I've done quite a bit of research on both these forums and the APC main page but I need some help from guys who have more 1st hand knowledge of the way things really run. Other than Netjets who isn't hiring, I couldn't find a single airline with a SAT or AUS domicile (where I could sit short call). Long story short, which regional would offer me the best QoL as a commuter from San Antonio? I'm basically looking for a place where I'd be on reserve for a minimal amount of time, or better yet be able to sit reserve from SAT. Once holding a line, I'd need a place that has commutable trips. Pay sucks for them all, and is not a factor in which regional I'd rate above another. I just want to tread water getting some 121 experience if the majors don't call before I retire. I live in northern San Antonio and could reasonably make a drive to AUS to catch a connecting flight but flying out of SAT would be WAY better.

Thanks!

 

DFW shouldn't be an issue, AA runs a bunch of mad dogs in and out of there. When I was ORD based we ran a bunch of SAT turns and it was pretty rare to fill up completely.

 

A couple of Supplemental Airlines have home Basing if that helps.

 

Well, I'm not regional but know that Skywest and XJT both domicile in IAH. There are a fair number of UAL commuters who fly out of IAH and I've flown with a few pretty senior CAs who do it. I've done the IAH-SAT turn a number of times in the 73 (~4 times). They're usually pretty full but I have never had a jumpseater. Long call would be pretty easy. Short call would require a crash pad. Worst case you can make the drive to IAH in about 3 hours.

 

XJT/CRJ has a DFW base. You could also do ATL and DTW from there.

 

I would say DFW

 

XJT ERJ has IAH. You can sit long call (12 hour call out) from home, or even short call has its options without getting a crash pad. I used to get an early short reserve call out period, commute to IAH in the morning, sit in the crew room all day, then commute home at the end of the day if I didn't get a trip. I never drove to IAH unless it was for training. I've used AUS a few times when the loads were just plain ugly.

 

Thanks for the replies. Are there any regionals where I'd be able to get IAH or DFW directly out of training? I'm assuming Eagle would get me DFW but I haven't studied the regionals enough yet to know for sure.

 

At Eagle you could DFW within a few months but since we turned down the contract hiring might stop, who knows. Id avoid Eagle until we know whats going to happen.

 

I heard SKYW in IAH isn't that senior.