FlyinCat

Most of the “best regional” threads are about which ones have the best work rules, or benefits, or will get you to the majors fastest. Can we talk about which ones are the most fun? Full disclosure, I’m not having much fun right now. Mostly wondering if it’s different anywhere else. And yeah, I get it’s a lot about how you make the best of the situation and your attitude. This can’t be completely unbiased but I think it’s worth seeing what most people’s perceptions are, even if they are subjective.

Overnights?
Routes?
Crews?
Company culture?

I’ll start.

YX
Overnights- I’m told we have overnights in Key West but I’ve never seen one of these in my base. Mostly LGA, YUL, EWR, MEM, STL. About 50% of the trips have an overnight in LGA.

Routes- lots of short legs. EWR-BOS-DCA-LGA. We dominate the northeast. It gets old. I bid for the longer ones when they’re available.

Crews- the captains I fly with are 40% bitter lifers, 40% leaving as soon as they get called and not here to make friends, and 20% people who are committed to doing the job well and actually friendly. Only about 1% of the time do crews hang out together.

Company Culture- this is hard to explain. Training was very stressful, and pilots who have been through more than one training program corroborate this. Company has a very corporate feel. Sometimes I feel like I’m working a minimum wage job with the way we accumulate “occurrences.” I don’t really feel I’m part of a team. Most captains not great at mentoring or even interested in it. Very much feels everyone is out for themselves only.

Maybe my expectations are too high? I wasn’t expecting to want to leave so soon but I can’t wait to get out of here. I’m starting to adopt their attitude, just put in the hours, don’t make friends, wait for the call. I wish it wasn’t like that. Interested in your take on your own regional.

PilotBases

The best regional is the one you’re at while you hold a CJO to a major. Sorry if that’s not helpful. Regionals are overall the shame s#i+ different name. Same overnights, hotels, routes, uniforms. With how quickly everything moves these days, I don’t think there much of a “fun” vibe or “culture” at any, the faces change so quickly. I’d bet that every regional out there has had over 50% of the list change over since just before COVID. You have the right idea really, get your hours and bug out.

rickair7777

Regionals may have a few good deal schedules, but those will go senior... so you either have to bypass upgrade to get them as an FO (dumb in this hiring climate), or stay for many years to hold them as a CA. For junior folks, the best way to get sweet overnights is to find them embedded in an otherwise garbage 4-day.

As others have said, the majority of regional overnights will be at a La Quinta on the airport frontage road, across from a chevron and a McDonalds.

Skywest used to have some decent overnights in the inter-mountain west, some of those small towns are fun. I even skied on a JAC overnight once, gear and lift ticket comped by the hotel. For the most part I'd count myself lucky if there was a decent running trail or a mall with a movie theater nearby.

Majors have better hotels, and generally more good overnights but again seniority is king there too. I've had some international overnights that were full-on mini vacations, if you wanted to get out of the room and take advantage. Also if you're willing to do red eyes, anything might be possible...

BStill

If you're looking for variety in destinations, assuming you're still young, maybe as soon as you think you have logged "enough" Part 121 hours (whatever that means for you), go try the fractional/corporate lifestyle (if you haven't already) while waiting for a call from a major. Never know, you might find that it's a good long-term fit for you. I personally don't think the majors hiring is gonna stop anytime soon, but I thought the same thing during the summer of 2001... just never know. if it does stop, where would you rather be for another 4-5 years before it starts back up again: continuing the regional slog? or serving catering and cleaning your own bizjet (until your SIC is doing that for you) while flying into a neat new destination on occasion?

might not be the best "book" answer, but sometimes life isn't about following the best "book" answers... it's personal.

TransWorld

I have seen regionals stay at the Hampton at MCI. Hotel van will run you to any restaurant within 5 minutes.

usmc-sgt

Tell me you’re in your 20s without telling me you’re in your 20s………

BStill

I say let him find youthful enjoyment in the profession as long as he can... he'll be old and cynical like us soon enough.

LAXtoDEN

Go to a ULCC and keep your apps updated at the big 3. Spirit has a ton of vacation layovers. Most ULCC’s do because that market is their bread and butter.

Go build flight time flying long easy legs in a 320/737 with a 18% DC retirement fund flying to beautiful sunny weather until your destination airline calls.

The regionals are seeing so much attrition for pilots and FA’s that any culture or friendships made are likely gone in less than a year. YX is not the only regional with unsustainable attrition issues. I think there might be 2 people from my regional new hire class still hanging around. 9 including myself from that class are now at Delta.

It’s actually unbelievable to think half my regional new hire class ended up at Delta in basically 5 years. That was once unheard of, crazy times.

vaxedtothemax

Which regional is the best for putting your airbuds in after gear retraction? I need to listen to music and can't be bothered with work. Also which one is best for posting on TikTok? I'd like to document my work day from apartment, to airport, to arriving at the plane, and then the sweet layover.

golfandflows

nice subtle troll. Surely you have had enough conversations in the flight deck about how life is better with a seniority number at a major.