Eh, I'm pretty sure if it was cheaper for Alaska to have skywest operate all 30 of our E175s they would have done it.

The Alaska flying represents about 4% of SkyWest operations. I don't know about after your new contract, but our rates on the CRJ 700 were on the order of 20% less than what Horizon cost. Though retired in November, two of the CRJ 700s have been resurrected and sit spare in Seattle to cover Horizon flying. They have been busy.

Prior to your new contract, SkyWest CRJ 700 rates were lower than your Q400 rates. Now, I don't know, but I do know that there is no conceivable way Horizon can operate the ERJ 175 as economically as SkyWest can. Economies of scale and vertical integration, we own our own SIMS, and get very favorable prices on the aircraft and financing. You can do that when you have half a billion cash in the bank.
I think that AAG's dilemma is that Horizon is a valuable asset that they own. They don't particularly like the product (I'm referring only to the Q400), so what do you do? Shut it down and take a write off? Expensive and they need the feed.

Option B is to try to transform it into something better. Get the costs inline and replace Turboprops with jets. That is clearly the plan they went with. Will it work?

The people at Horizon are awesome to work with, the pilots are some of the most experienced and talented in the business.... and the most senior. That and the legacy of the Q400 are potentially fatal flaws. It's not even that a senior pilot group is higher paid. Pilots leave. They retire and they move on to greener pastures and they must be replaced. Today, qualified new candidates are scarce... and they have options. Accepting a position at Horizon today means the Q400, a shrinking fleet with a four year seat lock. No upgrade and no chance to fly a jet (and shyte schedules). Once the 175's start to come, a new hire can fly a jet, but never upgrade. The most Junior SkyWest 175 Captain in Portland is about 3 and a half years.

How do you overcome that?

A previous post stated that Horizon will need to hire and train about 200 pilots this year. Today, you got two.

Well, you're partially right. Us worrying about OO isn't going to do anything for anybody.
The root of our problem, (in my opinion), is that our management, whatever we think of them, isn't in charge of the operation. They are responsible for day-to-day ops, but don't have any authority to improve things. Their hands are tied.

That authority lies in SEA at AirGroup HQ.
We used to be far more independent, doing a lot of at-risk flying and setting our own course. Since we've become an entirely CPA carrier, ALL the big decisions are made by Alaska, and their phalanx of accountants.
If our management agreed to QOL and pay improvements, against SEA's wishes, I believe they would be liquidated the next day. They are not evil incarnate, they've just been given an impossible job, (typical middle management conundrum), and they are going to try to fix things. Even if we all think the attempt is doomed.

So, does SEA care about how this plays out, or will they just sigh and wash their hands of us? Whatever the outcome, it will not be their fault.

Ya.. I noticed some "rescue" flying in open time. And it was AS 700's on weird routes...

Calgary, Reno, Boise etc

Calgary is actually built in to our pairings in PDX

I love it, a Skywest pilot on the Horizon forms bragging about all the Horizon flying they are taking over with airplanes that Horizon used to fly. All because Alaska management has so ****ed up Horizon's quality of life along with bottom of the industry pay.

Everyone I know is bailing as soon as possible. Upgrade classes canceled nobody really retiring until 2020 and and they can't attract pilots.

Spirit here I come, can't come soon enough

I think klsytakesit is an Alaska pilot. Alaska (mainline) is once again flying to YYC.

Ignorance is awesome.

Apparently, Niobe is behind the times as well as confused.