Originally Posted by Magic8Ball

Is SKYW concerned that since they really have nothing but an under performing non union contract to offer pilots...and zero upward flow...that hiring pilots may be difficult?

Originally Posted by vanrv36

Classes remain filled completely until the summer from what I've heard. So I don't think so.

Originally Posted by KirillTheThrill

The attrition is too high even for them, from what I’ve heard. And that’s directly from good friends who work in the training department. Skywest has run on the business model of high attrition, just has any other regional, and they’re the best at it. It’s why they’re the largest regional in the world with 5000+ pilots. The problem is this business model is not going to work for the current and future environment. They’ll be operating at a loss for years if they think they can just outlast it. Something obviously has to change, but what’s never a good idea is to make phone calls to your partners and tell them to gate pilots they’ve hired from SkyWest. That’s going to destroy morale, and attrition will skyrocket, if it hasn’t already.

When I was “senior” FO then became a junior CA my apps were only out at 5 specific carriers. I didn’t even have my apps out at SWA or AA. If during that time I heard they were “gating” OO pilots who went through the full dance with Delta and Alaska only to be held off, I’d be absolutely furious. Tough to complain when you’re a flow pilot being metered with a free job. Anyways those 5 apps would turn into 10 in a hot second including hustling extra hard showing up to career fairs for carriers not in my top 5. They’re only making matters worse on attrition by pulling that ****.

It will be a very interesting 2+ years. It’s adapt or die time. The real question is how bad will attrition have to get before management finally says enough and walks away to sell its own tickets. They have the planes, they have the cash, they have the credit rating, they’d have no scope clause, so they can fill the 100 175-E2 order they have pending. 70-76 seat 175’s turn to 90 seats. They have an experienced training department that can turn 200+ CFI’s into ATP’s every month. It would allow them to increase pay significantly, stalling high attrition, etc.

Unless United, Delta, AA, and Alaska are so fixated on the regional model surviving by helping SkyWest create some type of guaranteed career advancement and higher wages, I don’t see the current business model that’s always worked surviving.

It’s like when you were a kid and learned most animals will run away if you chase them, but the minute you back them into a corner and give them no other option, they fight back. I could see SkyWest waking away from contracts.

Originally Posted by TFAYD

SKYW will never sell their own tickets. The regional model is not about getting people from IDA to SLC but from IDA to JFK or CDG.

They will turn the business into a leasing only operation before they start an independent airline.

Originally Posted by Champeen07

We have some serious problems with crew support. But pretty much only during significant IROPS. Of the last 250 overnights I've had, there was a problem with less than 5 van rides. You're statement about vans is an exaggeration to incite worry. If you want to move to another regional, go ahead. But everyone will tell you that's a bad idea. Yes, we do need additional people in CS to help fix the issues we do have.

If you want to come to a regional, fly 1000 hours and upgrade and move on, Skywest is a great place for that. Plus movement right now is better than all the other places because of the high attrition. Yes management needs to pony up and pay us more. In the meantime, we fly a lot and keep our apps updated and move on. Then we don't care whats going on back at Skywest.

People need to realize that QOL wont be great at the regional level. That will never change. Its a stepping stone to the majors. Come to Skywest and you'll make it to a major before people in your same spot flow from another regional if you're willing to out in the work to do that.

Originally Posted by TFAYD

SKYW will never sell their own tickets. The regional model is not about getting people from IDA to SLC but from IDA to JFK or CDG.

Originally Posted by threeighteen

Like others have said, never say never. SkyWest has a 175/195 training program in place already. They operate flights in excess of 4 hours and rank very highly among global airlines in daily departures and fleet size. While they will likely not make a lot of money this year, and will shrink a little bit, they are still a huge gorilla when the day ends. They have the cash in the bank and the credit available to fund a transition from operating for legacy carriers towards doing their own thing. All they need is a cataclysmic event to push them that way. Had the airlines not received bailout money in 2020/2021, that may have been enough to push them into doing it.

Originally Posted by TFAYD

what SkyWest doesn’t have is any kind of brand awareness with the public, distribution system, frequent flier program or sales. Being an airlines that sells tickets is mostly about sales and marketing and only partially about the operation. Just look how much Breeze is out there marketing itself.

there is also no niche to deploy all the aircraft. Taking on ULCC? That’s not happening and as I said there is very little OD demand from IDA to SLC.

Originally Posted by TFAYD

what SkyWest doesn’t have is any kind of brand awareness with the public, distribution system, frequent flier program or sales. Being an airlines that sells tickets is mostly about sales and marketing and only partially about the operation. Just look how much Breeze is out there marketing itself.

there is also no niche to deploy all the aircraft. Taking on ULCC? That’s not happening and as I said there is very little OD demand from IDA to SLC.