If I lived in PHX I would personally probably want to be on the brasilia. You would have a 1 leg commute to FAT, SFO or LAX. FAT is always extremely junior so you could hold a line there quick and then wait out transferring to LAX or SFO until you could hold lines there.

Obviously the seat lock could become an issue but currently the most junior RJ FO in PHX is over 2 years in seniority. The most junior lineholders in the Junior RJ bases (ORD, MSP, COS) are around 1.5 years.

Since you're going to have to commute living in PHX I would personally take the brasilia for the shorter commute and ability to hold a line quicker. You probably don't want to commute to reserve in MSP or ORD for 1.5 years. Commuting to reserve in FAT or LAX for a few months wouldn't be fun but wouldn't be as bad as RJ reserve. Also since the pay scales are the same now you'll make more money first and 2nd year on the brasilia than you will on the RJ.

 

Here's the kicker though. I don't have a car, or an apartment right now.

Now, with that said, for someone wanting to be on the best coast, would horizon be something you'd look at? I find them to be a fantastic company

 

Question then. If you aren't tied down, why ask whether to take the Brasilia and commute from PHX or take the Jet and wait to transfer? You could be king of the hill quite quickly if you were willing to relocate to FAT for a bit on the Brasilia. A quick review of the seniority list shows that the last couple of classes have dispersed throughout the system, excepting PDX, and the west coast domiciles all share in the west coast flying. Horizon has positives and negatives, just as SkyWest does. It all depends upon what you want from your experience, and, I might add, where you want to be based... Consider that many people at Horizon (including friends of mine) got displaced out of PDX to Medford. Actually probably not a terrible place to live but for sure a tough place to commute to at certain times of the year due to low fog in the valley. Also low attrition, which again is a curse and a blessing; many people are content to stay there, but upward movement is slow. I'm sure there's a Horizon thread that could give you more first-hand information.

 

Well, phoenix is a great city that I'd like to live in. I figured if I ended up at skywest bro and got assigned lax or sfo, I'd live phx and commute. if I got FAT I'd just live there.

Horizon seems really attractive to me, and I got a great vibe from all the people I had interactions with there. Only real problem is how slow things move there, not that I'm chasing an upgrade, but I worry about being on the bottom of the seniority list for any airline.

That said, I think horizon may be able to provide a better QOL and some interesting experience as far as flying goes.

Anyone at either airline wishing they were at the other?

 

I think Horizon is a very good airline, and their bases and flying are appealing to any of us that love the outdoors. That being said, not only will you likely never upgrade there, it will take a very long time to even get off reserve. Reserve sucks, I don't care what your situation is. At Skywest, if you go to the Brasilia you'll most likely hold a line very fairly quick at this point in time. By the time you transition to the CRJ, you would again be a lineholder.

One last thing to consider... We have several former Horizon guys at SkyWest. I don't think there are really any former Skywest people at Horizon.

 

valid points. especially about holding a line. heck I would probably venture to say I'd rather commute to a line on a short hop (say pdx-sfo, phx-lax, etc) than be reserve on base, simply because of life planning.

tide is leaning towards the Brasilia more and more

 

I just left Horizon for Skywest and it was a tough move. Horizon is a great place and the flying is awesome but it will take awhile to hold a line. If I would have stayed Medford or Boise base I'd prolly be able to at least hold a composite line but the commute was hard from Chicago. Hence why I left to come over to Skywest, but like everyone has said if you take a Bro class you'll be a line holder much quicker. Upgrades over there are not much longer than here and I'd be willing to bet it will continue to drop albeit slowly. If you're concerned with pay it a toss up. 401k and health insurance are much cheaper and better at QX. As far as pay it's going to be about the same not more than a couple hundred bucks in either direction, but if you go to the Bro I'm sure you'll be able to make more. PM me if you have anymore questions.

 

Jeez Cruz, regionals aren't pokemon. You don't have to try and collect em all.

 

Tell me about it lol!

 

Choose whichever is best for your situation. I agree with the others about reserve at either place. You'll hold a line much faster on the bro at SkyWest vs. Horizon.

I don't think you'll have a chance at either airline to upgrade, so take that into consideration.