Breeze

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

C5, and EWR ends for us as a base on October 30th and I don't see us doing much flying there afterwards. And I've been fishing for the big 4 as well and nearly everyone else since the ink dried on my 4 year degree in 2019. Interview prep, letters of rec, all of it and it's either crickets or TBNT after the interview, the last being B6, but I think I know what went wrong there. Alaska would mean a cross country commuter forever, not interested and can't relocate.

You do bring up an aspect I hadn't thought of, the ol' bait and switch for DEC and FO. Well, I thought of it briefly, but then I said "Nah, they won't do that". But then I also remembered this is an airline...

As for hanging around the regional, no doubt I can cling to the door until it sinks too with my seniority. But getting in on this hiring wave with someone would be preferable to hanging around any longer. My 5 year plan has become 8 already, Covid not withstanding.

Yes, took my chances early on and once you take two chances, you're ineligible to try again and that's with any Aviate carrier.

I don't mean to sound difficult, are you saying you got two double Nos from United? and a no from jetBlue? And [some others]?

I think a deep self reflection is healthy. You gotta pay for those in-person job interview preps. Find out what you're doing wrong.

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

CC is actually right about this the Big 4/FDX/UPS/AS/B6 hell even F9 and NK are known...but Breeze is a huge gamble...might pay off, might not.

I've been to 3 interviews(all corporate) that were for DEC and when I got there it was switched...literally walked out of all 3.

FWIW our current Director of Training is a former AS training guy, CC knows him. ( initials JO)....everyone needs to base it on there families best interests.

You're F9? If so yes, I think he was a DEN commuter and left for a Dir of Training at F9.

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

You'll fly mainline aircraft at Envoy

NO. You. Will. Not.

Patently false claim you just made.

 

[Maximilian_Jenius]

NO. You. Will. Not.

Patently false claim you just made.

If you teach a man to fish, he will eat for days. If you feed a troll. I'll fill up a sock with marbles.

 

[Max Power]

Beautiful things are happening in the industry. I am so happy and can't wait until there are less FFD carriers out there.



Ok, if AA/DL/UA/SWA/B6/NK/F9/FEDEX/UPS, aren't going to happen in weeks, then go to Breeze.



Going to be blunt, but this is foolish. Dozens upon dozens of ExpressJet Pilots told me in the 2005-2008 timeframe that they were not interested in Continental as they didn't have bases they wanted to be in and didn't want to commute long term. They are now thousands junior to those hired in 2012 at United. Alaska is a great company and a certainly a place you can be at for the rest of your career. Also, what you saying that makes no sense. What happens if you go to Breeze and they say "oh we are going to change our operations and opening a single base in SJC to operate out of to focus on the West Coast". How different is that than commuting to Alaska?

All good points and why I put this post up. I don’t know what the timeframe is for any of it, but the Breeze situation appears to be moving the fastest of all of them right now. But it is also the highest level of uncertainty and risk but *could* be a reward if it all pans out, which is what intrigues me about it. If BZ moves out west, I’m not going with it and it was all a detour then, but at least I’d be out of what I believe is a dying FFD carrier (and business model as you alluded). Alaska seems like a great place, but PIT-SEA would be tough, let alone PIT-ANC. Nothing is set in stone and until I get a CJO from someplace, I have no decision to make. Just trying to make the most educated guess I can.

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

All good points and why I put this post up. I don’t know what the timeframe is for any of it, but the Breeze situation appears to be moving the fastest of all of them right now. But it is also the highest level of uncertainty and risk but *could* be a reward if it all pans out, which is what intrigues me about it. If BZ moves out west, I’m not going with it and it was all a detour then, but at least I’d be out of what I believe is a dying FFD carrier (and business model as you alluded). Alaska seems like a great place, but PIT-SEA would be tough, let alone PIT-ANC. Nothing is set in stone and until I get a CJO from someplace, I have no decision to make. Just trying to make the most educated guess I can.

I grew up in western PA. I had 3 PIT overnights this month but unfortunately they were min 10 hrs. Land 1130pm and takeoff 11am. I couldn't see my family (parents 1 hr away, brother 30 minutes away). The only PIT flights we have is 1 daily to/from SEA.

How far from PIT airport are you?

I got my Private from New Castle airport (UCP).

 

[DE727UPS]

I would weigh your QOL if you were in the top 10% at Breeze vs ACMI. Where do you want to be eventually? If the top of a Breeze works for you long term, like forever, and gives you the QOL you want because your senior and you can drive to work, then more power to you. If you want to shoot for a higher spot in the food chain and are willing to sacrifice some QOL maybe, then I'd shoot for ACMI. I would bet the pay would be way better, quick enough upgrades, and heavy time that might get you noticed. It's all about the value you put into driving to work and staying local. To each their own.

 

[Max Power]

I don't mean to sound difficult, are you saying you got two double Nos from United? and a no from jetBlue? And [some others]?

I think a deep self reflection is healthy. You gotta pay for those in-person job interview preps. Find out what you're doing wrong.

I didn’t pass the Hogan the first time, which counts. The UAL interview was Ok, but apparently making any change to your app in red pen was frowned upon at the time. I honestly didn’t expect to pass the second time, so my interview was a compressed timeframe (3 weeks from Hogan to interview) which in hindsight I should have pushed back. I also didn’t have a Bachelors at the time, I don’t know how that figured in, but it was a requirement for the CPP.

