It's a niche carrier supplying lift for Apple Vacations Resorts in the Caribbean. Although we are owned by them, we compete with other charter companies (Champion, North American) for the routes, plus they buy seats on all the airlines.
The amount of all inclusive resorts will grow greatly in the next few years, since we do not fly all of the routes, we may get some of the new business or none. The company gives employees no guidance on growth.
The aircraft are based with the crews in the originating cities, with exception of RSW. If you live in base it is an awesome job, even if you work every other day it is like a 9 to 5 job. You either do international in the morning, show at 5 off by 14 to 1500 or do a FL turn in the afternoon. If you commute and are junior it is a miserable job. Reserve is all day 0430to 0730 and 1630 to 1930. You don't fly much on reserve so it often goes fairly senior. Short block FL rounds oftern are more junior 4.5 to 5 hr block while reserve is worth 4 hrs.
If you are senior you can build a wonderful schedule (5 on 9 off, 4 on 10 off) or just fly two internationals a week, such as Tuesday and Sundays.
If you are junior you get what is left over, usually alot of one day on one day off low block trips with some reserve. It's PBS, but in most bases pilots pass down the bid by seniority. Usually there are only 6 CA and 6 FOs per aircraft per base.
The system bid can happen up to 6 times a year and is a free for all. So if you are on the bottom two positions on a base you can be bumped easily. If you are junior don't move to the base.
The interview has no sim, and is personality based.
The training is contracted with Airbus. There are no tricks, it is straight forward and fair. You get typed in the A320 because they need IROs on long international rounds.
The airline started around 9/11, so it was almost entirely staffed by furloughed pilots. Many went back last year, and more will go back this year, so the current hiring is mostly replacements.
Scheduling and the pilots do not get along. Most of the grievences are with scheduling. Because of this, quite a few pilots will leave this year.
Currently there are 10 aircraft on property we may grow 1 to 3 this year or stay at 10. The seasonal aircraft will not come back next busy season, so we probably won't go back into the hire and furlough cycle again.
The pilots are good guys, the flying is easy (a bit boring), the flight attendants are well paid and happy, you get a hot crew meal on each leg, and get typed in the Airbus.
Pay is 54/hr x 65/bid x 13 bid periods = $45,630 base once you are out of training. You can pick up out of domicile and make more. A senior 3rd year FO can make close to 90k. Three man Intl crews have different work rules.
Good Luck