Is Horizon/Alaska the Best?

[LuvMyJob]

Having done some research, much of it gleaned from info on this board, I believe I have come to a conclusion about which company may be the best to work for in this current environment.

I have not seen any other commuter airline listed as flying for Alaska except for Horizon. I don't know much about Horizon but this fact alone carries much weight in todays culture.

AAL has Eagle then screws them by naming "connection" carriers
CAL has CoEx then screws them by naming other "connection" carriers.
Delta has probably 3 of the top 5 regionals in ASA, ACA and Comair then screws them by naming other "connection" carriers.
United has 2 of the best regionals in AirWis and ACA then screws them by naming more "connection" carriers
US Airways, let's not even get into that mess, 10 "express" carriers at last count.

I guess ATA would fall into the Alaska category also as they just have one regional and don't seem to be pitting an established regional against the new "connection" regional that can do it for less.

This is by no means against any pilot group, this is all about management and how they like to pit one against another.

As I am cranking up the job search due to an uncertain future I believe this will play more of a role than just where would I be based and how much will I make (always important but so is job security)

Any thoughts?

 

[CHQNewHire]

Yeah...here is a thought...Good Luck!!

Based upon your collective concious, you would never be caught dead working for a dreaded non-W/O "connection" or contract carrier, so that rules out ACA, Air Wisc, CHQ, Skywest, Mesa, even Eagle does contract work.

Now from the one's you have left, none are hiring. Even if they were, you have some serious bad blood between pilots and mgt at Eagle, Comair and to a certain extent others...so that probably wouldn't work either.

Regarding contract carriers...most of the W/Os are formally contract carriers and while the Comair contract was a tremendous acheivement and benchmark for the industry...it did not come without reprecussions...namely, the mainline carriers now are compelled to cover themselves with multiple regionals.

My suggestion, is get out and meet pilots from different airlines, and pick their brains, and try not base your entire impression of the industry from people with agendas sniping back and forth with each other on a forum.

 

[Q200_FO]

Don't mean to toot my own horn but....

We don't have all that mess going on with different regionals fighting for a crappy express contract with mainline. Plus, we have one of the best pilot contracts in the regional industry. I plus a lot of others love it here. If this new thing with Frontier pans out and you really want to work here, I'd keep me ear to the ground in I were you. If you want to know more about QX, pm me.

 

[F-eagle]

"I have not seen any other commuter airline listed as flying for Alaska except for Horizon."

Eagle does some connection flights for Alaska out of LAX!

 

[whosyodaddy]

I have not seen any other commuter airline listed as flying for Alaska except for Horizon.

Alaska also uses Pen Air in Alaska as a commuter airline. But I agree, Alaska or Horizon would be an awesome airline to fly for.

 

[f9driver]

Horizon

I did some checking with my sources for my son who is getting out of the military. Don't get stars in yor eyes about QX. They have less then 700 pilots and are captive to Alaska....i.e they build up the route and hand it over to ALK. Expansion has been almost non-existent. They have a few older pilots retiring in a few years as they are an older regional but since 9/11 when airline jumping quit, promotion is extremely slow. Not a bad contract if they would grow. It rankles their pilots

 

[Southbound]

CHQNewHire is right. There are so many factors in choosing where to go to work. Ask lots of questions to lots of different people and then make your personal choice. As stated, QX is small with around 650 pilots, not a bad thing, the problem is (as also stated) QX seems to have no desire to be anything other than a west coast airline. The world east of Denver is a scary place! Because of this, the upgrade pace is glacial (over 5 years to the Dash8200) and because of this, you will be stuck making regional leading FO wages which, last I checked, are still nothing to write home about.
It is not really true that QX builds up routes for Alaska (we will give up LGB to them this winter but that was an Alaska slot in the beginning). Horizon simply fill a void where the MD80 or 737 can't be justified. I do feel that Horizon is one of the best products as a passenger of any airline I've flown.
It is a great place if you want to live in PDX or SEA, enjoy the area and some great cities to spend an overnight but as far as a career booster, consider other options.

 

[Q200_FO]

LuvMyJob

You can always go to the Great Lakes open house, which is in Heavy_D_Driver's thread below this one. Get in line with the rest of the wannabes to get treated like crap and get paid crap. Upgrades are real quick there if you can last long enough dealing with all the company politics. On a more serious note, yeah, upgrades are long here and I'd wish we would expand more but you know what? Things could be worse. I could be working for Lakes, or MESA right now for that matter. We're also pretty stable (we've taken no concessions and they haven't asked. There was a short furlough also but everybody's back) and I personally would rather be someplace where you can stick around in bad times and not have to worry about mainline threatening to drop you as the "express" flavor of the month and mass furloughs are the result.

 

[treetop flyer]

Re: Horizon

Greetings...

I left Horizon after almost three years to start over at Comair. I couldn't be happier with my choice to leave. Don't get me wrong though, Horizon was a great place to work. The pilot group is full of talented, friendly people and the contract is pretty good, but I do make more money at Comair and I'll be a Captain much sooner (on a jet as well...if that matters ). I also average two to three more days off every month at Comair. It was a quality of life decision for me and it worked out great. Best of luck with your choice!

Fly Safe
TF