B6, I found out a week before the interview about something my regional put in my PRIA that might be an issue, so I was upfront about it. I’m trying to get it fixed but it might have cost me B6 this time. I handled all these things in a manner suggested by the prep folks.

 

[BigZ]

NO. You. Will. Not.

Patently false claim you just made.

Lol'd not too long ago. All the company pages for BOS reference the old Eagle gates and ops freq. Parking on the south side with the big boys, figured we'd still call the Eagle ops when we were having issues with the closeout.
"Envoy.... 175? Contact mainline ops frq..."
"Just like the mainline" is verbalized often, 95% of the time in jest.

 

[Max Power]

I grew up in western PA. I had 3 PIT overnights this month but unfortunately they were min 10 hrs. Land 1130pm and takeoff 11am. I couldn't see my family (parents 1 hr away, brother 30 minutes away). The only PIT flights we have is 1 daily to/from SEA.

How far from PIT airport are you?

I got my Private from New Castle airport (UCP).

Grew up and reside south of Pittsburgh. About 10 min drive from AGC now, PIT is 30 min in no traffic, 45 with.

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

Grew up and reside south of Pittsburgh. About 10 min drive from AGC now, PIT is 30 min in no traffic, 45 with.

Nice!

I miss living in western PA.

Once I had a 48 hr layover in EWR so after landing, took a UEX flight to PIT. Then greyhound bus back the next night (redeye) Youngstown-Pittsburgh-Newark. Got ~26 hrs at the parents home.

 

[Maximilian_Jenius]

@Max Power have you considered UPS? Just got off the phone with a guy from here that recently got hired. He said they have A LOT of retirements coming up. Might be a good spot.

 

[tcco94]

I say it's time to ban this troll. Enough is enough.

 

[Max Power]

Nice!

I miss living in western PA.

Once I had a 48 hr layover in EWR so after landing, took a UEX flight to PIT. Then greyhound bus back the next night (redeye) Youngstown-Pittsburgh-Newark. Got ~26 hrs at the parents home.

I did some training out of BVI when I was working on my ratings (Proflight, CCBC) and remember doing an NDB approach into UCP. I’m sure that bus ride was, uh, interesting.

Western PA hasn’t changed that much and likely never will. But it is home, cost of living is low and my wife has been in her career for 20 years. She makes better money than me and has excellent benefits so relocating isn’t an option. The older I get, the more winter bothers me, so hopefully being a snowbird is in the future.

 

[Max Power]

I know “the person who shall not be named” is a troll, but the AA wholly owned thing would be appealing IF I hadn’t already been in a regional for 8 years ( the last 6 as a Captain), wasn’t 43 and didn’t have the time I do.

We have a fair amount of junior folks that want to head to the AA WO’s for these fine print bonuses and the flow and if that's what they want, more power to them. If I was 10 years younger with less time (both flight time and longevity) it would be appealing. I think FFD carriers are dead or dying , but as WO, there might be more life left there. But it won’t be me going. Besides, one of my resume black marks comes from a WO years ago. It was self induced, but yeah, not interested

 

[Max Power]

@Max Power have you considered UPS? Just got off the phone with a guy from here that recently got hired. He said they have A LOT of retirements coming up. Might be a good spot.

Apps are in, but I don't know anyone there, so I don't have the highly valued internal rec. Same with Fedex.

 

[Max Power]

I would weigh your QOL if you were in the top 10% at Breeze vs ACMI. Where do you want to be eventually? If the top of a Breeze works for you long term, like forever, and gives you the QOL you want because your senior and you can drive to work, then more power to you. If you want to shoot for a higher spot in the food chain and are willing to sacrifice some QOL maybe, then I'd shoot for ACMI. I would bet the pay would be way better, quick enough upgrades, and heavy time that might get you noticed. It's all about the value you put into driving to work and staying local. To each their own.

Breeze works long term if they keep Pittsburgh as a city and it survives. When I told my wife about the pre-screen and being based at home, she was all for it because she's always hated me commuting but knows its part of the job. Then I told her it wasn't a union shop and being in a union herself, she felt that was a minus. Right now, Breeze is a lateral pay move and likely QOL because of growing pains (as long as I could come in as a captain) and long term isn't as lucrative as even an FO at a major, but not having to commute would be a time savings and money savings as well.

I'm not particularly close to the airport, at least 30 min drive, 45 in traffic. I enjoy only doing it once or twice a week right now, but that's because I have never had an opportunity not to. When I first started at my current job, I was CLE based and drove to work. It's always nice to drive to work, your car is always waiting for you and doesn't leave without you (most airports). But it's never been a goal per se, because I never expected that option.

 

[roundout]

There's a ULCC with a Philly base, lots of planes on order, and decent pay. That's all I'm going to say, lest people begin to mistake me for that guy.

 

[Max Power]

There's a ULCC with a Philly base, lots of planes on order, and decent pay. That's all I'm going to say, lest people begin to mistake me for that guy.

This carrier you speak of has not acknowledged my existence. And PHL from PIT is not an easy commute thanks to AA, their regional folks and a lack of direct flights. It is about 6 hours to drive to Philly too, but Amtrak is an option. Not discounting this ULCC , but nothing has come from it in the past and not for lack of trying.

 

[roundout]

This carrier you speak of has not acknowledged my existence.

Interesting

.... to......not an easy commute thanks to AA

Insert City pair here....... The problem is in bold italic.

Anyway. Didn't know if you had considered it or not, but it sounds as if you did. 6hr drive once a week > commuting transcon, but it does indeed seem like a bit of a slog, as well.