Best regionals as of today

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Flying Eagle 12 said:
Lol I was in fact asking about regionals, however, when I get 2,000TT then spirit would be of consideration.
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Not sure what your background is but I would look at regionals if you dont have any turbine time. Spirit may be 2000tt but it takes more than just that. Disappointing some made it sound that easy.
 
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Cherokee_Cruiser said:
Not really.

VX's payrates, QOL, benefits are better than at NK. A 10.7% of gross earnings of 2015 is the profit share payout which equals, roughly, one full month's salary for a pilot. Spirit doesn't give any profit share, nor any IPO payout, nor make the group feel like they are valued in its operation. The "most profitable airline in the country" gives zilch to its employees. It's run like a regional, with many people having a regional mentality. Sure you have line bidding, 4 days off between trips, and conflict/transition but that's about all its got going for itself. And even the people I know at Spirit have to make sacrifices to make certain transition conflicts, when conflicting the first part of the month means getting a line that isn't as attractive the rest of the month. Plus, the inefficient trips and pairings also hinder the advantages that come with line bidding.

I understand it's a 2010 contract and at the time it BK era contracts at other airlines, so I get where NK is coming from. But now the 2.5 yr upgrade has taken its toll. Spirit was the place to be in 2011-2014. Today? Not so much, with roughly 82-ish out of the final state 145 already on property, anyone hired today is going to be a career FO for a long time. Why subject oneself to that? When other better paying airlines with better opportunities are hiring pilots left and right?

And with many guys volunteering for job fairs or taking phone calls in CS for free, putting themselves on call / available, and filing their flight plans (re: picking up the ball at every corner its dropped), there is no reason for management to give a new CBA any time soon. Unfortunately that's just reality. The quick upgrade hurts that as well. Know several buddies that went over in 2013 and they are new CAs and don't wanna rock the boat and are just thankful to be in the position they are in.
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That was a very long post putting down an airline you don't work for.
 
Putting flows aside, does picking a regional really have any impact on getting an interview with a legacy such as DAL or UAL?

I've heard OO and EV claim to have better placement at legacies such as DAL or UAL because of how highly they're viewed by majors and legacies....

Then I hear pilots saying 9E or CP is your best route to DAL.

Does it really matter? QOL, pay, and everything else aside...
 
tcco94 said:
Putting flows aside, does picking a regional really have any impact on getting an interview with a legacy such as DAL or UAL.

I've heard OO and EV claim to have better placement at legacies such as DAL or UAL because of how highly they're viewed by majors and legacies....

Then I hear pilots saying 9E or CP is your best route to DAL.

Does it really matter? QOL, pay, and everything else aside...
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Nope that's just a recruiting tool many recruiters try to tell people along with guaranteeing upgrade times etc. Pick what is best for you and your family based off your own research.
 
Flying Eagle 12 said:
What are some of the best regionals out there today in terms of pay, bases, benefits, upgrade times and contract agreements with major carriers?
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An airline is an airline is an airline. While certain details are might differ, the work is basically the same, as is the pay. There is no
perfect airline, just the one that works for you. So figure out what works for you and go to that airline. With pilot hiring the way it is, if you have certificate and a pulse, you're probably going to get the job.
 
Flying Saluki said:
An airline is an airline is an airline. While certain details are might differ, the work is basically the same, as is the pay.
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Right now there are airlines to stay away from if you care about pay. Mesa, Envoy, PDT, and PSA all have some issues right now. PDT and PSA has the problem of outstation basing which means a 2-leg commute for new hires that don't move or already live in base. Until improvements are made I wouldn't touch the airlines I listed.
 
Maurus said:
Right now there are airlines to stay away from if you care about pay. Mesa, Envoy, PDT, and PSA all have some issues right now. PDT and PSA has the problem of outstation basing which means a 2-leg commute for new hires that don't move or already live in base. Until improvements are made I wouldn't touch the airlines I listed.
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Can I ask why you have envoy on that list? It's one of the companies I have on my list to target this summer when I meet the ATP mins. I was mostly intrigued by their flow through to American.
 
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GabeOms said:
Can I ask why you have envoy on that list? It's one of the companies I have on my list to target this summer when I meet the ATP mins. I was mostly intrigued by their flow through to American.
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You can go to airlines with faster flow or interviews. Other airlines pay more. Their upgrade time is still a long time compared to others, ect, ect.
 
I would personally go for shorter reserve and upgrade over flow. To me a flow may work great if you're in the right place at the right time but with the movement happening right now in the 121 world the flow seems like a recruiting tool that doesn't really carry much weight.
 
I agree with many of the above posts. A flow is a nice card to have in your back pocket, but it shouldn't be the sole determining factor for choosing an airline. And, it likely won't matter that much unless your goal is that specific airline. There is going to be so much movement in the next 5 years it will make your head spin.

Regionals aren't going to disappear, but they are going to be forced to shrink due to the legacies taking pilots from them and their inability to attract new applicants. It's already starting and we haven't even made it to summer of 2016 yet. This is just the very tip of the iceberg. If I were new to the industry and considering an airline, I would choose one based on the following criteria:

1) Does it have a base near me or one that I wouldn't mind moving to (if that's an option) or one that is a relatively easy commute? And if I have to commute, what kind of commuter clause does the company have in its contract?

2) Is there growth or some other mechanism generating movement? We all start out at the bottom no matter where we go. But it is much better when you can get off of reserve and hold a line. Not only does this improve you quality of life, but it also gives you the ability to make more money (usually).

3) Pay. Can you and your family afford to survive on first (and second) year FO pay? That consideration has been made much easier at many regionals today. However, to me personally, I would take the first 2 things into consideration over the pay if I was in a position to make things work on low pay. But that's just me. One thing to consider now, is that those airlines with low pay are having a difficult time hiring. And that can leave you at the bottom of a stagnant list which is no Bueno.

4) Flow. I would make this my last consideration. However, if an airline like AA is your goal, it may be the best way to get there.
 
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