upndsky

Ditto. I came from what's considered one of the better regionals (XJT) and it's a night and day difference. I didn't realized how beat up I was getting flying there. My second year pay is going to be more than I was making there as a captain, I should have a better retirement and there's much more variety in the flying.

I also didn't like flying for what is essentially a vendor. You have no control over your future. XJT is going through that now, as are other regionals. Sure, I run the risk of a furlough being junior at Delta, but I know (or believe, at least) that Delta will be around for a long time, so I'd be coming back at some point. On the other hand, if a regional loses a customer or two, that could be the end of it.

blcampbell

I am presently an FO at ASA. After trip trades etc I'm getting 15-16 days off a month - all commutable on the same day on both ends - haven't been abused by scheduling - no nightmare stories to tell- honestly can't complain at all about what I'm doing now. I can say that I made a good choice in my first airline job but my question is what is it about the majors that makes it such a better place to be.

My question is for those that left the regionals....someone who has the experience of both worlds. What specifically changed as far as work rules and QOL issues. I'm not looking for "everything in the majors is better" types of statements...... 1 v 1. I want a comparison.

Fill in the blanks:

I like ______________ better than ___________ because _____________.

upndsky

A lav where you don't have to twist yourself into a pretzel when you take a leak. Need I say more?

Slice

Compensation, time off, work rules, vacation, equipment, destinations, layovers, no *****ing passengers... how's that?

Jack Bauer

Ha Ha to add to that I can go from the cockpit to the bathroom and back WHILE pax are boarding and not get trapped or run down. I dont have to be a contortionist. I dont get the guilt trip for not helping clean the plane and cross seat belts....they have a cleaning crew that does all that. Meals are better and with the extra items for sale list I have choices should I choose to eat some other stuff while flying.

I'm sure I will get flamed from some regional guy for this but I get more respect and it feels good to be a part of an organization that contols its own destiny and not a substitute or "puddle jumper" operation as many ignorant pax often referred to my former regional/RJ. The possibilities of flying a 787/777 international at some point in my career sounds pretty good and is something I look forward to. Training is more professional and you run less risk of some burnt out guy going through a mid life crisis of screwing you over during sim.

You dont have to put up with the anti union koolaid drinkers who are all to ready to LOWER the bar at places like Skywest, Mesa and Gojets. Airplanes dont smell like a combo of sweat and urine since they get cleaned much better on a daily basis and have more breathing room.

Hotels in my experience are much nicer on average. Long layover are very nice and in good locations. I said this earlier but compensation will be much better in a relatively short period of time. Dont believe all the RJ guys saying they are making 100K a year and if they are they are flying alot more than an average line guy at a major. The major guy will make more money than even a gogetter regional guy will ever pull in. In fact it would take 20 years at a regional (current pay rates) to make what you will make at Delta witin 25 months when considering what is also going into your retirement. When you upgrade at Delta (might take you ten years?) you have a chance of almost doubling your regional pay at that point in time.

Free wireless internet is now going to be required at every hotel at my airline saving a few bucks and knowing you are always connected while on the road. New growth will be at the majors as they take back flying or expand internationally whereas regionals for the most part are saturated and will continue a backward slide (probably 25% or more smaller than they are now in the next five years).

Monkey off the back of being trapped in the minor league (not to say regional pilots are minor league as many of my friends still there are great pilots). More days off guaranteed per the contract even on reserve. Trip rigs, duty rigs, more guaranteed time for sleep on overnight for regular ops.

One other development occurring at my airline is the 3 man crew allowing a guy to get all his flying done in 8 days (these go senior but more flights like these on the way). Sorry about the runnon sentences....just threw down what came to mind. Hope this helps....

JetPipeOverht

Money- K you got us there.
Time off- we can get the same as you do being senior FO's. Work Rules- Vary from airline to airline but i'll concede that one slightly.
Vacation- no pref bid at our airline so i stretched 11 days into 32 days off. Equipment- larger aircraft vs. automation policies and stingy old captains that don't want to ' take it away from the AP ' so that their days are spent safe and easy till retirement ( push/ I like to be able to handfly as much as i want ).
Destinations- a good regional goes everywhere around the US and Carribbean, Canada, Mexico ( Europes got us trumped there so i'll give ya that one ) Layovers- a senior FO can get what he/she wants ( again, no europe but even that gets old after you've done it a lot ) PUSH ?>
No ****pasengers ( i'm guessing you're Cargo? ) That is all in how you operate personally, some like the pax element cause it provides you with a sense of accomplishment and pride. Again, i'm thinking PUSH.
Majors - 2 def. FOR.
2 PUSH.
2 for Regional.
Am I too far off here ?

Superpilot92

Yeah "havent looked back", Meaning i havent thought twice about my decision to make the move. Thanks for reading into my post though

I dont get on there near as much as i used to, but when i do its usually to answer a PM/answer peoples questions. I also like to see whats going on over there, after all thats where i started my airline career and still have alot of friends. Thanks for following so closely its rather cute . Good Luck with everything

Slice

According to your tally, it would be a tie. I'd say you're way off but to each their own.

Superpilot92

Justdoinmyjob

Are you saying that the major captian's are stingy? I usually hand fly the 767 up to TOC and then from TOD. Never has any captain asked or told me to use the autopilot, so I'm not sure what you're talking about.

Those destinations are served at the pleasure of the major. I too fly to those places, but I don't have to worry about some other subcontractor underbidding me to fly there.

The overriding thing here is how safe is your job? While there are good regionals out there, as long as they don't own any of their flying, they are vunerable to decisions which the pilots have no control over. Granted that the major could go out of business, but that would most likely also take out the regional, so that is a zero sum game.

There are a multitude of reasons to either stay at a regional or make the jump. We each have to decide what is important to us and make the call. What works for one person, can and usually makes another scoff. Do what you want and if anyone tells you that you made a wrong choice, tell them to stick it where the sun don't shine.