Originally Posted by LUPilot

Since most threads are posting in favor of the AA WO flow, I'll present the other side.

Personally, I am not as convinced on the AA WOs. I like how with airlines such as Republic and Skywest, it is possible to get a feel for the company culture of each Legacy that they fly for. One trip may be AA, and the next may be Delta, United, or Alaskan if you're going with Skywest. I find value in getting to explore the ins and outs of each company before committing to one. Then, when it's time to go to a major, I can make an informed decision on which one I want to fly for. With the WO you fly for American, and then you're trapped in the AA system. If you decide to leave the AA system then you're going in more blind than you would be otherwise. Right now, I am still a student working on my flight training, and about 3-4 years from starting a class at a regional. Right now, I want to work for Delta (which may be why I'm not as in love with the flows), but I also realize that once I get to the airlines it won't be all glitz and glamour. I want my regional to let me experience the industry, and get a feel for where I want the rest of my career to go. If I realize I don't want to fly for Delta, then I have learned that lesson before I commit to working for them.

Also, I've heard horror stories of the flow working backwards. For instance an exceptional pilot in the regionals was going through training for his flow, but made a mistake. Then he couldn't move up to the major but couldn't go back down because everyone had already moved up in seniority, and ended up being out of a job.

Overall, any regional will get you to a major. It's a relatively short term phase of life. If the end goal is to make it a major, any of them will get the job done, it just depends what you want to get out of it. Also, I'd say it's important to weigh all of the posted QOL metrics.

Originally Posted by CTheisen

If you are looking for a 1-year or so placeholder (military but long time out of the cockpit) does the order of this list change at all?

Originally Posted by LUPilot

Overall, any regional will get you to a major. It's a relatively short term phase of life. If the end goal is to make it a major, any of them will get the job done, it just depends what you want to get out of it. Also, I'd say it's important to weigh all of the posted QOL metrics.

Originally Posted by LUPilot

Since most threads are posting in favor of the AA WO flow, I'll present the other side.

Personally, I am not as convinced on the AA WOs. I like how with airlines such as Republic and Skywest, it is possible to get a feel for the company culture of each Legacy that they fly for. One trip may be AA, and the next may be Delta, United, or Alaskan if you're going with Skywest. I find value in getting to explore the ins and outs of each company before committing to one. Then, when it's time to go to a major, I can make an informed decision on which one I want to fly for. With the WO you fly for American, and then you're trapped in the AA system. If you decide to leave the AA system then you're going in more blind than you would be otherwise. Right now, I am still a student working on my flight training, and about 3-4 years from starting a class at a regional. Right now, I want to work for Delta (which may be why I'm not as in love with the flows), but I also realize that once I get to the airlines it won't be all glitz and glamour. I want my regional to let me experience the industry, and get a feel for where I want the rest of my career to go. If I realize I don't want to fly for Delta, then I have learned that lesson before I commit to working for them.

Also, I've heard horror stories of the flow working backwards. For instance an exceptional pilot in the regionals was going through training for his flow, but made a mistake. Then he couldn't move up to the major but couldn't go back down because everyone had already moved up in seniority, and ended up being out of a job.

Overall, any regional will get you to a major. It's a relatively short term phase of life. If the end goal is to make it a major, any of them will get the job done, it just depends what you want to get out of it. Also, I'd say it's important to weigh all of the posted QOL metrics.

Originally Posted by bigtime209

This is a ludicrous statement. No matter what regional you're at, whatever colors that are painted on the side of your plane won't give you any valuable insight into the corporate culture of each respective legacy. That's ridiculous.

Originally Posted by GoNova

This statement doesn't make sense. When you are hired at a WO you don't sign a non compete clause where you can't learn about other airlines or apply to them. Some of the WOs are having more pilots going to delta and united then flowing to American. You can get hired at American outside the flow albeit rare it does happen. The only difference at a WO is you have a garunteed spot in a new hire class at American in which the remaining non flow spots are few and extremely competitive to obtain. It's not like you go to a WO just to flow. It just so happens that they have a flow on top of the best pay and fast upgrades. I really couldn't see how someone could justify not choosing one unless they live where it would be a difficult commute.

Originally Posted by itsmytime

It's always funny to me to see guys at airlines without a flow try to find reasons why a flow is a negative. Let's get this straight, there is ABSOLUTELY no disadvantage to a true flow. It doesn't restrict you in anyway. The only thing it does is GUARANTEE you a job! I'm sorry your airline doesn't have one, but saying that there are disadvantages to a flow, and that's a plus for a non-wo is just ridiculous.

Originally Posted by LUPilot

Personally, I am not as convinced on the AA WOs. I like how with airlines such as Republic and Skywest, it is possible to get a feel for the company culture of each Legacy that they fly for. One trip may be AA, and the next may be Delta, United, or Alaskan if you're going with Skywest. I find value in getting to explore the ins and outs of each company before committing to one.

Originally Posted by 4V14T0R

He didn't say anything about a non-compete. He said at a WO you don't get the feel for each legacy's culture like you can for other airlines. There's advantages to both WO and non-WO. This one is certainly a +1 for the non-WO, but is really only advantageous if you have multiple offers.


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