Even with 400 captains for just 81 aircraft there are 3/4 of those captains who will want and have yearly interviews with Delta and as the hiring picks up throughout the industry, they will be leaving or trying to leave. Opening up movement forFO's. Endeavor used to have the worst pay and QOL given our bankruptcy contract but now just add $20,000 onto everyone's payscales at endeavor which makes it good money when compared to other regionals. Add that we have leg by leg pay protection, cancelation pay, hotels are greatly improving, a great training department, and at a minimum of two shots at a delta interview, it's not a bad choice to come to Endeavor.
What do we have to work on? Well we need to turn the corner and start upgrading now that they are actually hiring. Electronic flight bags (tablets) because our backs are killing us getting in and out of RJ's with that thing. Better commuting rules (deadhead swaps from other bases), sick time accrual (2.5 hours a month) - gives a pilot about 1 four day trip of paid sick time while our mainline brothers and sisters get over 5 times as much and they start out with more days off and less trips flown. Finally, one of our senior captains said it best when talking about the bonus payment "if they give us another $10,000 a year, then we will almost be back to our (Mesaba) pay rates from before the fake bankruptcy." He forgot to mention better reserve rules, better 401k to also bring us back to pre bankruptcy levels etc etc.
If I were looking for a job with potential, good pay for a regional, lived in MsP DTW or NYC or an easy commute to any of the three, and a desire to work for the most profitable, stable, best managed mainline carrier out there (Delta) who treats and pays their pilots the best, I would come work at Endeavor Air.