Best Express Carrier

[scot]

Per LightYears Request....
Saw the topic from a year or two ago revived, thought a new one was needed.

Which one does the best from a customer and employee standpoint.

MidAtlantic is not an Express carrier, but the company would like you to think it is so they are included.

 

[smfav8r]

Piedmont!

 

[MidwayMetrolink]

This is a hard one because I think it depends on the day you go and the people you get. I have flown on all of the above carriers except Colgan, Air Wisconsin and Republic. All operated pretty much on schedule, not too many delays. I have only flown Mid-Atlantic two times and both were too short of trips to judge anything in terms of service. Once from DCA-PHL and once from PHL-MDT. There was no service on both of these flights. Allegheny/Piedmont always did a service from MDT-PHL....slower plane and more time I guess. I have flown CHQ twice from DCA-PHL and there was a full service with 50 people. Even after hearing all the horror stories about Mesa, I cannot say anything bad about them. The people have always been friendly and the planes were on time. And no I don't work for them and never have.

It's the same with mainline. On most DCA-LGA Shuttle flights, it runs on time and there is usually a full beverage service and the employees do a great job. But twice in the last month, there was no service at all and only pre-departure and arrival announcements. The F/A's sat in the last row and knitted or read. It just depends on the people you get.

 

[AstroLounge]

I agree with the notion MDA is NOT really an Express/Regional carrier, regardless of what the a/c titles stated. Piedmont and PSA get my vote.....Piedmont very reliable and professional, PSA is a nice operation but unfortunately there tends to be high turnover which effects operations in the long run. airWisc should be a good partner.........they have been in the business for years and know how to run an operation and their crews have always been friendly. Mesa is Mesa and Mesa's Orenstein is a friend of Siegel (enough said)

 

[leonides]

piedmont is still in business? and do they have jets yet? huh, whadya know I thought they were getting rid of all the overpaid dash 8 drivers....

 

[smfav8r]

piedmont is still in business? and do they have jets yet? huh, whadya know I thought they were getting rid of all the overpaid dash 8 drivers....

Jet's do not make a carrier better. I don't work for Piedmont, but I must say they have the most class out of any of the regional carriers. My hat's off to all of you for working through the crap that's been handed down through the years. Most of the 2 to 5 year captains on the shiney RJ's couldn't hold a candle to the so called overpaid Dash drivers. My vote is still for Piedmont!

 

[PropPiedmont]

piedmont is still in business? and do they have jets yet? huh, whadya know I thought they were getting rid of all the overpaid dash 8 drivers....

I am an overpaid Dash 8 driver waiting to be thrown to the side of the road, but until that happens I'll be at my 30 acre estate (16 room mansion by the way) in the pool house rolling around in a huge pile of 100 dollar bills that US Air just won't stop throwing at me.



Seriously, management, stop sending me all that cash. Don't you know that I just fly a prop.

 

[NCflyer]

For those that are wondering, yes Piedmont is still operating.

PDT is based in Salisbury, MD and continues to operate a fleet of aging Dash 8's. The employees have been through a rough time the past 3 years or so but continue to provide excellent service.

Most of you probably don't know but PDT has taken more cuts than any other USAirways division, (except maybe ALG). 3 Years ago PDT operated 65 Dash 8's while ALG operated 40 Dash 8's. This year, 2005, the 2 companies PDT & ALG were merged and now operate a total of 57 Dash 8's. That's a 45% reduction in our combined fleet. Our pilot group has gone from nearly 1,000 pilots on a combined list to only 546 on the most recent seniority list. Again a 45% reduction.

So for the PDT/ALG pilots and the mainline brothers alike, it is hard for us to go to work and see the shiny new RJ's operating on the runs that we used to do.

 

[FM2436]

I am an overpaid Dash 8 driver waiting to be thrown to the side of the road, but until that happens I'll be at my 30 acre estate (16 room mansion by the way) in the pool house rolling around in a huge pile of 100 dollar bills that US Air just won't stop throwing at me.



Seriously, management, stop sending me all that cash. Don't you know that I just fly a prop.

Interesting thing is I know several older and retired pilots who spent their entire flying career with Henson/Piedmont. Often they spoke/speak about living on the low, slower, Maryland eastern shore were property values, up to about five years ago, were a fraction of the cost when compared to living in the DCA-BWI-PHL area. I know several who invested in rental properties in Ocean City more than 20-years ago and today are doing very well. One retired pilot once told me in the later part of his career he'd show up at work early in the morning and be home in Salisbury by mid-afternoon. Not the glamor of flying a big jet cross country at 37,000 ft, but not to bad.

 

[PropPiedmont]

Interesting thing is I know several older and retired pilots who spent their entire flying career with Henson/Piedmont. Often they spoke/speak about living on the low, slower, Maryland eastern shore were property values, up to about five years ago, were a fraction of the cost when compared to living in the DCA-BWI-PHL area. I know several who invested in rental properties in Ocean City more than 20-years ago and today are doing very well. One retired pilot once told me in the later part of his career he'd show up at work early in the morning and be home in Salisbury by mid-afternoon. Not the glamor of flying a big jet cross country at 37,000 ft, but not to bad.

You thought I was joking about my 30 acre estate?

 

[flyin2low]

And the 100 dollar bills?

 

[PropPiedmont]

And don't forget about my Italian car collection.

 

[ChrisUS]

And don't forget about my Italian car collection.

Matchbox is Italian????

 

[Flyrr100]

Piedmont?
Maybe to general passengers they are great. But to any non wholly-owned pilot or flight attendant just trying to get to work, Or worse, trying to get home, they are terrible. Don't let them know you are with Mesa, CHQ, Air Wisky, Colgan, or any other carrier who's 'flying their routes'. They'll make sure your trip is memorable! For the wrong reasons!

 

[WSurf]

I don't think you can lump AirWisky guys into that group!! They bring a good product and workforce to the US Group. They have invested plenty of money into our company and have a major stake in the survival of US Airways.... Where as the other Contract Carriers (I call them the 'Parasites') can simple go and leech on too another host once they are done feeding on the current one.
As for making it hard for contract carriers to ride, there may be a few bad apples (most which have retired)like all airlines. But for the most part this pilot group is good about trying to get anyone home!!