Major Upgrade Time

[jtrain609]

You couldn't pay me to live in Los Angeles again. My QOL is higher with the commute from hell than it was living in North Hollywood.

The guys that say that commuting to reserve is the worst thing since Hitler haven't had to deal with living in a place that they hate. I'll still take this commute over living in Newark, Cleveland, Houston, San Antonio, Los Angeles proper or Ontario.

Live where you want and figure out the commute from there.

 

[typhoonpilot]

Horizon is good, but I REALLY want to work for ExpressJet That commute sounds like hell, man. I hope you get the LAX or ONT transfer soon. If the reserve commute is that bad then I'll just live in base until I can hold a line, then move to Seattle.

I just can't stand the thought of living in L.A. I heard that city is less than great to live in! How is life up in Newark? Maybe I'll just request that base initially and live there while on reserve, then request a transfer to LAX once I hold a line....

Uhh, newsflash, Expressjet is the next Independence Air. RJs can't go it alone and make money. I'll give em an A for effort, but the seat mile costs will kill them eventually. They will be forced to abandon the experiment in time and go back to pure provider status or risk total liquidation. Wouldn't be my top choice of places to go.


Typhoonpilot

 

[jtrain609]

Uhh, newsflash, Expressjet is the next Independence Air. RJs can't go it alone and make money. I'll give em an A for effort, but the seat mile costs will kill them eventually. They will be forced to abandon the experiment in time and go back to pure provider status or risk total liquidation. Wouldn't be my top choice of places to go.


Typhoonpilot

I'm glad to know that the 18% of the ExpressJet fleet that is flying on the branded side is going to sink the other 82% of the company that is making money flying for Delta and Continental Express.

Let me go polish up my resume...

 

[Baronman]

Hey Typhoon Pilot: Newsflash- We don't have 274 planes (our whole fleet) flying in and out of Houston (Continental Hub) a la Indy Air. Your comparison exposes your basic understanding of the company.

 

[Velocipede]

Uhh, newsflash, Expressjet is the next Independence Air. RJs can't go it alone and make money. I'll give em an A for effort, but the seat mile costs will kill them eventually. They will be forced to abandon the experiment in time and go back to pure provider status or risk total liquidation. Wouldn't be my top choice of places to go.

I disagree. FlyI lost ALL of their coded flying when United pulled the rug out from under them. XJT still has a significant percentage of their flying linked to major carriers. Now, if they lose ALL that ALL at once, I might agree with your comment.

 

[typhoonpilot]

Hey Typhoon Pilot: Newsflash- We don't have 274 planes (our whole fleet) flying in and out of Houston (Continental Hub) a la Indy Air. Your comparison exposes your basic understanding of the company.

The point is that the aircraft that make up the pure Expressjet portion of the company are at great risk of being idled unless they can find a contract to fly for a major. Small RJ's seat costs are too high to be profitable in point to point service.

This isn't a slam on Expressjet so don't take it personally. It is a realistic evaluation of the risk the company is facing. This could mean slower growth; no growth; or reduction in fleet. If I was a new pilot working my way up I would be wary of a company in a position like that.

I hope I am wrong and Expressjet is successful. Time will tell so don't jump on me too hard for saying it out loud. You know what I am saying makes sense. We'll revisit this thread in one year's time and see who was right.


Typhoonpilot

 

[jtrain609]

The point is that the aircraft that make up the pure Expressjet portion of the company are at great risk of being idled unless they can find a contract to fly for a major. Small RJ's seat costs are too high to be profitable in point to point service.

This isn't a slam on Expressjet so don't take it personally. It is a realistic evaluation of the risk the company is facing. This could mean slower growth; no growth; or reduction in fleet. If I was a new pilot working my way up I would be wary of a company in a position like that.

I hope I am wrong and Expressjet is successful. Time will tell so don't jump on me too hard for saying it out loud. You know what I am saying makes sense. We'll revisit this thread in one year's time and see who was right.


Typhoonpilot

Well, at this point it would seem you're wrong as it looks like branded is breaking even.

I agree, we'll see where we're at in a year. I'll either be flying an E-170 at Republic or *gasp* as CRJ-900 at Skywest, or I'll be in law school.

 

[Velocipede]

The point is that the aircraft that make up the pure Expressjet portion of the company are at great risk of being idled unless they can find a contract to fly for a major.

Again, I'll disagree. The branded flying may not be making lots of money, but its being supported by the coded flying. Sure, if they lose enough money, they could park the branded jets. But that certainly won't send them down the FlyI road.

FlyI also tried to go independet at IAD. Presidential Airways found out the folly of that move in the early '80s. FlyI just duplicated the experience.