Hum...stay at a regional or go to a major?

[amelia]

DH is having a hard time trying to figure out which direction he should take his career. He likes the idea of moving on to a major and doing different stuff with them, flying larger planes and making more money. But he knows that his family life could suffer. He is a big family guy. He wants to be home as much as he can. Thats why he is wondering if he should stay where he is at? But, there are good opportunities at a larger airline. We know we would move if he didn't get based in Denver...which doesn't bother us. But he has talked to 2 United pilots (who are going to give him letters of recommendation!!) and they say the work rules for the narrow bodies are awful (he was told they don't get cancellation pay). Also, one of these two pilots really seems think that United wants to be bought out. If that happens, who's to say DH will still have a job? I personally think he should get his 1,000 hour of PIC before he moves on (so if he does lose his job, he can try to go to a differnet major since he will have enough PIC), but that will be in another 1.5 years at least. But he wants to get in while he can so he isn't the most junior pilot....ya know?

I think if he stays where he is at, he will wish he had gone to a larger airline. But if he goes to a larger airline and is never home, he will wish he stayed at skywest. There seem to be pro's and con's to both and he really doesn't know which direction to go in.

Hum...what to do? Which direction do you think your SO would go in?

[MQAAord]

Just because he goes to a major doesn't mean he'll never be home.

The first year or so might be hard, but after that it's just schedules and bidding, just any other airline.

I said I'd never leave Eagle, I had so much senority, life was great, why would I give up everything I had, blah blah blah. Then I went to American, and OMG it was a whole different world. Even knowing how it ends (I'm furloughed) I would still make the same decision. Maybe just a couple years earlier

[amelia]

Originally Posted by MQAAord

Just because he goes to a major doesn't mean he'll never be home.

Oh, we know that. I guess I didn't do a good job explaining what all is in our heads...I really don't know how to explain it all. I guess the impression that we have is it might take him a long while to get to where he wants to be at a major (with moving from plane to plane and seat to seat) and have the QOL that he wants.

[rgphib]

That is what we are going through right now!

DH has been flying for ExpressJet since 1999. So he is bidding around #80ish in EWR, and has almost 3000 pilots behind him. He has 3 weeks of vacation now (and with their vacation policy at his company each week can be worth 2.5-3 weeks) and in 2 years he will have 4 weeks. If his company furloughed, he would still have a job. But he really wants to fly for someone who owns their own flying. After CAL took away 69 of their airplanes recently, it got scary....especially since they can take more away in a couple more years.

He always wanted to fly big airplanes (he really wanted to fly the 757) but over the past couple of years, he realized that is not what he wants. He interned with United in college and loved it. He wanted to fly for them (since he interned, he would have an interview if he wanted one). But listening to what the company is now, he has no desire. At this point, he had no desire to fly for a Legacy, he was looking for something different (just not him at this point in his life). He interviewed with JetBlue in May (and got turned down, we think maybe they saw him as someone who would jump ship soon because of his flying time.....he said during the interview they kept saying how much money it costs to train people and how many people were leaving for Southwest, UPS, etc....but he also did not feel great about the interview....it wasn't really where he wanted to go). When he finally got a the email in April about a Southwest interview in May (he has applied back in Dec. of 2005), he knew this was it. It was the only place he would leave ExpressJet for. He loved the company. After talking to a bunch of pilots (new and old) and reading the book NUTS!, he knew it was the best fit for him. Although he always wanted to fly bigger airplanes, he knew he would now be happy flying 737's the rest of his life. He wants to work for a company that truly cares for its employees, and Southwest fits that bill. Now, all he had to do was get hired.

When the phone call finally came on Friday, a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders. He said it was the place he wanted to retire from, and you could see in his eyes how happy he was (I haven't seen that in a while with his job....although he loves flying, he started getting really nervous once CAL took flying away....) and excited for the next step in his career.

DH was ready last year to stay at Express until he retired- he really thought he would never get an interview at Southwest. Although he is now going back to the lowest man on the totem pole, he is really excited about it. Will we regret it in the future? Who knows in this industry?! Anything can happen, but we know it is the best move for our family. With baby #1 on the way in January, the timing isn't the best for him to move on, but in this industry waiting another month or two, will mean 200-400 numbers on the seniority list.

Right now DH commutes, so it our lives will not change. Actually it will be better since if he gets based in BWI, their are 12 flights a day from MHT-BWI- right now he relies on only 3 flights to EWR and they are all 50 seat jets.

