don't try and make rational sense of the industry...as said earlier it is all about QOL in the end. Regionals are just stepping stones pick one that has the easiest commute and be done with it.

 

Horizon Air is the most stable of the all regional airlines. They have the best working conditions and top pay for regionals.
However, Horizon is not currently hiring pilots, getting rid of all their CRJ 700 jets and going to an all Q400 fleet (great airplane). The time to up-grade is 6 to 7 years so Horizon Air is a career choice, not a stepping stone to the majors.

 

The best working conditions and pay have nothing to do with stability. I'm not saying Horizon isn't stable, but I would give more reasons like "we fly Q400s for Alaska". That shows stability to me..

 

I think not. I know the props are as safe as the jets,and are better on fuel, but the public does not like to fly on them. The Regional Jets will be flying for years to come. Maybe more 70/90 tha 50, but they will still be flying.

 

And the current plan is to have 17 fewer planes in 18-24 months then we do today. If a bunch of people above me don't leave I'm out of a job here soon. Not exactly what I call stable.

 

the correct answer is any airline which is not based in the US.

 

Working conditions are Horizon is just as bad as most places. Dont be fooled by the high FO pay thats on APC. You are paid by seniority at Horizon not aircraft type and the seniority list at Horizon moves slower than molasses. Horizon has some good work rules but they also have one of the worst scheduling in the regional industry. 12 days off per 35 days while still earning min guarantee isnt my definition of good work rules. The management team at Horizon have their own unique interpretation of the CBA. You will be happy for about the first 4 months at Horizon, then you will come you your senses. You are not making more money than other regionals. You are getting less than guys at Mesa as an FO.. You spend 7 to 8 years on FO pay which tops out at about $48 per hour. Go elsewhere and be on 2nd or 3rd year pay and you make way more than being at Horizon. Pre 2008 if you went to Horizon you were setting yourself back 10 years. If you do it today you are looking at 13 to 15 years of wasting you career.

Skyhigh said this 2 years ago when i was starting at Horizon and i thought he was just being bitter. Now that i wasted 2 years of my life i see what he was saying. Here is what he said, "Horizon is a career killing airline." They guy couldnt be more right..

 

Huh?

Colgan has done nothing but post (through Pinnacle Holdings) continual losses. They may seem stable because their taking delivery of the Q400 but the reality is they're simply trying to revamp their business plan because the one they have is not working.

 

Obviously, lots of interpretations of what "stable" is. I would say that it doesn't have wild hiring / furloughing, slow upgrades, probably flying for a single airline as a wholly owned.

That describes Horizon and Eagle, perhaps Comair.

Note: stable doesn't make a good or bad place to work.

 

Well Great Lakes is "stable", at least in the sense that everyone here seems to be discussing. Their murky financials seem to skew toward modest profits on EAS contract flying that nobody else wants, all in gas-sipping turboprops painted in their own colors. Expansion plans are limited primarily by a lack of planes, a lack of pilots, and a general inability on the part of anyone in management to extract their heads from their asses.

RAH is in the midst of a well-documented cluster**** right now, but it'll be interesting to see where we end up at the end of the summer...