Lifesabeech92

Seems like I'll go to one of the regular Regionals, thanks for the heads up.

Cujo665

Why isn't it the same for commuters? Other regionals provide 4 hotels a month for commuters; Via provides a hotel everyday. Add the savings to your annual income on that alone.

Just go to work being prepared to work, if you end up with a paid day off at the hotel (or at home), who cares.... it's not like other regionals, you're salary and get paid the same either way.

I do agree that it is aggravating to leave pax stranded the way Via does. I think they try to grow too fast, then end up falling backwards when guys move on to better jobs. They don't really staff reserves in each "base" like they should either which make a sick call cause the loss of a days revenue on that plane.
Lets face it, in this market folks only stay long enough to get the experience to go someplace better. Nobody is planning to make Via a career airline; not even them at this point and they openly admit they should be a stepping stone job, or a place for an older guy that's already had a good career in something else finish of their last few years of 121 time without being abused, stuffed in crashpads, jumpseating to/from work 4-5 times a month. The do have plans to go to larger planes in the future, which is why they are specifically avoiding doing any CPA feed flying for any legacy... the scope clauses would prohibit their growth. That said, when-if that happens Via could become a career airline.... but as of now it's a stepping stone.
There are worse places to be at while waiting for the next job. Most of the guys that have left went to legacy, high paying ACMI, High end Corporate and other career jobs. I can only think of two in two years that left to go to a different regional.... while I can name many who left other regionals to come to Via, and only left when they got their career job.

Cujo665

Many regionals are hiring street Captains currently. I do not know any starting at $78k salary on the E145. Yes, a few have crazy first year bonus pay, but the second year is pitiful and still makes Via better.

CommutAir - $64 ph
Envoy - $66 ph
Piedmont - $58 ph
ExpressJet - $68 ph
PSA - $65 on a larger CRJ700 no less....

You're limited to 1000 hours a year, so those hourly rates times 1000 is the rough estimate. None of them are close to the $78k a Via street Captain gets without having to juggle schedules to fit in some overtime to bump it up.


The FO scales are similar. Via pays a higher salary with the exception of Republic and Endeavor. The others have a first year bonus that beats Via, but then second year pay becomes a sticker shocker. Hopefully by year three you have enough time at those places to upgrade to Captain.

If you go to another regional for the three years to collect 1,000 121 time, then upgrade you'd be on 4th year pay

Piedmont - $71 ph
ExpressJet - $74 ph
PSA - $73 ph
Envoy - $72 ph
CommutAir - $69 ph

All still below the starting CA pay of $78k salary. I add the salary because that's the guarantee. The guarantee at those other places is actually lower. They guarantee 75 hours of pay a month which is only 900 hours a year, not 1,000. Now, most folks do work OT and make more; but Via gets day off pay also. If you do the math, witht he higher starting salary, even with the OT, you're still ahead and worked less at the end of the year.

You also will not sit on reserve at Via waiting to fly. You'll be flying right out of the gate.


There are pro's a con's at all airlines. Having worked at a few, and been on the Board of Directors at ALPA National I've had a peek behind the curtain at the Quality of Life, treatment by management, internal opportunities at many different airlines. Via treats their pilots better than other regionals, that's fact.

If your goal is to move onto a legacy, Cargo Hauler, or super ACMI, or even a better LCC then Via can be a great stepping stone and here's why. Those places get thousands of applications for every available job. You need to stand out. Being a check airman, a ground instructor, a sim instructor, or even a LOSA guy are all great things that the big airlines and legacies look for in street hires. At Via, you have access to those jobs by just working hard and asking.

Beeman68

Just had a friend get a job offer from Via. He said a quick look at the contract seem to indicate that day off pay doesn't kick in until day 18 and seem to be worded that they could work you 30 days straight. Now mind you he just briefly looked at it at the time of our conversation and didn't have clearafication of his understanding of what he read. He said training pay was $100 a day when completed and payed out in two installments. One after indoc and the other after type ride. He thinks there is great potential there, as someone here said "a diamond in the ruff".

Paid2fly

"A diamond in the rough", aka a lump of coal...

Cujo665

Have him email them for clarification. They have been known to write one thing that seems like it means X, and then later say no, it meant Y. Get it clarified. When I left it was an 18 day schedule. They only scheduled 16 of the 18. 2 days were at home on long call. I'm told they now actually do 18 day schedules. So, if he reads it that day off pay only comes on days 19 and above, I'd agree.

That said, there have been plenty of times that I got 2 to 4 times the contractual day off pay....
just say nope until they get to the number you need.

I've also heard that recently they've been experimenting (playing games) with not providing any schedule at all... if that's the case; a pilot without a schedule defaults to long call reserve per 117 and the FAA interpretations. So, when you go to bed with no schedule the next day, screen shot it. When they call the next day, inform them you defaulted to long call reserve since you had no assignment. Enjoy the next 10 hours off to rest.

Beeman68

So you were actually able to get more pay for a day off flight other than what is published? That’s good to know. With their "experimenting" with the schedule has there been any talk of union representation being brought in? According to some on this thread, Via is so abusive to their pilots that they shouldn’t even exist. Yet other say they were treated well. I suspect that a small pilot group could have a better relations with the company and effect change that could benefit everyone. I know guys at Allegiant who couldn’t wait for a union and still aren’t happy now that they have one. But those type of people will complain about everything regardless of how good it is.

DABAviator

What are the minimums for pt135 on the 120? And do they still fly the 120 out of SFB? What's pay and schedule like on it? Thanks

Cujo665

Too small a pilot group for a union so far. You get what you negotiate. Day off pay being an example. The written job offer contract says one thing..... when they need you on a day off, just decline. Honestly the current day off pay was never worth it; imagine it still isn’t. I had them get to $3,000 for one charter flight once from the northeast to the Dallas area. You could give a pilot a bar of solid gold and many of them will complain they didn’t get two... plenty of those at Via. Grass is always greener types but guys leave to LCC’s, large good paying ACMI, and other significantly better jobs.... very very few leave to go to another regional.... while there are many who’ve left other regionals to go there.
Does Via screw a bunch of stuff up? Yep.
The check always comes, there is a hotel every night, you never need a crashpad, and you’re salary so cancelations don’t effect pay at all. You keep the air miles on deadheads, and the points from hotels. At most RON’s you’ll also have a crew car to use.

chrisreedrules

With bonuses and per diem included, I grossed right under $95K on year 4 CA pay at PSA. And I just counted, 178 days off in 2018. Other pilots mileage may vary, I was hired at a pretty good time and enjoyed rapid movement up the seniority list as the company grew. So results may not be typical, I’m not sure.