PSA to Skywest Questions. Please help me out SKW Guys & Gals

[LyodChristmas]

So I'm thinking about putting my resume in to Skywest sometime in the next week or so. I'm flying over at PSA right now and there is no movement for FO's as well as some terrible work rules/pay/schedules..etc.

Anyways I've been here a little over a year, so I'm not looking forward to going back on first year pay. I made about 22k last year on my W2 bringing home maybe 1500 a month on average (I was on reserve for 11 months). Doing a little better now with second year pay (about 23-2500 a month).

Bills being what they are my number one concern is if I can afford to do this. My buddy said I should do a little better over at skywest on first year pay then I did at PSA but I was wondering if current FO's could share some insight. So my questions are....

What could I expect a month once I can hold a line on first year pay?

How much did you make on your first year W2?

Can you add a girlfriend to the domestic partner pass? whats that intail? I have her on my registered guest pass now and it's nice.

If I was based in ORD do you guys ever get Cali overnights out of that base? I have friends in SAN!

How do you like the schedules? Trip Trade software? (is it automatic? because we wait 24 hours for a scheduler to approve or not, and there is never any open time to trade with and almost no ability to trade with other crew members or post trips you want to drop)

Is it hard to pick up and extra day or two for extra cash?

Doesn't skywest have a deal with southwest where you can buy cheap tickets?

Is it a fun place to work? Good crews?

Do you tend to stay downtown or out in a field somewhere?

Well I guess that's it. My big concern is if I'll be as poor as I was last year, and if I'll have some what of a QOL improvements.

Thank you!

 

[Mookie]

bail...do it...immediately....

there are a ton of ex psa cowboys at skywest..
mookie

 

[pipers]

So I'm thinking about putting my resume in to Skywest sometime in the next week or so. I'm flying over at PSA right now and there is no movement for FO's as well as some terrible work rules/pay/schedules..etc.

Anyways I've been here a little over a year, so I'm not looking forward to going back on first year pay. I made about 22k last year on my W2 bringing home maybe 1500 a month on average (I was on reserve for 11 months). Doing a little better now with second year pay (about 23-2500 a month).

Bills being what they are my number one concern is if I can afford to do this. My buddy said I should do a little better over at skywest on first year pay then I did at PSA but I was wondering if current FO's could share some insight. So my questions are....

What could I expect a month once I can hold a line on first year pay?

How much did you make on your first year W2?

Can you add a girlfriend to the domestic partner pass? whats that intail? I have her on my registered guest pass now and it's nice.

If I was based in ORD do you guys ever get Cali overnights out of that base? I have friends in SAN!

How do you like the schedules? Trip Trade software? (is it automatic? because we wait 24 hours for a scheduler to approve or not, and there is never any open time to trade with and almost no ability to trade with other crew members or post trips you want to drop)

Is it hard to pick up and extra day or two for extra cash?

Doesn't skywest have a deal with southwest where you can buy cheap tickets?

Is it a fun place to work? Good crews?

Do you tend to stay downtown or out in a field somewhere?

Well I guess that's it. My big concern is if I'll be as poor as I was last year, and if I'll have some what of a QOL improvements.

Thank you!

Mr Lyod, at the risk of hijacked thread, I'll do my best to answer...

1) first year pay still sucks, but the average W2 (that I know of) seemed to be in the mid-twenties. Second year is a hell of a lot better. I made as much by May my second year as I had my whole first year. PM me if you want more info on it........

2) Domestic partner, be it gal or guy, are no problem on the pass. You can't beat the deal on Delta flights in the US/Central and South America

3) I rarely fly with a tool.....

4) Really depends on the overnight....MEM and SAN are downtown....SAT is a bit off the beaten trail. By and large they are usually OK. We do have long and short overnights for some cities. IE, DEN, if it is short your by the airport, long...downtown.

5) Don't know too much about ORD.......know it goes through SFO but probably not SAN

6) Schedules all depend on seniority...senior guys love PBS and junior guys can get screwed sometimes.....by and large, most are happy with PBS. One plus for junior guys is that you become a line holder a lot sooner. Not nearly as many reserve lines because all vacation/training are preassigned.

7) Plenty of stuff to pick up right now.......no shortage. At the least you can sit reserve for 3.45 + junior man pay.

8) Southwest tickets are available........others as well.

9) The computer can swap trip automatically within minutes. You have to trade up in credit or you can drop trips online and they stay posted until another crew member picks them up....

Hope that helps, sorry for the poor order.........all in all its not a bad place. Works for me and many others. First year does sting, but being a line holder and picking up a few extra trips (anything within 10 days is time and 1/2) you should be ok......second year is a big difference (19 to 34). PM me if you have more questions........good luck

 

[CheeseDick]

Probably averaged 1700 month including per diem. Other guys work harder than me, you should be able to get 95-100 hours a month if you really want it.

Girlfriends are a nogo on the travel pass. If you are engaged you can get an unsigned marriage license and then she can go. I've heard they are working on this

CAL overnights go senior out of ORD. Lucky if you get to the west coast until you get in the 70

PBS sucks, I screw myself into 6 on 2 off constantly but that's because I refuse to learn the software. Others are much better at it than I. Trip trades happen pretty quickly, both have been nearly instantaneously each time I've done it. Plenty of open time if you are into that whole work extra thing.

No clue on cheap SW tickets

 

[SKYWRJGUY]

Our deal with Southwest intails [sic] getting passes for $25 each way for eligibles or the unlimited jump for the pilot-types. Most of the questions you asked are relatively seniority issues, other than your travel companion (if you two share a lease, banking account and the like, it shouldn't be a problem; if not, um...good luck). This board has plenty of the information on there relative to your others...

 

[fastback]

Getting your gf on your travel can be a hassle, but it's doable. You just have to meet the requirements for a domestic partnership. If you're on the same lease it's easier, but without that, I think you have to show a joint bank account, joint credit card [both are pretty easy, an hour or two of legwork], and have a domestic partnership document notarized. It's not too tough if you're serious enough with her to put her on your sh!t [read into that however you want!]. WN tickets I think $35 each segment. Best!

edit: They prob are $25 a piece. My bad.

 

[bobbyice]

Just be yourself and be honest.You'll be alright.

 

[viper548]

First year pay sucks here too but if you have 2500TT/1000turbine, a quick upgrade in the EMB may make the first year pretty painless

 

[LyodChristmas]

Thanks guys!

Is it true also that there is a short time after the bid comes out that you can drop trips and pick up trips?
My friend used to work for southwest and was saying they could do that there too, he'd drop his whole month and build himself a new schedule. If you can do that at skywest that's awesome, so I was just wondering.

With PBS can you request certain days off. Like say you needed the 15h-17th off for a wedding can you put in to not work 15-17?

ORD guys.. How are those trips out of chicago? Do you do alot of ORD-XYZ / XYZ-ORD all day. Or do you leave ORD and go point to point and end up like down in Utah or Cali two days later. With PSA we do hub and spoke all day, it get boring!

Thanks again guys, you've been very helpful!

 

[avrodriver]

Wn Tickets

Just so you know. The Southwest deal is not specific to Skywest, just about every airline I know is able to get this same deal through thier pass department. For you I think it is easier than that...just go to a US Airways ticket counter.