Skywest announces IAH and MSP bases.

[SkyNation]

Just curious when is it up to Skywest pilots to fix the ridiculously low compensation that both your capts and especially your FO's take home?

SkyWest FOs are the highest paid in the regional biz. (Had a 7 year FO the other day who will make about 63K this year). Capts are more in the middle.

We've been over this.

 

[KSwift]

As a long time member, rare poster, but frequent reader of this forum, I just wanted to pass along my experience with all of this.

Since 1999 I have been through 4 regionals and one legacy carrier. I worked for Commutair, was interviewed and hired at Air Whiskey (in Aug 2001). I flew for Piedmont, ACA/Indy, and Comair. After my Commutair and Piedmont experiences (furloughs) I decided to go to a regional I could "retire" from if that's what it came to. Having finally "made" it to CAL that thought process was a huge mistake. I am fully aware of CAL's reputation in the past as the bottom Legacy, poor contract and pay, etc.... All that being said, my time at Continental has been 100% better than all of my regional airlines. It really is the difference between the minors and the majors. While I do still work a lot, it is not nearly as exhausting as the work done at commuters. It's far less cycles which actually equates to less work. For the most part, there is no comparison in the hotels we stay at. The layovers are longer and mostly in large cities with lots to do (no offense to cedar rapids, sioux falls, peoria, erie, etc...).

While the pay could be better, (at year four I make 86/hr. for large narrowbody), I will make in the mid 90's this year while flying about 700hrs. I suspect this is on par with or more than most RJ captains.

I write all this to say that while I thought getting on with one of the "good" regionals was a potential career move, it is not. Life is FAR BETTER at even a mediocre legacy carrier. At the regionals your flying is never your own. You will always be subject to the major partner (either management or scope). Ideally we would all be under one list or have a national pay scale or something that made the cost of flying airplanes a fixed cost and management would actually have to manage. That won't happen in my career. Scope will benefit us all. I believe that. Good luck to everyone.

KSwift

 

[STINKER]

As a long time member, rare poster, but frequent reader of this forum, I just wanted to pass along my experience with all of this.

Since 1999 I have been through 4 regionals and one legacy carrier. I worked for Commutair, was interviewed and hired at Air Whiskey (in Aug 2001). I flew for Piedmont, ACA/Indy, and Comair. After my Commutair and Piedmont experiences (furloughs) I decided to go to a regional I could "retire" from if that's what it came to. Having finally "made" it to CAL that thought process was a huge mistake. I am fully aware of CAL's reputation in the past as the bottom Legacy, poor contract and pay, etc.... All that being said, my time at Continental has been 100% better than all of my regional airlines. It really is the difference between the minors and the majors. While I do still work a lot, it is not nearly as exhausting as the work done at commuters. It's far less cycles which actually equates to less work. For the most part, there is no comparison in the hotels we stay at. The layovers are longer and mostly in large cities with lots to do (no offense to cedar rapids, sioux falls, peoria, erie, etc...).

While the pay could be better, (at year four I make 86/hr. for large narrowbody), I will make in the mid 90's this year while flying about 700hrs. I suspect this is on par with or more than most RJ captains.

I write all this to say that while I thought getting on with one of the "good" regionals was a potential career move, it is not. Life is FAR BETTER at even a mediocre legacy carrier. At the regionals your flying is never your own. You will always be subject to the major partner (either management or scope). Ideally we would all be under one list or have a national pay scale or something that made the cost of flying airplanes a fixed cost and management would actually have to manage. That won't happen in my career. Scope will benefit us all. I believe that. Good luck to everyone.

KSwift

Good post KSwift ..civil and to the point.

 

[rfa]

As a long time member, rare poster, but frequent reader of this forum, I just wanted to pass along my experience with all of this.

Since 1999 I have been through 4 regionals and one legacy carrier. I worked for Commutair, was interviewed and hired at Air Whiskey (in Aug 2001). I flew for Piedmont, ACA/Indy, and Comair. After my Commutair and Piedmont experiences (furloughs) I decided to go to a regional I could "retire" from if that's what it came to. Having finally "made" it to CAL that thought process was a huge mistake. I am fully aware of CAL's reputation in the past as the bottom Legacy, poor contract and pay, etc.... All that being said, my time at Continental has been 100% better than all of my regional airlines. It really is the difference between the minors and the majors. While I do still work a lot, it is not nearly as exhausting as the work done at commuters. It's far less cycles which actually equates to less work. For the most part, there is no comparison in the hotels we stay at. The layovers are longer and mostly in large cities with lots to do (no offense to cedar rapids, sioux falls, peoria, erie, etc...).

While the pay could be better, (at year four I make 86/hr. for large narrowbody), I will make in the mid 90's this year while flying about 700hrs. I suspect this is on par with or more than most RJ captains.

I write all this to say that while I thought getting on with one of the "good" regionals was a potential career move, it is not. Life is FAR BETTER at even a mediocre legacy carrier. At the regionals your flying is never your own. You will always be subject to the major partner (either management or scope). Ideally we would all be under one list or have a national pay scale or something that made the cost of flying airplanes a fixed cost and management would actually have to manage. That won't happen in my career. Scope will benefit us all. I believe that. Good luck to everyone.

KSwift

Good post - thanks.

 

[rfa]

SkyWest FOs are the highest paid in the regional biz. (Had a 7 year FO the other day who will make about 63K this year). Capts are more in the middle.

