FlyingSioux1
Well-Known Member
My regional had managers sending out emails when majors posted to make sure everyone knew.
Club Furlough
- Thread starter paincorp
- Start date
manniax
Well-met in the Ka-tet
Yeah, there are definitely those people who want to move on but are unable to - but I also know of people at both ZW and OO that have no intention of ever moving on, because of family and ties to the area. In the case of ZW, the cost of living is low enough that you can live a pretty decent lifestyle on what they make at top out. (Not sure about OO, but I imagine that if you got a mortgage years ago before housing prices started climbing you could do pretty well there also.)
This being said - having been at more than one regional when a major airline codeshare was canceled - it's not the most secure form of employment. ZW in particular I think is on shaky ground right now with their all 50-seat RJ fleet. I'm pretty sure OO will be around for the long term, but you can never count on permanency in this industry - way back when I started working for the airlines, Comair was an "elite" regional and everyone wanted to get a job there starting out.
autosave36
IROP Food tester. You're welcome.
My hire class was told day one by the training manager that if we are still there in 3 years, theres a problem
manniax
Well-met in the Ka-tet
A lot of that depends on the industry, it's pretty cyclical. People who were new dispatchers immediately after 9/11 took longer to get to the majors than ones who started in 2006. Not much you can do about it. I doubt majors will be doing any more hiring for a couple of years at least, but if a vaccine is found quickly, traffic may rebound faster. All we can do it this point is wait and see (and hope.)
ATLiens
Well-Known Member
My head is spinning. Dr. Fauci came out and said the other day that millions of vaccines being ready by Jan is not an unreasonable assumption and then today I read the W.H.O said there is no guarantee a vaccine will made at all.
Pancake
Person experiencing illiteracy
This is something that was said to me when I started my current job a year ago. That had held true for about 7 years at that point and only stopped being true in March/April when the economy started circling the drain. If you’re good at your job and at a well connected shop, getting out in 3 years was on the longer end of things in the economy of 6 months ago.
manniax
Well-met in the Ka-tet
I think a lot of it is luck, some of it is effort and networking (and doing a good job while you're networking and applying, of course.) Everyone's story is a bit different. Some people get lucky and get hired by a major in under two years, others for whatever reason it takes a while longer. All you can do is keep plugging away and doing the best job you can. I think that most people who work at it can eventually get on with a major, but it's not something that magically happens.
IADspotter
Well-Known Member
Like so many of the discussions on here, unfortunately, this one seems to have gone in the direction of a needless argument where both sides have legitimate reasons to stand up for what they perceive to be offensive suggestions. I do not believe anyone should feel awkward about being ambitious about their goals to end up in a major. Just as no lifer should be taken for incompetent or unambitious just because they chose to or ended up staying at a regional even if they did not mean to.
I will, however, point out that as long as majors do not cease the nepotistic (for a lack of better term) practice of preferring an internal candidate with a dispatch license, suggesting that being at a major is a reflection of a dispatcher's quality is problematic. I can count more than a few cases in my very limited experience with this industry where a ramp/customer service agent, crew scheduler etc. had a straight forward path to a major NOC, simply because they could manage to attend dispatch school. Disagree with me all you want but I do not see how being an employee in any capacity with a major makes you a better dispatch candidate by default...
I will, however, point out that as long as majors do not cease the nepotistic (for a lack of better term) practice of preferring an internal candidate with a dispatch license, suggesting that being at a major is a reflection of a dispatcher's quality is problematic. I can count more than a few cases in my very limited experience with this industry where a ramp/customer service agent, crew scheduler etc. had a straight forward path to a major NOC, simply because they could manage to attend dispatch school. Disagree with me all you want but I do not see how being an employee in any capacity with a major makes you a better dispatch candidate by default...
who'swho
Don't hesitate. Penetrate!
Most dispatchers who come from regionals are solid. You still have some, not all, senior guys who are senior at their regional for a reason. This isn't saying every senior dispatcher sucks but SOME do. That's my point.
