New Dispatcher FAQ

well most dispatchers use regionals as a stepping stone to a major and new dispatchers start out at a regional. Thus a revolving door.
 
EchoBravo11 said:
Are the

Why are they such a revolving door? Is it workload/stress factor for lower pay or??
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Delta, Southwest, AA, and United have all had external classes start this year. Throw in both Spirit and Frontier plus some of the cargo carriers. They will have taken a good amount from regional carriers creating a need for more people.
 
No you will not have a generous 401k match or profit sharing like you do at WN.

The last few rounds of dispatch classes at WN have been just about half or slightly over half internals. You may be better off just staying put if you are in good standing with the company, making ok money (especially if a regional would cause you to take a pay cut), and so that you can keep your vacation, continue with the good 401k match, and profit sharing. It isn’t a for sure thing to dispatch there but, if you do get on, being internal has its perks like higher seniority than the externals, longevity pay, if you have been there more than the 5 year mark or are close to it you will have more vacation days.. just things to think about. Have you tried doing a day in the field? Networking? Truly reflect on how diligent you were at studying for the test AND the interview if you got that far.... excluding something major like not a good standing with the company in your current role, something on your record, or you flat out just don’t get it, it would not be out of the realm of possibilities to eventually get into dispatch with enough networking and persistence. They are saying they could potentially hire another 60-ish after this class that is about to start next month so you could have a few more shots at it coming up. Good luck to you.
 
EchoBravo11 said:
Sorry if this has been answered before but I’m curious as to why regional job postings have been quite frequent? I got my DX license at the beginning of this year and have been sitting on it so far. I currently work for the LUV airline in ground operations and have several years here. I went for the most recent opening for dispatch but didn’t make the cut this go around. Since the beginning of this year I’ve kept a weekly eye on job openings online for all carriers and have noticed most regionals accepting applications multiple times since January. Is this due to growth or turnover? I’ve been considering jumping ship and working for a regional in dispatch but this has me concerned. I’ll be taking a pay cut but it will be alright as I’ve wanted to be a dispatcher for some time now so it will be doing what I’ve always wanted. Just concerned why there are such frequent openings. I know I’ve read that the regional workload can be quite stressful so could that be why? Just trying to make sure I make the right move here. Also I receive quite good benefits and a generous 401k match at WN can I expect the same working at most regionals? Thanks for any info.
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Be cautious, not everyone’s story is so direct. I had a buddy who worked for WN in ops while in college, graduated with an aviation degree, is a veteran, and spent 5 or so years in ops (2-3 at DAL) and got nowhere. You have to network, shake hands, and kiss ass a little. My buddy eventually went to a regional to get experience and now has a job back at a major on his way to dispatch. You have to know you’re doing enough.
 
van12 said:
I couldnt book a flight on time. Would it be bad if I miss the first day of class?
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It happened to me once (winter storm along my route of travel while driving there) and the boss was understanding. Definitely have a good reason and talk to the person who hired you though.
 
manniax said:
It happened to me once (winter storm along my route of travel while driving there) and the boss was understanding. Definitely have a good reason and talk to the person who hired you though.
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No no--first day of dispatching class.
 
I'll be starting my first dispatch job at a regional pretty soon and I'm wondering how to dress properly. The welcome email I received says the dress code for class is business casual. Do I need to wear classic oxfords/derbies or can I get away with casual derbies? Suit pants or chinos? If the dress code for class is business casual, will I need to wear a little more formerly once I actually start working as a dispatcher?
 
Chinos and a polo will be fine for making a good impression. I would say the most common is jeans, a polo, and trainers.
 
I have been thinking about dispatch for quite some time and am now ready to make the career change and I have been reading a lot in this forum. I was just wondering if you all think it would be difficult for an internal employee at a legacy to get hired without any experience?
 
PiperLady said:
I have been thinking about dispatch for quite some time and am now ready to make the career change and I have been reading a lot in this forum. I was just wondering if you all think it would be difficult for an internal employee at a legacy to get hired without any experience?
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Depends on the legacy - I would talk to dispatchers where you are at and see what their backgrounds were before getting hired there.
 
manniax said:
Sounds nice, but my limited experience with crew scheduling is that it is an extremely thankless, stressful job. I would never want to do it on a daily basis.
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Yea, I worked for a regional that had extremely high turnover in crew scheduling but hey, this could work for someone.
 
Just received my jeppesen kit in the mail. Delivery man had to use his big push cart lol. Any recommendations on which material would be a good idea to start looking at and also maybe what to hold off on until class begins?
 
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