PSA or Skywest

[Maria]

Sorry, didn't get hired by Gojet so I can't include them in this discussion. And Delta hasn't called either, so no considerations of them.

The company sold the jet, so I'm on the street until I can get working somewhere. With most considerations being equal, after all, they're both regionals, for someone with parents on the west coast (ie can live at home), which airline offers better:
Commuting from LAX
International Travel agreements
Pay (2 year and longer)
Reserve Schedule for bottom totem pole clingers
Retirement
Benefits
Protection from random management firings (you were sick 4x in a year, despite your doctor's notes, you're fired!)

With the ASA/XJT meltdown and XJT screaming for all airline list integration, how likely is a Skywest FNG to suddenly find themselves another 1000+ down the seniority list?

With USAirways dumping "regional partners" like Mesa and playing the general lowest bidder game, how likely is PSA to be around for another 4-6 years, long enough for a FNG to get a shot at upgrade?

Class for PSA got postponed another few weeks (sims are full), how likely are they to start a class before the winter holidays, or just roll it to next year, or, with the continued downwards spiral of the economy, cancel it completely?

What about Skywest? With a class starting next year, how likely are they to cancel between now and then, if the economy continues to tank?

Or are both hiring in anticipation of next summer?

Finally, with a proposed start date one day apart, should a FNG at Skywest go for the turboprop or the jet? Is second year pay higher on the jet?

 

[paulsalem]

Skywest.

I worked for PSA for 4.5 years. Good group of pilots, but the schedules suck. The commute will really sucks.

The leases on the 200s will end begging in 2014, and I don't think there will be a PSA after they're gone.

 

[amcnd]

Go to SkyWest on the Jet. LAX is going to grow as a base. They have less "other bases flying through there" , and are about to add 5-10 pilots at LAX and SFO.. Classes will go on. The USair stuff starts Dec and we are very short staffed for the fall for some reason..

 

[Fly-By-Cable]

West coast bases - skywest

Better F/O pay - skywest

All around better work rules - skywest

Growth (new Usair flying in phx) - skywest

Anymore questions?

 

[paddlehigh]

psa 200 leases up in 2017, but still go to skywest, thats from a PSA CAPTAIN on RSV.

 

[Mercyful Fate]

Go with SkyWest.....

 

[ThrottleJockey1]

There is no question here

Go to SkyWest. I work at PSA and feel ashamed of it everyday. People don't need to live and be treated like this.

 

[Brody1]

I've flown for both companies. All things considered, SkyWest is the better choice. Best of luck to you.

 

[johnsonrod]

Skywest BABY!!!!!!

Both are regionals with crapppp pay. Just know that going in. That said, Skywest is a better deal with more bases, better equipment (if you don't get the EM2 off the bat) and better country-wide route variety. I'd still rather fly the Brazilia for Skywest than the CRJ for PSA - at least I could bid the CRJ/CR7/CR9 at Skywest later.

Still, the pay sux at both...

 

[XPOO]

Skywest?

Are you sure you want to commute all the way to Australia?

 

[PBRstreetgang]

Comon over to SKYW, you will absolutely love reserve, and the 6 year upgrade to be back on reserve will be lovely! The regionals all suck, some more than the rest. Not having a CBA means they can fire you at will, but probably won't.

 

[dodgerk]

Comon over to SKYW, you will absolutely love reserve, and the 6 year upgrade to be back on reserve will be lovely! The regionals all suck, some more than the rest. Not having a CBA means they can fire you at will, but probably won't.

I would love it if it were a 6 year upgrade. I am close to 4 years and am still smack in the middle of FO reserve. I am thinking upgrade is closer to 8 or 9 years for me. I am on reserve home based and I have learned to manage it and it isn't that big of a deal.

 

[paddlehigh]

the only thing good about PSA, is they are about to implement a pref hiring flow for US AIRWAYS again, thats if you really wanted to go there. But this will create alot of movement with quick upgrades.

 

[ThrottleJockey1]

Do you hear yourself?

Paddle,
You are saying go from the worst express company to the by far the worst mainline carrier in the world. Honistly now, would you wish that on your enemy?

 

[paddlehigh]

I didn't say that, I said it would create fast upgrades because there will be alot of people leaving PSA to go to US AIRWAYS.

 

[ThrottleJockey1]

I stand corrected.

Paddle,
I think we are playing from the same dugout.

 

[Maria]

I would love it if it were a 6 year upgrade. I am close to 4 years and am still smack in the middle of FO reserve. I am thinking upgrade is closer to 8 or 9 years for me. I am on reserve home based and I have learned to manage it and it isn't that big of a deal.

Are you middle of FO reserve at SKY or PSA?

 

[Fly-By-Cable]

the only thing good about PSA, is they are about to implement a pref hiring flow for US AIRWAYS again, thats if you really wanted to go there. But this will create alot of movement with quick upgrades.

Where did you hear anything about pref hiring?

 

[wrxpilot]

Are you middle of FO reserve at SKY or PSA?

Not sure what dodgerk is talking about... CA upgrades at SkyWest (on the EMB) are running just over four years right now, which really isn't that bad considering how bad the past three years have been in aviation.

If you are flexible with which base you want, you will probably get off reserve pretty quickly. I was hired earlier this year and was on reserve for six weeks. I'm now a guaranteed line holder. But if you want to live in a very senior base, as most of the West coast bases are (e.g. LAX, SFO, PDX, etc.), then yes you will obviously spend more time on reserve. But even then, being on reserve in base isn't that bad... At least for some of us that have spent time elsewhere at places with ZERO work rules.

First year pay is the same for the Brasilia or Jet. After that, a pretty significant difference in pay kicks in. Seat lock is one year, so you can bid over to the jet if you're on the Brasilia after your first year.

This isn't my first rodeo, so I was pleasantly surprised at how well I've been treated so far. It is a regional though, and you will work pretty hard at times. This will likely include working some holidays and/or days that you want off. But it's not a bad place to be right now...

 

[paddlehigh]

Where did you hear anything about pref hiring?[/QUOT

OUR VP.