hires."

By accepting the money you are undermining our pilot group, however I know you don't know anything about it so I won't fault you, but just be aware people aren't going to be giving you high fives once you get to the line.

gazoo34

Thanks smacky for the information. I will pass that info on to the students I teach and explain how it undermines the pilot group albeit a weak pilot group.
At $7500 it is a very small amount not enough to cover one semester. There are plenty of other ways to make up that kind of money.

Aerotrinamic

Yeah if I do come I won't be bragging about. but without it I wouldn't be thinking so much about coming..

About the Q400: I wouldn't even mind flying them but it seems to me like you're going to have much longer duty times/ less flight hours compared to the E-175. Well anyways nobody can really know the future, so who knows what's going to happen

crj700driver

Talked to maintenance supervisor today, he said Alaska is parking an airplane next bid because our cancelation rate (6-12%). This is because of lack of crews, and is totally unacceptable.

What is this going to do to our already ****ty, worst in the industry schedules, I cant believe the incompetence. I just saw a 4 hour block/credit two day trip in my Seattle bid packet. This is getting ridiculous, I feel like a slave. SkyWest and Compass pilots are making WAY more money and have WAY more days off, because SkyWest has cherry picked the best routes from Alaska.

Same Maintenance supervisor said this is why we don't have a Portland E-175 base, because their contract stipulates what routes they fly, and have cherry picked the best routes out of PDX. Thanks again Airgroup for teaching us who is your daddy, again.

What is this going to do to our upgrade times now. The training plan already reduced the amount of Upgrades (again) this next bid?
I would not doubt that Alaska just sells us to SkyWest and/or lets QX die. Why the hell do I pay Union dues at all?

I am tired of flying 6 legs a day, 10-12 hours a day, and getting paid crap compared to my friends at SkyWest. Staying at inferior hotels than SkyWest. Hell even SkyWest gets breakfast provided to them on EVERY AM show, if the hotel does not have a continental breakfast. Now we find out they are moving us to a roach infested, white trash of a hotel in MSO. I am one of those lifer Captains with 14 years left in my career, and yes life MIGHT get better for the Seattle E-175 Captains (As long as the Redeye flight don't get stupid insane turnarounds), but everyone else here would be better off somewhere else, and especially any New Hire contemplating coming here would be insane. Everywhere else is better and many have Bases in Seattle and PDX besides us.
Reserves are already flying their butts off 6 days a week with two days off and then back into another 6 day stretch, and then getting drafted into their days off. Insanity! Everyone stuck in the Dash 8's life is going to suck. We are already getting paid 25% less than every other regional pilot because we cant get any block hours flying Seattle to Yakima and Wenatchee all day. First Officers are even worst off. Most regionals are paying over 60K and ours are barely making 30K. Shameful!

I didn't think we could be worse than Mesa but I guessed wrong. If feel genuine sorry for anyone in these "pilot development" programs. The same way I feel sorry for those ASPA animal abuse commercials on TV. They are listening to falsehoods from Brad L and cool aid from anyone selling these programs of slavery for two years with no guarantees of anything but the worst regional airline in the nation.

Anyone who advises these pilots at the Universities, are doing them a huge disservice that might cost them millions of dollars over the course of their career by choosing an airline with no FLOW, worst in the industry schedules, and worst in the industry pay.

gazoo34

Thank you for your great post. I will ensure all of my students that are looking to fly for a regional read your post and this thread.
It is unfortunate the majors are "age" discriminating as I think you and I would be able to mentor the next generation.

snackysmores

AFlight511

Sad to say that things are getting worse here by the day. I am getting calls before 6 am on my days off. Our trips are getting worse every bid 3.5 credits per day is the norm with 4-6 legs plus dealing with customs on your own time, we do a lot of Canada.
Word is we are losing 1/3 the new hires to other airlines and washouts in the Q before they hit IOE. Canceled upgrade classes due to lack of new people. There's a hole in the boat and MANY of the good people are bugging out as fast as they can to anywhere but here.
FYI 2 1/2 year upgrades are questionable at best in the future at the rate upgrade classes are getting canceled.
I thought I could come here and if I was not able to move to a major it would be a good place to stay. Sadly it's just another low paying regional and no amount of QX Factor is going to make up for managements negative actions. Only positive actions will change things and I have not seen any since I got here.
New management keep trying to sell that thing are going to be great raw raw raw. But it has only gotten worse here since they started.
If you take the Money outside our contract I would keep it to yourself. Cause I doubt it will go over well, with some.

amcnd

No one is cherry picking routes. The first QX E175 routes are SkyWest routes..