tothebigblue

157-145s will remain at the end of 2017 per our union blast and mgmt. update.
honestly if other airlines can't staff what they are getting then I'd assume we'd be picking up the slack.
6 months till summer flying!

AnchorDown

If you're gonna commute, don't come to XJT. If you live in one of the bases, it's not THAT bad. We are at the mercy of SkyWest INC. They giveth and taketh away. Hoping we will see something soon, but it's a crapshoot. Good luck.

AnchorDown

Wynncore

Good on you for conducting your research, seriously. At the moment, SKYW is the carrier I would go to, they are more stable and they are growing at the moment. As you know stability and growth means movement and a faster upgrade time. If you can swing it geographically I would recommend SKYW over XJT (For the record I'm a 5 year CRJ FO for XJT).

With that being said: Everything in this business is a gamble, one airline that is "hot" (like SKYW) will eventually cool off, the carriers that are "the place to be" one year will become a stagnant waste the next. Regardless of what people spew on this board, XJT has a future, while it is not as defined as SKYW's, we have a future here.

The CRJ side has just approved a LOA (letter of agreement) that allows newly upgraded Capts to fly in the right seat for a determined amount of time after upgrade (at Capt pay) which will help lower our upgrade time, quality of life for reserve pilots has been improved with this LOA as well, our performance numbers are outstanding which *should* help us gain new flying in 2016, it was announced we are NOT losing any aircraft in our Delta fleet in 2016, XJT has a new "gateway program" with JetBlue, and while still in it's infancy it is a start of a relationship that will allow XJT pilots a chance to earn a guaranteed interview with JetBlue and finally, it appears that both L-XJT and L-ASA ALPA chapters are negotiating extensions to our current contracts and are moving away from negotiating a joint contract which has held us back for the better part of 4 years and is one of the sole reasons why this company has been struggling since.

Upgrade time on the CRJ side is approaching 9 years, but with the newly signed LOA that upgrades at least 96 per year, a statement from management that our Delta fleet will not shrink in 2016, the strong likelihood of separate contract extensions for both sides of XJT which will define our costs and put to rest any unease that the major partners have with us, the JetBlue gateway program and the likelihood of growth in 2016 makes XJT a good bet moving forward. Upgrade time will likely drop to 6.5 years or less if growth can be obtained in 2016, this LOA works as it should and our contract with management is extended...not to mention the JetBlue program working as advertised.

People will come on here and tell you to avoid this place like the plague, but XJT should have a much better year in 2016 and this just might be the place to be again assuming a few dominos fall the way they should. SKYW at the moment is the better choice, clearly, but SKYW could become stagnant after they staff the 19 Delta E-175s that were just announced. XJT is an underdog for sure, but it appears that 2016 should be the year we turn this ship around.

Drum

Thanks Wynn. Appreciate the info.

bedrock

Things at XJT are not good. We are two airlines in one, ASA/XJT, that can't agree to a combined contract and without that, there is no way, our parent Skywest is going to allow any growth. Also, we are ALPA, SKYW is non-union. They are not going to allow more growth at a union airline, especially since all the pilots refused their concessionary contract amendment 2 yrs ago. If you live in base and already have turbine or TPIC, then XJT is a good choice, otherwise, unfortuantely, it isn't. At SKYW, the pilots have NO say on what happens to them. It is non-union, non-collective bargain contract. If they want to drop your days off, they can, if they decide to pay you 50% for deadheads tomorrow, they can. AT XJT, they can screw with our schedule, even violate the contract under the rules of the Railway Labor Act, but there is a grievance process to be compensated.

You can ask the pilot group qusestions at:

ExpressJet Forums

Drum

Thanks for the info rock. I have a few thousand hours of TPIC time. I've been over on ExpressJet forums. Seems more slanted toward the goings on at the ERJ side versus CRJ side. I'll scout around there for more info, again thanks for the inputs.

amcnd

Love how everyone bags SkyWest's "agreement" but they have never grossly violated it. Ya small dump trivial things that get resolved.. but the fact is SkyWest pilots earn or have earned top pay, and work rules.. I wouldn't stay away from them just because they are not ALPA.. plus they have more then the Delta 175's coming. They have the 18 UA and 9 Alaska 175's still to come.. Not to mention the 200's they keep painting into Delta colors...... XJT is good but go there with the intention of being at LASA in 3-5 years.... not what is formally known as XJT..

buddies8

Airline managers love scabs

IrishNJ

You gotta be kidding. Tons of cases where pilots have been reprimanded/fired since no protection because of no union.
Don't work for them if you care about your career

e.g.
An administrative law judge has ordered SkyWest Airlines to rehire a veteran pilot who said the company fired him illegally for declaring himself ...

Utah Local News - Salt Lake City News, Sports, Archive - The Salt Lake Tribune

first officer of SkyWest Airlines is suing the airline, claiming he was fired for whistleblowing about unsafe training practices


Pilot is suing, says SkyWest fired him for whistleblowing | Deseret News

amcnd

That was one odd ball case. Every airline has that.. If SKW realy truly was bad. 100 a month wouldnt be going there and the senior guys would bail.. Fact is ASA will be a good place to be.. XJT will take the brunt of the stagnation..