pilotprincess

What are things like at the IAH base right now? Can you get it out of training and upgrade and stay there? Any signs it’s shrinking or going away? Any observations on XJT?

Claxstarr

IAH has basically doubled over the last 6 months for us. The FO side is moving quickly and captains are being awarded IAH directly from upgrade.

The trips are good (good credit) and there is a LOT of variety so you’re not going to get stuck doing the same 5 flights.

I saw your post on The XJT side and just know that there is a lot of vitriol coming from that direction. One CPT who had been there for 18 years was particularly angry. I wonder why he’s been at XJT and never moved on? I bet there’s more to that story.

Yes they’re a unionized carrier but their contract is about as bad as it gets. Their management is in charge and they all know it. I’m by no means anti-union, but theirs has given ManaAir the cart AND the horse.

Check out some of their work rules... I.E. min day guarantee. We get 4:12 minimum pay regardless of how little is flown each day. I think XJT is around 2:00 which should tell you a lot.

I flew with two captains over the last two days and both came from XJT. Both said they made the right choice leaving XJT for OO.

Do your own homework and make the decision that is right for you!

falconkidding

The 2 hour things a bit weird. Min is two but on a trip it has to at least be 4 per day average. Or if you pick up open time its minimum 3.75 per day so a lot of guys will drop trips and pick up 1 leg overnights and get 7.5 hours for 2 hours work. We do have gaping holes in our contract but its also got some crazy good stuff.

Xjt now is way different than even a year ago. In March when i started upgrades were 8 or 9 years now people jr to me are upgrading and they are talking DECs come spring.

I dont trust manair/united one bit but i always take anything about xjt with a heavy grain of salt cause depending on when someone worked for xjt they would have 2 totally different stories. Someone hired a year before me would have been reserve forever and had maybe 5% movement up the seniority list over a year. Vs me doing 3 weeks of reserve then having a hardline since then, and having 35% of the seniority list behind me in 10 months.

PapaJaime

Claxstarr hit most of it! IAH is moving along, they tried to shutter the place a few years ago but now it’s growing again. Since April I’ve moved up 55%, and can get the days off I want for the most part.

Several of the FO’s that were ahead of me and have upgraded recently have held IAH in the initial month as captains, that being said they probably average 2.5-3.5 years on property. The top half of our captain seniority list isn’t going anywhere. I haven’t had any issues with the captains, there’s one or two salty guys but they’re all bark - no bite. Overall, a great group to fly with.

Variety is nice, you can fly all three CRJ’s in a given week and see most of the U.S., Denver - east. However, we’ve started getting some West coast stuff again. If you fly the DL op you’ll see DTW or MSP, which actually isn’t as bad as it sounds. There are a ton of great overnights in the North/Northeast in the summer months. And we just started getting some of our west coast stuff back on the UA side, LAX, SFO, SBA, RDM etc.

Pretty good time to be with OO and in IAH. Any other questions, holler....

dhc8guru

Its gotta be growing as a base for the CRJ. I'm on the ERJ and can't be on a trip where I don't fly through IAH atleast twice

Claxstarr

Which is where the rumors of IAH turning into a 175 base are coming from lol.

I mean it happened to MSP soooooo

dhc8guru

I really really wish it would happen but it would take a long term commitment from United or American(?)out of IAH for that to happen. My understanding was Mesa dumped out of a bunch of IAH flying with some rumors floating about from there crews they were going to heavily reduce the base or pull out altogether.