AirBat

I don't think either skywest or compass fall under the "avoid at all costs". Honestly apples to apples day to day few are going to notice a difference. There are little things that at better at cpz and little things that are better at OO and that's just how is it. I wouldn't recommend cpz to anybody who doesn't want to live on the west coast, but think if you live here it's a nice place with good work rules and good airplanes and quick movement and growth. Skywest may offer a faster upgrade but it's gonna be into the 200 in dtw. Compass offers a faster e175 west coast upgrade. Skywest may offer less reserve time but it's gonna be in the 200 in a base that doesn't really have reserve coverage. Also, that could fluctuate at either place, just like December '16 cpz hires discovered as they had to sit thru 6 months of airplane loss. However, the airplanes are gone now and we're staffed appropriately so the attrition train is going to continue as it was. If you live in sea, lax, phx, sfo, pdx, geg, I'd recommend cpz over OO, otherwise I'd probably recommend OO.

word302

So you'd recommend commuting for compass from phx, sfo, or pdx? That's horrible advice. OO is about to open at least 2 new bases. Movement will get crazy out west once again.

TillerTemptress

Yes, yes i would. Whether OO is "opening new bases" or not doesn't change movement out west for the lifer CA's already taking up west coast 175 CA slots.

word302

You guys crack me up. So you'd take no chance of being home based over at least being home based while in the right seat? Makes perfect sense.

TheFly

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Mandrake

What my friend was trying to say is that your airline has a lot of lifers. Sorry for the confusion. Carry on...

N200NN

LAS.... he also forgot LAS commuters.

word302

Nothing says stable like losing airplanes, hiring freezes during the biggest hiring boom in history, and closing bases (especially your oldest/historically largest base where your headquarters are).

veewan

Also TillerTemptress is suggesting if you're a West coast person to go to Compass, an airline that has only had West coast bases in the last few years. What happens when Compass migrates East again?

SkyWest on the other hand has flying on the west coast with all of the big 3 and Alaska. I'd think that's a lot more stability for a new hire. SkyWest would have to lose flying from 4 airlines​ to close up on the West Coast.

If Compass migrates East, a pilot that may come for a West coast base may have to upgrade into a base they'll have to commute to or possibly commute as an FO depending on the timing. Think about guys that went to Compass for a MSP base after LAX and SEA opened.

Driving to work is a huge QOL bump, so if I lived in SFO, PHX, PDX, DEN or SLC I'd highly consider SkyWest over Compass.

TillerTemptress

Nobody's saying it's ideal, but DL is our largest customer and they make the rules. The small 170 subfleet was mx prone, doing us no favors, and they wanted them on the east coast. It would have made zero sense for CPZ to open up a small east coast base for 6 planes, staff for mx and parts, and especially considering DL had probably already told them "hey we're moving you 85% to the west coast". Obviously, hiring freeze is associated, they didn't furlough but yeah if you're 120 pilots fat all of a sudden due to 6 airplanes going away. Closing a base, even if it's your oldest one.. I mean when that base is doing 100% flying for Delta and Delta decides they want it out west, what are they supposed to do? Tell our customer no? It was only a small base anyway.

That's why it's important IMO to get that upgrade and get the hell out of this regional game as fast as possible. Nothing is stable in this industry, ever. Ask Pan Am, Eastern, TWA, or many in a long list how stable even their mainline jobs where the paint on the side of the airplane matched the ownership how it worked out for them. Ask United guys that lived in SEA, ask Delta guys in CVG. This is 100% the wrong industry for you if you need 100% stability and to live in base. Right now they just finished moving us back to the west coast. We have at least a few good years before we're going anywhere else. That's why there's almost nobody trying to make a career at Compass, and why our huge attrition has benefited everybody. This is an OK, not amazing, but OK place to hang out if things stall like our airplane loss or another major aviation recession, but yes, the airline could move at any time and 2 carriers in LAX is not as many as 4!