We've been over this.

You are such a tard dude - looking at you sig makes me want to puke. ...ashamed we work for the same company.

 

[SkyNation]

You are such a tard dude - looking at you sig makes me want to puke. ...ashamed we work for the same company.

It's tongue in cheek. I love 'tards' like you that don't get that. Guess I'm only part of your cool guy club if I constantly whine, piss, moan and spank to the ALPA mag, eh?

 

[AWACoff]

SkyWest FOs are the highest paid in the regional biz. (Had a 7 year FO the other day who will make about 63K this year). Capts are more in the middle.

We've been over this.

And do you know why you make the money you do...? It's because of all of the UNION airline pilots that have risked their families financial well being. All you have done is ride their coattails. You provide nothing to further this profession. Please have your union card handy when trying to jumpseat.

 

[SkyNation]

And do you know why you make the money you do...? It's because of all of the UNION airline pilots that have risked their families financial well being. All you have done is ride their coattails. You provide nothing to further this profession. Please have your union card handy when trying to jumpseat.

riiiigggghhhht. keep tellin' yourself that, tough guy.

I guess it doesn't have anything to do with company profitability at all, right?

Union thuggery raises it's ugly head, sadly, again.

 

[txpilot1974]

Skynation: If you can't tell we are in quite the sticky situation here at SKYW....a situation that most here don't want to be in. Do the rest of us a favor and lay off. Coming on here and stirring the pot helps no one.

 

[SkyNation]

of course we are. but doouchebag comments like that the one I replied to help...how?

 

[bigshooter107]

If there is a position on refusing jumpseat access, I would not be surprised to see UAL/skywest management positive space pilots to from domiciles to counter any negative effects on the operation. U got to think outside the box. D

 

[JoeMerchant]

Would one of you CAL pilots throwing the term "scab" around please post the part of your scope that prohibits United from operating 50+ seat United Express flights out of IAH, CLE, or EWR...Chapter and verse let's hear the language...

"This sucks, change it" is not a violation of the contract. Give us the language that is being violated.

 

[gr8dane]

It's funny how Mainline pilots are beating their chests about scope, when about 60 of their own furloughed pilots (United) are working for Go-jets. The alter ego of Trans States, who were established for the very reason to avoid scope. Hmmmmmm.....

 

[777forever]

it's funny how mainline pilots are beating their chests about scope, when about 60 of their own furloughed pilots (united) are working for go-jets. The alter ego of trans states, who were established for the very reason to avoid scope. Hmmmmmm.....

nice post!!

 

[JoeMerchant]

It's funny how Mainline pilots are beating their chests about scope, when about 60 of their own furloughed pilots (United) are working for Go-jets. The alter ego of Trans States, who were established for the very reason to avoid scope. Hmmmmmm.....

Good point! The other thing they don't realize is that many of the junior Skywest pilots are furloughed United pilots...Just wait until they start denying their own furloughed pilots the jumpseat....

 

[pipers]

Flopgut or anyone,

As a skywest guy who plans to avoid IAH 700 flying at all cost (and who voted for ALPA twice).......

What about shuttle america? Why is all the talk about skywest?

Am I starting to see a double standard here? Also, there is a very real chance that many of the IAH FO's may be furloughed united jet-for-jobs guys. Could add another wrench to the mix. Another thought, hardly a week goes by that I don't have a united guy in the jumpseat. flew one from SFO yesterday. A jumpseat war could hurt alot of people.

Please realize that most people here are not in the least bit excited about IAH.

 

[Jetjockey]

Don't sign any apartment leases in Houston just yet.

 

[nimtz]

Would one of you CAL pilots throwing the term "scab" around please post the part of your scope that prohibits United from operating 50+ seat United Express flights out of IAH, CLE, or EWR...Chapter and verse let's hear the language...

"This sucks, change it" is not a violation of the contract. Give us the language that is being violated.

Joe,

You won't be a scab, just that lucky got that made a career out of a commuter. You've made it awful big for yourself there. I mean how cool is it getting hired to fly 10 legs in a TP yet ending up captaining a shiny jet that has slats! I bet those buds of yours from new hire class at ASA must be jealous of you. After all while they might be sitting reserve on a widebody flying 3 days/month, we all know that pales compared to your 100K/weekends off lifestyle.

I could give you the entire verbage of our Scope section and argue that upcoming IAH/EWR flying is a blatant violation. In fact most fair minded people would probably agree that using the loophole of UAL codeshare on routes historically entirely flown by CAL mainline is weak at best.

You would respond by disagreeing and then going on a diatribe about how it's not your fault mainline careers have been shattered in order for you to be a career RJ capt. You would further question the gall of self righteous mainline pilots for seeking to hurt your existence as you work towards two decades at a commuter.

Sorry Joe, your opinon doesn't count and neither does mine. The only opinion that will count is the court. For that I have to differ to our scope committee (which is very good btw) and more lawyers then I care to bring up. So go ahead and keep beating this post across the internet boards. I'm sure you nobody will give YOU the explanation YOU believe...

 

[nimtz]

SkyWest FOs are the highest paid in the regional biz. (Had a 7 year FO the other day who will make about 63K this year). Capts are more in the middle.

We've been over this.

Wow, that will fund junior's college nest in no time!

 

[Yuppyguppy]

Hey Nimitz I can't wait until these aholes get a boot up the arse. Gonna be nice along with UAL mgmt.