freezingflyboy

Thats how it is at pretty much any airline. The guys at the top have the most to lose and are willing to do almost anything to protect it. However, this screws the ones lower down on the totem pole. It makes sense, its a lot harder to go from 10 year captain at company X to being first your FO at company Y than it is to go from 2 year FO back to first year FO. On the flip side, if the guys at the top didnt protect the higher side of the pay scale, what would we have to look forward too? Probably not a whole hell of a lot. Im sure the airlines would love to see flat pay scales. You start at $20/hour and end at $20/hr no matter how long you've been there. Its sucks but its the way this industry works.

If you want to look at it from an economic standpoint: if an airline is going to furlough, it would make more sense economically to furlough the older (more expensive) guys first rather than all the first year FOs. Why not just lose one captain you are paying $80/hr instead of 4 FOs who are making $20/hr? You just protected 3 jobs and cut your costs by the same amount. Put THAT in your pipe and smoke it. Plus younger guys complain less and arent as smart amount milking the system. Im sure management would love it. Thankfully, the seniority system prevents that. Just my 2 cents.

aussieflyboy

You make a good point, freezing. Still would like to hear the story told from the point of view of some of the GoJet pilots.

Koolaidman

As someone said earlier, the flying would be done by someone. That someone is GoJet. My take on the situation is that Trans States pilots worked hard to get the United contract, management offered a below average contract which the pilots turned down, and the flying was offered to people off the streets. They are working on a contract, but in the meantime aren't being treated to well by scheduling. A friend told me that they juniored him and he was #2 on the FO side. I heard rumors about 6 day trips with the seventh in a hotel. Again, just curious as to if this is true. Trans States Holdings gets more out of their pilots PROBABLY more than any other airline out there. It is unfortunate, but how many CFI's are out there that would fly a jet for $15 an hour? I hope some pilot group stands up to management and turns this industry around so we don't have to complain about people taking less than what they are worth. CFI's in my opinion don't know any better than to take a job a GoJet??? Just my thoughts!

flyerfly

Its a bad deal Koolaid man. It really is. People selling out just to fly a jet. I once was blind but now I see. I'd rather fly my C-152 than sell out and loose jump seat privileges. Poor young guys at GoJets didn't even think about what would happen. They saw a big shinny jet and bit at it. Thank God I took my time and instructed. I learned a lot about the industry from fellow pilots and our great source of infinite knowledge "Airline Pilot Central" Does anyone think TSA will hire and offer GoJets deal or let people on to TSA line.

Ellen

This airline will be seen in the "Airliner Cemetary"

Instead of everyone asking "WHAT SHOULD I DO" and "WHICH AIRLINE SHOULD I PICK," my suggestion is dig deep into their recent financial records, look at what they have to say about current conditions including labor and contractual flying agreements, as well as the financials, THEN CHOOSE.

Looking at ALL the regionals, I would only go to work for three (3). Looking at the nationals and majors, and cargo. I would pick only four (4), with (1 of those 4) being iffy.

E

Zach

Could you enlighten me on which 3 regionals?

CL65driver

Ellen's cut and paste that all over the board... who knows what it means.

freezingflyboy

She sounds like a bitter, pyscho sukubus to me.

freezingflyboy

No one can tell you where the best place to work for you is (especially not piece of flame bait like ellen). You gotta figure out what is important to you. Do you want the quick upgrade? Good pay and work rules? Jet equipment? East Coast? West Coast? Midwest? etc etc. There is a balancing act. People stay at regionals with good pay and work rules for a reason but that means upgrades can be slow unless there is lots of expansion (ie Horizon). On the flipside, you can upgrade fast at some places because pay is low, QOL sucks and the equipment isn't the best (ie Colgan). To each his own.

Zach

I know I gotta figure out what is important to me. I actually plan on going to TSA, mostly because I am from STL and I know a lot of pilots there. Upgrade time shouldn't take too long with the rate people leave there. I know TSA isn't the best regional, but I wouldn't have to commute. I don't really want to commute for a regional job, unless I got hire by Skywest and based in Chicago. To each his own, as you said.