CHQ vs. Comair

[Otto]

As a Comair guy, I'd say go to CHQ at this point. Yes, the pay is not as good but they are growing a lot while movement at Comair has come to a grinding halt. Don't get me wrong...Comair is a great company. It's just with no movement, you would be on reserve for a lonnnnngggg time. The only risk I could see to CHQ's growth is the US Air situation. If they fold, CHQ growth could be reduced. That's my 2 cents.

 

[g159av8tor]

Otto,

Don't forget that there may be a problem in the near future with the new UAX flying. Contract flying, due to the UAL bankruptcy, the Bain effect and Mesa underbidding, has become tretcherous, minimum pofit margin comodity to go to the lowest bidder.

To be sure, I'm nervous about the future of Independence Air as I would be concerning employment at any upstart airline post deregulation--not that I have a choice in the matter. But, I'm proud to be on the ground floor of such a great and nerve racking opportunity.

As to which airline to go to, I reflect the general concensus: go to where you have a firm class. Just keep in the back of your mind, it may be a permanent career move considering the airline environment. It is difficult to forecast such a dynamic industry and more difficult to imagine where you'll be employed at 5, 10, 20 years in the future.

The advice I would offer is to research an airline's contract bargaining history. A strong local union that will traditionally hold onto certain contract standards is where I'd prefer to go. That way, one can infer that the leadership will not sell the milking cow for two goats in the name of growth. What you give up is nearly impossible to ever get back.

Tailwinds...

 

[flywithruss]

If you're in my class and older than me at CHQ, then go to Comair ... if you're younger than me or in a later class, come to CHQ and move me up one more number!!

Kidding, of course. Comair's payscales are higher but you'll more than make up the difference in upgrade time ... lots of growth coming CHQ's way means quick upgrades, while Mother Delta appears to have given Comair all the mama's milk they plan to for the time being. As for the CHQ contract, it may not be quite Comair, but it did get good raises, features decent (not the highest, but certainly not the lowest) pay scales, and kept Republic as part of the CHQ seniority list. That counts for something, in my book.

Good luck ... we all wish we had this sort of decision to make!

CHQ-bound,
R

 

[Be200pilot]

morale is high at CHQ and I havent met any truly unhappy employees yet. We get a good amount of days off, 12-19 for line holders. I have alot of friends at Comair and they really like it too, its just looks like CHQ might be better place to go for now.

 

[Strikefinder]

As many have said, I think you're in a terrific position either way you go. Before I was offered a class date at CHQ, I was offered an interview at SkyWest, which I elected not to take. I've had all sorts of people tell me that I'd regret it, and here I am a year and a half later, and I don't regret it a bit. That's not to say that SkyWest wouldn't have been good--I'm certain I would have enjoyed it very much. I chose Chautauqua for a variety of reasons (domiciles, growth, friends I work with, etc.).

I'm not going toe to toe with those that claim our contract is or isn't any particular thing; What I will say is that in my first year at Chautauqua, my taxable income was nearly $23,000, and my second year income would be over $35,000, if it weren't for the fact that it appears I'll be upgrading in June. At the rate things are going, I will likely be a line holding captain by the end of this year, with just over two years with the company. Right now, I average 16-20 days off a month as an FO living in domicile with day trips. Last year (by choice) I didn't spend a night in a hotel from mid-February until October.

Past trends are no guarantee of future performance, I understand. And not everybody here at CHQ is happy, but personally, I'm really glad I came here. I love the vast majority of people I work with, I have a great quality of life, and despite protestations from a lot of really ignorant (and very angry) people out there, I live relatively comfortably even as an FO (there are a lot of companies whose contracts do not match ours in either compensation or quality of life). I have several friends at ComAir who are very happy with life there as well, though, so pick what you think is best and don't worry about it much beyond that. I don't think you can really go wrong, and if you can, you'll never be able to predict why.

Good Luck!

 

[low-key]

I chose CHQ 3 years ago and will second strike's post.

 

[jdru25]

I am a fairly junior F/O at CHQ (been here less than a year) and I have great quality of life and I work with a great bunch of people. I have been averaging 15-16 off a month. They are both great companies.

 

[KingAirKiddo]

Go to Chatauqua. You'll be kicking yourself if you bypass a class date with them and sit around in the Comair pool for what may be a very long time.

I have a few friends over there, and they seem pretty happy. Comair is also a great place to work, but we probably won't be growing much for a couple of years since we did not give in to "concessions for growth" scheme that was offered to us.

Best of luck to you.