OO for ATL or LGA?
 

So I'm having a hard time digesting that we're at a point where people are picking OO because they want ATL or LGA.

I mean, to each their own and what not. Regionals need pilots, though. We shouldn't be in a will-fly-for-food situation right now, especially in those bases. Right?

So I previously worked at other regionals and commuted. Worked at an 8/6 fractional too. I live in ATL and picked OO for it. While I don't like the pay either, I'm also not willing to commute to any form of reserve. My marriage, home and, personal sanity is worth more than an additional 10 bucks an hour really. They know this.

Do we honestly need to talk about this same topic over and over.. if OO doesn’t fit your lifestyle. Then go somewhere else... plane and simple... plenty of people wanting to go to OO for various reasons...

If we want regionals in general to do better for their pilots, then knowing those reasons is important. For example, OO guarantees $20,000 less in year one than YX, 9E, and MQ. If OO still can pull folks who actually want NYC into LGA over those regionals, then what's encouraging OO to improve its conditions, and what's encouraging those regionals to improve theirs?

youfolksdeservetomakemorethanwhatyoumakenow

There. I said it. :D

You must be at your first airline. When I was hired at Piedmont about 8 years ago, I made well under $30/hr and part 117 didn't exist. Conditions have been improving since I started flying for hire a decade ago. Is OO currently behind the curve? Yep, they are. Was republic behind the curve when I was there years ago? Yep, they were. Things ebb and flow in this industry and the economy and pilot demand dictates our leverage as a pilot group. SKW will only change when pilots stop showing up to class. However, SKW has a lot of bases and is doing a great job getting starry eyed CFIs emotionally invested in the company via the cadet program.

I have been at 3 ,121 airlines.. 2 regionals Envoy and SkyWest. Pay scales don’t team the whole story. I make more money living in base at OO then commuting to envoy. And the trip mix and quality is way better at OO. Pluss ive never been displaced basses and equipment like i was at Envoy... that being said. Had i lived in a Envoy base i would have stayed.. QOL is everything. 21 year old CFI’s onky care about pay/bonus/flow. People with families care about other QOL items... So instead of post “another” why OO over “blank” just go to “blank” and forgo the post... this industry is cyclical.. OO will be back up in compensation soon... think of all thos pilots that left Spirit years ago. Had they stayed imagine the pay they would be at.... patience...

The regional compensation growth is changing every year in a way that is unprecedented. We have been in pay talks for awhile now. Until then I still enjoy going to work and the crews. Mgmt has never even blinked. This is one of the best jobs I have ever had. While I feel underpaid and hope that changes soon I made $500 the other day in straight wages as an FO.
Life is good.
LGA/ATL being junior is a positive because seniority.
Enjoy wherever you end up.

I commuted for four years and have lived in base for three years. My first year living in base I made $20k more than my last year as a commuter, and I didn't have to pay $200/month for hotel/crash pad.

Not commuting allowed me more time off which allowed me to pick up extra flying. It also allowed me to go after non-commutable trips that pay more. I was able to hold those being more junior because senior commuters don't want them.

Commuting for an extra $15-20k may actually not be worth it. It wouldn't have been for me.

As long as they can keep instilling the dream of being west coast based, and keep the shine of those new 900s on for a bit, there’s a a pipeline of riddle rat CFIs and swayne martin types that would take $19 an hour to go to skywest.

For those who want the west, I get that part. It's the "I want ATL/LGA, and I want SkyWest" thing that didn't click. Being able to get ATL right away can be a legit argument. Anyone who wants NYC could get NYC right away at pretty much any regional, though, and for much better pay/QOL.