Flagship_dxer
Penske Material
I think those at regionals and supplementals now should look really hard at long term QOL. Yes, regional and supplemental pay is not as good compared to the majors. However, what are your goals in life? How much does work schedule, vacation, and desk assignment matter?
Consider this. Most of the hiring done the past decade has been of dispatchers under the age of 50. Many under the age of 40. This means that significant portion of major seniority lists have 30-40 years before they consider retirement. When they get the desks, schedule, and vacation days they like and don't want to give up, which tend to be the more desirable in general, it will likely be a long wait for those that get hired over the next 10-20 years to get those desirable spots. It will also mean a constant stress over potentially being furloughed during each crisis or economic hiccup being in the bottom part of a long list with little to no retirements in sight.
I think the question that many have to ask is how long is working midnights, weekends and vacation in the winter going to be worth the higher major salary? In some parts of the country, a regional wage is not bad especially with overtime. If you attach yourself to a love interest with a well paying job, it might be better QOL wise to stay where you are.
If majors dont hire much if at all for the next decade, many now at the regionals will be in a different stage in life. As I have seen at a major already, the grass isnt always greener. The money is not always worth it. There is no shame in chasing after QOL instead of money or job titles.
Consider this. Most of the hiring done the past decade has been of dispatchers under the age of 50. Many under the age of 40. This means that significant portion of major seniority lists have 30-40 years before they consider retirement. When they get the desks, schedule, and vacation days they like and don't want to give up, which tend to be the more desirable in general, it will likely be a long wait for those that get hired over the next 10-20 years to get those desirable spots. It will also mean a constant stress over potentially being furloughed during each crisis or economic hiccup being in the bottom part of a long list with little to no retirements in sight.
I think the question that many have to ask is how long is working midnights, weekends and vacation in the winter going to be worth the higher major salary? In some parts of the country, a regional wage is not bad especially with overtime. If you attach yourself to a love interest with a well paying job, it might be better QOL wise to stay where you are.
If majors dont hire much if at all for the next decade, many now at the regionals will be in a different stage in life. As I have seen at a major already, the grass isnt always greener. The money is not always worth it. There is no shame in chasing after QOL instead of money or job titles.
Didn't know what an approach plate WAS, or how to interperate (read it) it
El Oso
Well-Known Member
Not better, not worse, just different.
You're a known commodity, especially if you're already working in the NOC/SOC/IOC/whatever.
One of the big factors in hiring is making sure someone isn't going to be a 20-30 year problem. If you're already in the building, have a reputation of being smart and able to work well in the unique environment of an airline operations center, then it's an easy decision to make.
I normally don’t trust the W.H.O but I agree with them here. Most countries will have heard immunity before any vaccine is made. You just can’t get a safe vaccine out quick enough.Sweden says they are weeks away from heard immunity.
look at SARS, a vaccine was developed after it had already run its course, not needed at that point.
KiloEchoVictor
Well-Known Member
Heard through the grapevine that republic is now seeking armed security for their lobby at HQ... Must have a lot of unhappy customers...
Not to mention that coronaviruses are difficult to make lasting vaccines for. The common cold is a type of coronavirus, as were SARS and MERS. Nobody is an expert on this new coronavirus yet because we're still in the early stages of studying it, so there's really no reason to think an effective and safe vaccine can be made for this one when it couldn't be for the others. But in spite of all that, the narrative now seems to have shifted from "flatten the curve" to "wait for a vaccine," one that may never actually come. I am really skeptical of how much of this whole mess was necessary and how much was just hysteria.
GateChange
Well-Known Member
Amen.
Not like anyone is left. They just approved leave for a third of the remaining dispatchers, and one retired.
KiloEchoVictor
Well-Known Member
Would be a real shame for management over there if demand suddenly spiked beyond what 40 dispatchers can handle...
