Ranking the Regionals...
 

I'm asking for a friend. Since I've been employed by a major for over 8 years, I'm out of the loop.

If you had to rank the Regionals by who would be the best to work for and offered quickest upgrade and quickest chances to the majors, who would you put in your top five?

Is it best to work for a company that offers a flow through to a major, or a company that doesn't so you could apply and possibly get hired before someone who was stuck in the flow?

Thanks to all that reply.

You'll probably get every answer under the sun...

Piedmont
PSA
Envoy

Republic
Skywest

Depends on the background of the candidate- if someone has an application that is worthy of getting hired on by a legacy and just needs a place holder job they can go wherever. If they need to build their resume or like a decent backup plan that the flow offers then an AA Wholly Owned regional is worth consideration.

I posted that list taking into account the fastest upgrades at the Wholly Owneds and shortest reserve times. Piedmont also has the fastest flow by years currently Thanks to it being small and expanding. The downside is it's got one base for its jets and it's new hires to go to and for some people that's a big deal breaker.

The two non-WOs listed have newer equipment and I know folks who are happy at each.

The Flow offers a way into American Airlines. Realistically those in the flow can and do get hired OTS at AA but those are rare occurances but those who are hired OTS have applications that would make them competitive regardless. When 50-75% of AA new hires will be coming from their WO flow throughs and the remaining OTS slots going predominantly those with military backgrounds realistically pure civilian backgrounds have a much smaller chance of an OTS hire with AA than they do with United, Delta or SWA regardless of where they currently work. The flow through keeps the AA door open for folks while they apply everywhere else.

Most people can cross AA off their listing they don't work for a wholly owned. Flows take up a little over 50% of the new hires while the other 50%is made up of mostly military and family/higher up connections. Very few off the street hires that don't fit in the categories above are getting hired at AA.

I would put my order as;
1.Envoy (3 month upgrade)
2. PDT
3. PSA
4. Skywest
5. Endeavor

Again choose the one that gives you the best QOL, if you can live in base then that should be your first choice.

SAP.....Conversation over.

Edit: Unless you live on the west coast.

If your buddy is a pilot with a messy training history and multiple skeletons in his closet, he can still get to a Legacy by working for an American Airlines Wholly Owned Carrier.

And because American is the only Legacy offering this in 2017, it is undoubtedly funneling in some great folks. But, this makes you wonder what kind of pilot group AA will have in 6-10 years. :rolleyes:

Yes because AA WO acft are falling out of the sky right now......GMAFB.

You should listen to the north ramp frequency in Charlotte sometime.

Unfortunately I listen to it nearly every day I'm working. I know you are just going to say "it's not the same" because that's what people on here do but the same nonsense goes on in every other ramp freq at every major airport I've flown into.

HEAR IT: Pilot, air traffic controller have terse exchange - NY Daily News

I wouldn't even rank Endeavor right now. We no real career progression, that's been taken off the negotiating table. We are most likely going to have a pay cut for anyone who credits less than 85 hours per month. Get on with an AA wholly owned, have a flow in your back pocket, but stay hungry and try to get on at another major in the process.