Compass or ASA?

[CX880]

Since we are on the topic of pilots applying to regional airlines, I have a question for those who are current or former regional pilots. There are some regional airlines that are hiring now (Colgan, American Eagle, Air Wisconsin are just a few). From reading pilots who have/currently fly for these airlines, their feelings have been mixed (good, bad, and indifferent). There are pilots applying to these airlines and accepting job offers. If there's a CFI applying to a regional airline for the first time or a furloughed pilot changing airlines, and these individuals want to keep flying professionally, no matter what they hear, which regional airlines are worth flying for?

But you can never answer this question. It all depends on the individuals preference. If you don't want to stay at a regioanl for very long, you don't go for the place that has a good qol because no one leaves. If you want to stay for a long time and value your quality of life then you obviously go for places like American Eagle and AWAC where you get paid very little but at least you fly for an established relatively stable airline and fly jet equipment.

 

[Cpt Oveur]

One just closed a MEM base, the other on the verge of opening it...

 

[no1pilot2000]

So be it.

 

[COOPERVANE]

But you can never answer this question. It all depends on the individuals preference. If you don't want to stay at a regioanl for very long, you don't go for the place that has a good qol because no one leaves. If you want to stay for a long time and value your quality of life then you obviously go for places like American Eagle and AWAC where you get paid very little but at least you fly for an established relatively stable airline and fly jet equipment.

That is some good advise right there. Many people just go to whoever hires them first. Some go for QOL. Some wait to go to the place with the quicker upgrade. It was best for ME to split the difference and go to a place that had descent QOL and was growing a lot (at the time). I don't regret my choice.

However...my buddies who chose the crappy regional are at Delta now, so YMMV

 

[79%N1]

One just closed a MEM base, the other on the verge of opening it...

And who are they?

 

[LXApilot]

He's talking about Compass closing an MEM domicile and ASA considering opening an MEM domicile... Anybody remember when ASA had a MEM base back in the early 1980s? I believe that is how Atlantic Southeast started was as a Republic Airlines feeder out of MEM

 

[79%N1]

Well ASA does fly more flights out of MEM than out of IAD.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Won't most of the Compass seniority list turn over rather quickly with the Delta flow? Some QOL will be gained through higher attrition there I would think.

 

[JumpersAway]

Given a Hulas track record, NO WAY would I even remotely entertain the idea of going there!

As for our being competative and losing money- the ExpressJet aquisition should fix that. Once they are brought on board, our operating cost should be significantly lower. It's like having an entire airline without any management- lot's of synergies as things are consolidated between the two.

 

[Redan]

Word is ASA is mostly interested in more experienced pilots now. Also that they are placing a premium on local pilots who wouldn't have to commute.

As far as QOL, at ASA it sort of has its ups and downs, kind of on a downish cycle now. Also, there are lots of ASA folks with years of reserve under their belts. Another major unknown will be the results of the implementation of PBS at some point, and the up coming merger with Expressjet. These are all just the standard set of issues for the current/future reality of Regionals in particular, if not airlines and aviation in general.

 

[Flybywire44]

Apply to both and go with the first one to hire you.

 

[CX880]

Apply to both and go with the first one to hire you.

I'd go with the second one to hire you just to be sure.

 

[flybigsky]

Regionals only?

Why aim for the regionals when the majors are also starting to hire. SWA to fully drain the pool by late winter with new hires to come and a possible added base in ATL gives you even more options for a short commute. Just sayin...Good luck.

 

[brad767]

Speaking of people going to delta, isnt asa losing 10-15/mon to delta? If so its almost a good as a flow. If you combine that with how many xjt guys go to cal/ual once they get ual furloughs off the street i think asa will see alot of attrition comming up. I know XJT guys get hired at cal at a disproportionate rate when cal is hiring, prob like asa to delta.

 

[DrunkIrishman]

Go to whichever gets you in the left seat quicker! Being an FO at a regional sucks.

I was in your shoes about a decade ago and I chose ASA where I sat as an FO for a long time. Meanwhile, "crappy" airlines like Chataqua, Mesa, Republic continued to grow rapidly and offer upgrades as fast as they could. Having said all that, why aim so low? Why wouldn't you apply to all carriers that are hiring? AT, DAL and SWA are/will be hiring and you can live in ATL.

Is corporate in ATL that bad? I have not seen many go from corporate to regional and stay for very long. They can't seem to get used to the low pay and the seniority system that keeps them at that low pay. The ones I have known seem to return to corporate within 2 years.