View Poll Results: Best Option In Your Opinion
Endeavor
59
33.71%
Compass
63
36.00%
Skywest
53
30.29%
Voters: 175. You may not vote on this poll
9e - skw - cpz
09-10-2015, 08:03 AM
#12
Free KoolAid 602 685 4000
Joined APC: Apr 2014
Position: N88301
Posts: 228
I've been looking at the forums for a while not as a member and could use some constructive feedback from those who are apart of these regionals. I've been hired by all 3 and currently live in MSP and am having a hard time deciding. Most people say "Just do what works best for you" but this is a much harder choice than that and I'd value some of your feedback on each. Please don't troll this thread with useless information. I'm trying to make the best decision for my family and I of where to launch my career.
Ideally I would like to be MSP based and all of these carriers provide that. I would be fine with a 3 year upgrade jet time is jet time right now and the majors are taking people without TPIC. What I state below is just facts that I've gathered along the way. If I'm wrong about something please correct me.
Here is where I see everything right now.
Endeavor has some upside being owned by Delta. I'm not entirely sold on the Delta Kool Aid that they are selling. The fact that Endeavor can piggyback on Delta does make sense as to why they can run it cheaper than most regionals. What I don't understand is why did Delta shut down Comair, sell Mesaba, and then sell Compass? Then a year later buy Pinnacle out of bankruptcy when they claimed they were trying to get out of the regional business. The $20K retention bonus is great on paper but it's not going to have much merit if the company isn't around in a year. Why does the bonus only go until 2018? What's going to happen in 2018? They are also bringing back more CRJ200's which I don't understand since their fleet plan was to shrink to just the 81 CRJ900s. Reserve is currently 6-10 months and their future is debatable. Morale is also pretty low it seems. Yes they have turned things around but I don't think everyone is totally sold yet.
Compass has all 76 seat airplanes which solidifies their position in the regional game as they don't have a bunch of 50 seaters to deal with. They are already small enough that there isn't likely to be any shrinkage of the company and they are never overstaffed. The morale seems higher at Compass than most of the regionals. It's clearly a different company than it was before Trans States bought them. I have reservations as to whether or not the MSP base will stay in place. It seems most of the flying is shifting west and due to the size of the company it's probably much easier to sell or merge than say Skywest or 9E. I think they are a solid choice, but I wonder about MSP being a base for the long term.
Skywest is attractive because of their solid business history and ability to adapt and change. They also have MSP as the most junior base. What concerns me is that they have a bunch of 200's to park in the coming years. Does anyone have an idea of how long MSP will be a base? I know historically Skywest doesn't really come this far and sticks mostly to the West side of the U.S. upgrade times are probably a little longer but the security the company provides with their track record is comforting that they won't be out of business in the coming years.
Based on your honest opinion which one would you pick if you wanted company stability, living in base, QOL, and upgrade time. Ideally I'd like to be with a pilot group that doesn't complain about their company every trip. If anyone has anything positive or negative please add it to my thoughts!
Ideally I would like to be MSP based and all of these carriers provide that. I would be fine with a 3 year upgrade jet time is jet time right now and the majors are taking people without TPIC. What I state below is just facts that I've gathered along the way. If I'm wrong about something please correct me.
Here is where I see everything right now.
Endeavor has some upside being owned by Delta. I'm not entirely sold on the Delta Kool Aid that they are selling. The fact that Endeavor can piggyback on Delta does make sense as to why they can run it cheaper than most regionals. What I don't understand is why did Delta shut down Comair, sell Mesaba, and then sell Compass? Then a year later buy Pinnacle out of bankruptcy when they claimed they were trying to get out of the regional business. The $20K retention bonus is great on paper but it's not going to have much merit if the company isn't around in a year. Why does the bonus only go until 2018? What's going to happen in 2018? They are also bringing back more CRJ200's which I don't understand since their fleet plan was to shrink to just the 81 CRJ900s. Reserve is currently 6-10 months and their future is debatable. Morale is also pretty low it seems. Yes they have turned things around but I don't think everyone is totally sold yet.
Compass has all 76 seat airplanes which solidifies their position in the regional game as they don't have a bunch of 50 seaters to deal with. They are already small enough that there isn't likely to be any shrinkage of the company and they are never overstaffed. The morale seems higher at Compass than most of the regionals. It's clearly a different company than it was before Trans States bought them. I have reservations as to whether or not the MSP base will stay in place. It seems most of the flying is shifting west and due to the size of the company it's probably much easier to sell or merge than say Skywest or 9E. I think they are a solid choice, but I wonder about MSP being a base for the long term.
Skywest is attractive because of their solid business history and ability to adapt and change. They also have MSP as the most junior base. What concerns me is that they have a bunch of 200's to park in the coming years. Does anyone have an idea of how long MSP will be a base? I know historically Skywest doesn't really come this far and sticks mostly to the West side of the U.S. upgrade times are probably a little longer but the security the company provides with their track record is comforting that they won't be out of business in the coming years.