The decision is not an easy one.....but you guys will know what is best for your family.

Good Luck!

[christykay]

Cliche sounding I'm sure...Life is all about choices.

As much as I would love to help you in this decision making process...this is a choice that you and your family will have to make. To weigh ALL of the options. What works for one doesn't necessarily work for another.

Every pilot and every pilot's family has been in this situation, or will be in this situation at some point in their career. Fork in the road kind of decision. Do you choose 1 or 2? Maybe 1 1/2?

So how do you choose?? Listen to your heart and pray. You'll find the answer that is meant for you and your family. In our own home we have made some choices in this profession with the sole purpose of having Dad home more. Was this the best choice? For us- ABSOLUTELY, for others- maybe not. You need to find what works best for you and your family. Good Luck!

[Amanda]

For us it was an easy decision- Nick has always wanted to fly a 757 internationally for a major. His QOL was already horrible at Mesa and we don't have any kids to worry about. The biggest issue is that his first year pay and benefits are horrible... but we know it will improve next year. He is at a company he can see himself retiring at (knock on wood).

[Kristie]

The sensible, brainiac in me says he should get that PIC time, that way, he ALWAYS has backup if things were to go sour at one airline vs another.

At some point, no matter where you start in the major's, your always going to be junior man for a while and that's just how it goes...granted, the airline is cyclical in nature, i really think they're going to keep hiring for a while yet, so he has some time to build up his PIC before moving on. but he needs to get the "junior man" idea out of his head because that's going to happen no matter *where* he goes.

In my opinion, any schedule at a major is going to be better than a schedule at a regional.. maybe it's because of the commute situation or that the bases normally don't change at least not nearly as much as regionals (things aren't always so up in the air)...but to me, majors are a more static environment with upward mobility and the option to fly different aircraft at the same base...granted, he could get on with a major and stay in that aircraft for 3 years and have awesome seniority (at that base) from there on...but the first few years, no matter where or when he moves is gonna suck because of his seniority number amongst all pilots.

Is United the only carrier that takes less than 1000 PIC? I'm not sure what's going to happen with the airlines but it does seem like United and NWA (both) want to be picked up.

[Rebes]

Originally Posted by amelia

But he knows that his family life could suffer. He is a big family guy. He wants to be home as much as he can. Thats why he is wondering if he should stay where he is at?

It is a decision that you as a family need to make. In our experience, my DH worked for ACA (had a blast there), but it was his life goal/dream to fly the 757/767. His two uncles flew for Eastern, and he saw with time their lifestyles get better and easier. He is also a family guy, and I can honestly say that even when he first got hired at CAL in 1999, his schedule was only worse when he was on reserve, and it wasn't for long. I think he is a better and happier father/husband having reached his life goal.

[Brenda]

For us too, it was a decision he really had a hard time making. Still contemplates it once in a while. Sure, he wanted to fly the big guys. Sure he was a shoe in at Fed Ex, just neded to show up, but things kind of changed for us throughout the years. Hours of PIC wasn't even an issue. I always wonered, sometimes still do, if he sold himself short because of me and our family we now have. But he reassures me it isn't. He's bidding number 4 now, close to 16 days off normally(on a good month),19 in July with vaca, he does commute but that is because we chose this drastic move and has a great schedule. Financially, we are good, no car payments and 2 homes and me having the opportunity to raise our boys. So, for us, our quality of life is just great.
My advice would be to talk, really talk and see what he and you really want and what is real important. Majors aren't always the best choice for some peoplefamilies and it doesn't mean he is selling himself or you short. Again, JMO.

[roz]

It's always a decision that depends upon unique circumstances.

We have a friend who has an in at FedEx. But he's a captain/checkairman at NetJets. He's based out of Boston and lives on Cape Cod. If his trip originates somewhere else, he buys a ticket and flies space positive (and is reimbursed for the ticket)--so he dosen't worry about commuting. He works seven days and is off seven days. Since he always knows his schedule, he can PLAN things well in advance (what a novelty!). They put everything on personal cards, so they accumulate points like crazy. So, when they vacation, they go space positive on award tix and get into nice resorts on the points. So, he's not flying a wide body. But, his quality of life is awesome!

We know others that are with a regional, very senior and based where they live. They have out and back lines and are home every night. They prefer that and have stayed that way for the 20 years in which we have known them.