If you guys had the choice, which would you choose?

Here is what I figured:

Expressjet: good contract (for a regional), decent pay, good QOL, nice routes, unknown upgrade time (3-5yrs), unknown future (stock has been in a continuous fall since 04).

Skywest: no union, low initial pay, very fast upgrade (in the Bro), solid company with good future, upgrade times should stay low (in the Bro) in the near future

What do you guys think? Is this pretty accurate?

I have buddies at both airlines who tell me theirs is the place to be...
I think XJT would be better in terms of QOL, which is my #1 priority, but what do you guys think about the company's future? They keep hiring like crazy but lose business at the same time....I guess because of attrition, but how long will it last? won't the upgrade times slow down a lot after that?

Any comments are appreciated!

 

XJT
SKYWEST is good, but I feel XJT is better

 

Where do you want to live?

 

SAAB,
I was expecting that answer from you.... only 22min for your reply

Seriously, I agree with you XJT has a better contract. But are they gonna be around in a couple of years? Their stock price keeps going down....

The contract is really good, and I'm sure the union will try to keep it unchanged in 2008.

 

Yeah I know what you mean I am concerned about the airplanes not really about their stock, any airline stock is not worth paying attention too. I feel if you want the West Coast SKW is probably the best if you like the East Coast like me, XJT is the place for ya. If you don't want Prop experience, come here, I if ya do want prop experience, go there (Props are greta experience and good fun). To each his own ya know

 

Whats the most important thing?

1 Are you planning on using it as a stepping stone? If so go to where you can upgrade the fastest.
2 QOL/Location? Go to where commuting is the best/non-existant.

 

Good question! I forgot to mention that!

For the next 1.5 years, Arizona. After that, who knows.... Honestly I don't see myself ever living at any of the XJT bases, so if I go that route it would be always communiting. But I hear that after about a year seniority at XTJ you can bid the routes in order to minimize commute. I hear there are even some senior FOs based at EWR who commute from Europe I guess they make their schedule so they cross the pond only one or twice a month...still crazy IMHO!

I wouldn't mind living in California... SD, SF or Santa Barabara.... not Fresno!

Having said that, I dont want to sound too picky! Both are good regionals, and I know if I go to the Bro I will be in Fresno (and stay there for fast upgrade).

Since I'm involved with a lot of other activities outside my job, the ability to make my schedule and get time off (seniority permitting) is my #1 priority. And that's what is making me lean towards XJT. I've heard Skywest requires a minimum # of hours flown a month? Can anyone verify/expand on this?

 

As for skywest,
how much hiring are they doing in to the jet and the prop

I thought the last thing I knew they were putting people in the jet

 

Avoid commuting at all costs. It turns a great job into a huge burden in a hurry. You can count on having 13-16 days off a month at most regionals. If you're commuting you automatically lose one day per week in travel. I don't think there is much difference between SKYW and XJT so far as that goes. Maybe someone has better info on that...

 

if you want to max your time off, commuting is definetily NOT the way to do that. My guess is that whatever schedule you can bid at XJet, you could probably bid a very similar schedule at SkyWest. Lines are built to a min # of hours at just about every airline, so I'm not sure if this answers your min hours flown in a month question.
Incidentally there are several relatively junior bases on the Bro in CA if you're an F/O. Most go pretty senior for captains though.

A few months ago they were splitting the hiring pretty close to down the middle, but I believe they've slowed the Bro hiring.