Hello -
I am approaching ATP numbers, and I am starting to look for a regional airline to move on to.
I have been approached off of my application by Trans States, Endeavor, and Republic. Can anyone tell me more about those three as well as Compass out of LAX.
I am living on the East Coast and would like to get back to the West Coast.
Any information would be helpful.
Thank you!
Out of all of those, Republic and Endeavor are the best paying. Those are probably the two best options if you can deal with being based on or near the East Coast, where most of their bases are, but they have no bases anywhere near the west coast. Out of the airlines you mentioned, only Compass has bases on the West Coast. Since their bases are all west coast except for PHX they would probably be a good choice if you want to move there and not have to commute to far, but keep in mind that bases do come and go at just about any airline, especially the regionals. I do not hear many good things about Trans States and generally they seem to be a lower tier regional (in terms of pay, contract, etc.), also with the end of the American Eagle flying the fleet will probably be shrinking, although they are apparently adding a few more ERJs for the United flying. They also have no bases near the west coast (closest one is DEN).
Probably don't work at Trans States, considering their AA flying ends soon, I don't understand why they're on a different operating certificate than Republic, which is an ok place to work, inasmuch that all regional airlines are ok places to work... but don't work at Trans States.
Republic doesn't own Trans States, you are probably thinking of Compass which is also owned by Trans States Holdings. It probably makes more sense for them to keep the certificates separate for whipsawing purposes.
4 plus years?
I was a 2007 hire, and I think it would have taken me 10.5 years to upgrade. I left after 7 and went to another regional to get some PIC time.
APC says 2011 is the most junior captain now, and there were A LOT of guys hired starting in January 2011 (when I came back from furlough) to maybe 2014/15.
I'd be shocked if anyone hired today ever upgrades at XJT.
I believe I remember you mentioning that their parent company SkyWest plans to shut them down eventually, and have said as much in their mandatory reports to shareholders. Certainly it seems SkyWest has been "Comairing" them by a thousand cuts, and their fleet keeps shrinking. There are a lot of ExpressJet refugees at my employer and from what they say there doesn't seem to be much of a future for XJT.
Probably best to avoid XJT as well unless you can't get hired anywhere else.