Based on your honest opinion which one would you pick if you wanted company stability, living in base, QOL, and upgrade time. Ideally I'd like to be with a pilot group that doesn't complain about their company every trip. If anyone has anything positive or negative please add it to my thoughts!
.
09-10-2015, 08:04 AM
#13
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2013
Posts: 10,533
Trick question. You can obviously get two bowls out of one. Order meat...then ask if you can get half and half. Same thing with beans, rice and veggies. There was an article about. Stick it to the man. $16 is too much for two bowls of "mexican" goodness.
09-10-2015, 08:09 AM
#16
On Reserve
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Sep 2015
Posts: 19
Must be side effects from the lost decade.
09-10-2015, 08:16 AM
#17
Banned
Joined APC: Jan 2015
Posts: 988
Endeavor has some upside being owned by Delta. I'm not entirely sold on the Delta Kool Aid that they are selling. The fact that Endeavor can piggyback on Delta does make sense as to why they can run it cheaper than most regionals. What I don't understand is why did Delta shut down Comair, sell Mesaba, and then sell Compass? Then a year later buy Pinnacle out of bankruptcy when they claimed they were trying to get out of the regional business.
The $20K retention bonus is great on paper but it's not going to have much merit if the company isn't around in a year. Why does the bonus only go until 2018? What's going to happen in 2018? They are also bringing back more CRJ200's which I don't understand since their fleet plan was to shrink to just the 81 CRJ900s. Reserve is currently 6-10 months and their future is debatable. Morale is also pretty low it seems. Yes they have turned things around but I don't think everyone is totally sold yet.
They are bringing back the 200's because they can staff them and no one else can.
They also have a decent metered flow to Delta. Compass is done and no one else has that right now. That increases their attrition above the standard you will see at the others.
Compass has all 76 seat airplanes which solidifies their position in the regional game as they don't have a bunch of 50 seaters to deal with. They are already small enough that there isn't likely to be any shrinkage of the company and they are never overstaffed. The morale seems higher at Compass than most of the regionals. It's clearly a different company than it was before Trans States bought them. I have reservations as to whether or not the MSP base will stay in place. It seems most of the flying is shifting west and due to the size of the company it's probably much easier to sell or merge than say Skywest or 9E. I think they are a solid choice, but I wonder about MSP being a base for the long term.
MSP may happen within a month or two as an FO, but you will be junior for a much longer time than a west coast base. Upgrade in MSP is even farther out. I would plan on 4-5 years to hold MSP CA while 2 years to hold LAX/SEA CA. If you could hold it sooner, likely you will be junior for a long time when compared to LAX/SEA CA.
Skywest is attractive because of their solid business history and ability to adapt and change. They also have MSP as the most junior base. What concerns me is that they have a bunch of 200's to park in the coming years. Does anyone have an idea of how long MSP will be a base? I know historically Skywest doesn't really come this far and sticks mostly to the West side of the U.S. upgrade times are probably a little longer but the security the company provides with their track record is comforting that they won't be out of business in the coming years.
09-10-2015, 08:20 AM
#18
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2006
Posts: 516
I like Chipolte.
Your timing is bad because of the recent spate of "which regional should I pick" threads.
Easy answer: the earliest class date.
Harder answer:
If you want the most $$$ , take Endeavor. There's also the theoretical chance at an interview with Delta, but they keep changing that plan up so I would not base my decision on that alone.
Compass, you can get MSP by the end of training, but movement in MSP is slow. I think about two thirds of the MSP FOs could hold Captain in SEA/LAX. You'd also get the $10K signing bonus, but that is spread out over a year I think.
I don't know anything about Skywest in MSP, but the folks I know who work there in other bases seem okay to happy about their jobs.
Good luck.
Your timing is bad because of the recent spate of "which regional should I pick" threads.
Easy answer: the earliest class date.
Harder answer:
If you want the most $$$ , take Endeavor. There's also the theoretical chance at an interview with Delta, but they keep changing that plan up so I would not base my decision on that alone.
Compass, you can get MSP by the end of training, but movement in MSP is slow. I think about two thirds of the MSP FOs could hold Captain in SEA/LAX. You'd also get the $10K signing bonus, but that is spread out over a year I think.
I don't know anything about Skywest in MSP, but the folks I know who work there in other bases seem okay to happy about their jobs.
Good luck.
Last edited by morerightrudder; 09-10-2015 at 08:59 AM.
09-10-2015, 08:25 AM
#19
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2015
Position: Downward Dog
Posts: 1,875
But really, the SKYW lines suck out of MSP. I'm talking QOL impairing bad. It is a consideration if you actually want to stay MSP.
09-10-2015, 08:29 AM
#20
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2007
Posts: 143
Go to Compass, upgrade quickly (1-2 years), become captain and post polls on an internet forum about all the big decisions you will have to make day in and day out.
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