CHQ or XJT?

[TWAER]

Why? What's so good about the 170? Especially since it pays the same as a FO? It's just an airplane, after all.

One more FA to hit on. Maybe???????

 

[ERJDRVR]

Neal (BlueDev),

Thanks for the objective post, without slamming CHQ. It's easy for a lot of people to want to do just that (slam CHQ) because we are the current "flavor of the month" as far as growth, upgrades, etc. I appreciate your objective opinion, it was in fact informative.

As someone who has worked for both companies (former furloughed Express F/O and current CHQ Captain) I'll give my 2 cents. First of all, either company is a very good place to work. I worked under XJT's old contract and it was a good place to work, I'm sure it is even better now, with all of BluDev & the other EXCO's hard work. It sounds as if XJT's new contract (which I HAVE NOT read) improved a lot of deficiencies. CHQ's contract does not have a lot of those provisions. We do however, have a great quality of life. As an F/O I wold routinely have 17-19 days off a month. As a fairly new Captain (6 months and counting) I get 13-15 days off, but I do work most weekends. The great thing about CHQ is your schedule is your schedule. They can't touch you outside of it (junior manning, roll days off, etc) To me, that is worth a few dollars an hour, but that's just me. Everyone hacks on CHQ's contract but it is not bad at all. Sure there are things I'd LOVE to see in there, and they will be things I'm sure we will be looking for in our next contract. Our's was the first NON-CONCESSIONARY contract post 9/11. We got rid of an alter-ego airline, we got raises, we got work rules improvement, all in all, we did fairly good. XJT did better, which they should have.
Don't go to either airline in hopes of a quick upgrade. That can change in a heartbeat. In INDOC at XJT they told me I'd be a Captain in 6 months. Didn't happen. If anything happens at USAir (or Delta or American or UAL) then I might be back to F/O. If you come to CHQ (or XJT) you might get furloughed. That's life in the airline industry.
Both airlines have lots to offer. If your lucky enough to get offers at both, then take the time to think about what matters most to you. For me, I think it would come down to bases more than anything. If I lived in Houston (or EWR or CLE) it would be XJT. If I lived in St Louis (or IND, SDF, LGA, CMH, BUF, MCO, FLL, RIC, or GSO) I'd go to CHQ.

Probally the MOST QUALIFIED person to answer this question. Good post Knight-ryder.


Don't lay your $$$$ on upgrades.. That stuff turns in a heartbeat. 1 year upgrade today, 9 year upgrade 2 months later.

Good luck.

 

[AirBoard]

Well I consider someone on probation a "new hire." If you are with Indy, put your stuff in with us and you will have a streamlined intervew in the very near future.

-Neal

Probation... that was a long time ago but I guess......Already put the cv into you guys, hopefully something good comes about. I applied 5 years ago and didn't hear anything, maybe they don't like my name.

 

[EMB170Pilot]

oh didnt know G B retired

airplane is an airplane

i didnt care but since i had the time to get into the 170 why not shoot for it?
going from a piston to a jet didnt matter which airplane I got but at least try for the 170 and work my way down

but again both companies are great to work for

 

[rattler]

,


As an F/O I wold routinely have 17-19 days off a month. As a fairly new Captain (6 months and counting) I get 13-15 days off, but I do work most weekends. /QUOTE]

Hey Mike, are those days off reflected on your bid packets, or do you get those in open time. Last month, we had most lines with 12 days off, alot of 13-14's in the middle, maybe 15 or so with 15 days off and less than ten lines with 16-18 days off. I can get 17-19 days off with a little Voodoo majic in the open time window, but not commutable. The best commutable line I have ever had was 16 days off. I built it myself. Normally I have 14 days off, weekends/hollidays off, and commutable.

Congrat's on the upgrade!

 

[kc1]

At ExpressJet, if hired today, would it be likely to upgrade within 5 years?

 

[kntrdr]

,


As an F/O I wold routinely have 17-19 days off a month. As a fairly new Captain (6 months and counting) I get 13-15 days off, but I do work most weekends. /QUOTE]

Hey Mike, are those days off reflected on your bid packets, or do you get those in open time. Last month, we had most lines with 12 days off, alot of 13-14's in the middle, maybe 15 or so with 15 days off and less than ten lines with 16-18 days off. I can get 17-19 days off with a little Voodoo majic in the open time window, but not commutable. The best commutable line I have ever had was 16 days off. I built it myself. Normally I have 14 days off, weekends/hollidays off, and commutable.

Congrat's on the upgrade!

Before when I was an FO, it was in the bid pack. Now we have switched to PBS, and it is what I am awarded. I never have traded a trip, picked up open time, etc.. Our schedules (for the most part) are really good. They guys that complain about it have never worked any where else. All in all, the schedules are really nice. One of the best parts of working here.

 

[rattler]

Before when I was an FO, it was in the bid pack. Now we have switched to PBS, and it is what I am awarded. I never have traded a trip, picked up open time, etc.. Our schedules (for the most part) are really good. They guys that complain about it have never worked any where else. All in all, the schedules are really nice. One of the best parts of working here.

Sorry, one more question. With that being said it is obvious you guys get more days off then we do. There has been alot of the PBS talk recently. I think most people are strongly apposed to it. So since you have bid using both methods, do you like the PBS better? In your opinion, are you getting better lines? QOL?

I am also amazed you are awarded line with up to 15 days off, with only 6 months in the left seat. That's great!

 

[kntrdr]

I'm still undecided about it (PBS). For me it has not been bad, but I have been really junior when using it. I think all in all, it is OK. I liked the other method as well. When the lines were being built for us (pre-pbs) I think the line values were less. Most lines were built for about 78 hrs. Now the line values seem to be higher in most bases (about 82 hrs). So with PBS it seems as if we are flying more, but also getting more $$$. Different guys have different opinions of it. I think the really senior guys like it (they can hand build there schedule) and the really junior guys seem to like it (seems to make us get lines easier, can have a better schedule, ie. a mix of good trips) I think the middle of the road seniority guys like it a little less. That is just my observation. The bottom line is, if you have bad pairing, you will have a bad schedule. They are working on improving our pairings, but some of them are very inefficient. Especially on the USAir side of things.

 

[E145Pilot]

I'll agree with Knight's response about the PBS. If you don't the schedule you get with it, you probably didn't like your schedule before we went to PBS either. A lot of guys don't like it because they aren't asking it for what they really want. Personally, as a commuter I try for early checkouts (basically get off before 6:30 pm on the last day - as commutable as it gets in SDF, but that's another story) and maximum days off. The last two months I've gotten 18 and 19 days off respectively with no vacation. Not to give away my secrets, but this can be achieved by asking for Min Schedule (builds a line until it reaches approx 78 hours) and then Awarding average daily credits as high as i can get them. I don't care where i go as long as I can get back early and am working my a$$ off while I'm at work. As a one year FO, I can't complain at all, but have friends at XJT and think that you will be happy at either company. Again, to second Knight, it would come down to bases for me too, as STL is pretty much CHQ's only commutable base. Good Luck