The best regional airline to work for
- Thread starter xkex5088
- Start date
Firebird2XC
Well-Known Member
Okay, here's most likely the most unbiased answer you're ever gonna get for this question.
First off, just about everybody here worked and fought to get to a regional of their choosing. As such, they feel the need to defend the merits of their individual employer. Since in this industry those merits often change more or less weekly, take that with a grain of salt. Keep in mind some guys 'lateral hire' from one company to another after a bad experience. That definitely colors their thoughts on the subject.
Secondly, consider what works best for you. There is no 'magic bullet' choice of employers out there. But don't just look at what the company is doing today- look at what it will be doing two or three years down the road per present trends. The airline business is anything but static, and picking the right horse has NOTHING to do with what recruiting says today.
Third, recruiters lie. Get the facts from pilots flying the line, and get more than one from each company. Then make up your own opinion.
Lastly- Don't fly for a non-union airline. There will be no work rules, crappy pay, and crappier treatment from the company. Empty promises will abound. While yes, there are some happy pilots working for places without union reps, they've never had a serious problem. If you were to say, leave the runway on landing rollout, the company would likely throw you under the bus to protect its rep. Only a union can protect your career then.
The only way to have any kind of a say in what you get for your high level of expertise, training, and dedication is through union representation.
That's my .02 on the subject. I hope it's useful.
wheelsup
Well-Known Member
You're a joke.
Firebird2XC
Well-Known Member
Feel free to refute his statements with well reasoned thoughts and opinions at any time.
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
Non-union airlines can go either way. You can be at Skywest or Colgan. Both are non-union, and they're on opposite ends of the spectrum. It's really a crap shoot either way. Personally, I'd rather have a union contract backing me just in case management decides they want to start changing stuff left and right. Just b/c it hasn't happend at Skywest doesn't mean it never will. Management teams change, and with them so do operating practices. Ask the Colgan boys if you don't believe me. How many guys over there were quite happy with the way things were going until management changed? How's that figure holding up now? 2 years ago, that place wouldn't have even THOUGHT about organizing seriously. Now, they're 4 votes away from having ALPA on property. From what I've been hearing about how they're still treating guys over there, next August they'll be about 40 votes on the "yes" side unless a lot of people say "f it" and quit.
In the end, you really have to pick the regional that works best for you.
In the end, you really have to pick the regional that works best for you.
zmiller4
Well-Known Member
You've got to be kidding me.
You might want to know a little more about the variations in non-union companies before you make blanket statements like this. The company I work for now is non-union and does not have a history of firing people arbitrarily for mistakes (yes, there is one well-known incident that people can point to, but I'd be interested to know how one time constitutes a "pattern"). In fact, we had plane go off the end of a runway a couple of years ago and the pilots are still with us (not so for the Pinnacle CA that had a similar event a while ago). As Kellwolf correctly points out, there's no guarantee that things *won't* get bad here, and that's why a decent number of us supported a union.
When it comes to choosing a regional, decide where you want go based on pay, work rules, QOL, bases, etc. It's ridiculous to assume that non-union airlines are by nature crap-holes. In fact, I (and dozens of other guys) left your airline for our current one because the QOL, work rules, and overall happiness of the employees is VASTLY better than it is at your airline.
Firebird2XC
Well-Known Member
Point taken.. but would you say that your company is more or less an exception to the norm? This is the downfall of generalizations.. always an exception. C'est la vie.
Alchemy
Well-Known Member
Been junior manned today? Can you refuse to fly if you answer a call from scheduling on a day off?
Magic words:
"I am not available for work today, CLICK."
triple7
Well-Known Member
Been junior manned today? Can you refuse to fly if you answer a call from scheduling on a day off?
Why did you answer your phone to begin with
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
Magic words "Hi, you've reached the voice mail of XXXX...." Scheduling is in my caller ID AND has their own distinctive ring tone. Problem with the above statement is schedulers at Pinnacle have been told not to take "No" for an answer. We had a guy get threatened with a MT when he answered his phone on a boat in FL after he'd been drinking a couple. He informed the scheduler that he couldn't take the assignment since he'd been drinking within the past 8 hours (it was his day off, ya know). He wound up being threatened by a scheduling supervisor. They didn't back down until he threatened to get the FAA involved. I think there may have been an anonymous tip tossed the FAA's way anyway....
Ralgha
Well-Known Member
Yeah? I'm closing on my 3rd anniversery at a regional, pushing 70k this year (Brasilia), and I had a week off over Thanksgiving. Does that work?
Ohyeah, and it's *gasp* non-union.
FlyChicaga
Vintage Restoration
Chicago Express Airlines.
Cruise
Well-Known Member
Proves the ebb and flow of life at the regional level.......it's a crapshoot from year to year, contract renewals......
Care to explain. I really dont know,and would appreciate any answers. FLY SAFE T.C.Eagle......
Cruise
Well-Known Member
Well, when I posted that, I hadn't seen your post about 'Eagle not being listed.' I was being a bit sarcastic in light of the recent announcement of AMR to divest Eagle. Things could be great there in the next few years.....or they could be terrible, to say the least. When the AMR dust settles and Eagle is done w/ the chopping block, we'll know.
kellwolf
Piece of Trash
I think it's tough to say about Eagle. They could become really good with the right management team. With the wrong team.....well, they might become the next Independence Air or Chicago Express. You can't really tell. I'd say it's a safe bet they won't go under within the next 6 months to a year. Past that, no one really knows for ANY regional. Heck, if management doesn't pull their heads outta their rears at my airline, the stars align and we get released to self help, Pinnacle could cease to exist within 30 days of any day from now....