Question!
 

Hello Everyone, I wanted to know if there is a regional airline that lets you choose the base that you would like to stay, after the 1 year training.

Not that I know of.

Commute? Create your own base.

Not sure what you mean by "after the 1 year training". Your best bet would be to apply at regionals that have bases where you want to live. If they have a need in that base when you get hired then you have a good shot of getting it. Some airlines (the good ones anyway) will ask you to give them some idea of what base you want and then will try and put people in their preferred base. Also, most airlines have policies that allow you to change your base when there are openings at a different base.

Commute at a regional? I think I'd rather lick the balls of a rhino...

I'd rather commute to EWR than lick the balls of a rhino. That area of the country is the armpit of the nation.

Can you name any of the good airlines?
How long is the training? Someone told me 1 year, but i don't thing he knows much.

What the "good" airlines are is a moving target and will change depending on whats important to you. If you want a good working environment with decent pay and bennies, places like ExpressJet, Skywest and Horizon are probably at the top of most people's list. However, if you want a quick upgrade and dont care if you take it in the shorts for a few years go to Colgan or Mesa. A lot also depends on if you plan to commute or not (see my previous statement about commuting). The fastest way to improve your life at a regional is to live in your base. So to answer your question about the "good" airlines, you need to look at their information and decide which one has the best combination of pay/benefits, location, upgrade time, etc that meets your personal goals and needs. Just remember that the airlines with long upgrades are usually like that because people like working there and are less inclined to jump ship at the first chance. The airlines with the short upgrades usually pay less and have less than good working environments so people cant wait to get out.

Training at most airlines lasts about 8 weeks give or take. That is another thing to look at when you are thinking about going to an airline. Do they pay you while in training? Do they cover your hotel, transportation, etc? Some places like Mesa pay you your full gurantee while in training but they also make you pay for your own hotel (2 months at $60/night will run you about $3660) plus food plus you are responsible for your own transportation to the training center. Other places like ExpressJet pay for all of your hotels and transportation to the training center and then pay you an additional amount called per diem.

Anyone know if Island Air is any good?

You were given some bad info. Mesa pays for your hotel after you finish the systems test, which is about 4 weeks into training, not 2 months. Also, most people split the room costs as well. And expressjet doesn't pay for food, just mentioning that as a downside to mesa is not being very unbiased, IMO.

My mistake, the last time I talked to a Mesa guy he said they had to "pay for our own hotel during training". But still, thats 4 weeks more than I had to pay for, but then again, I got lucky. And ExpressJet does not pay for food per se what they do pay you is 8 weeks of per diem while you are in class which worked out to about $30/day to spend as you will. Not much, i know, but better than nothing. All I can say is God bless credit cards.

Right, but they don't pay you your guarantee...the only difference is about $1k in hotel costs...which still sucks :(.