How are career development opportunities at SkyWest Airlines?

I have been with the company for many years. I have held a number of positions, including management, inflight, and customer service. The company encourages and offers opportunities to follow your path for your personal growth and success.

The pay to start is low for the first year, no matter what position you hold at the company, but it improves quickly with seniority. Starting pay has improved greatly over the years, though it still could be better for other positions outside of Flight operations.

Good profitable company, never any layoffs, job security and opportunity to move up

Very reactive vs proactive. Slow to make changes, slow to adopt current tech/philosophy. Focus on maximum profitability often leads to lower pay

My experience at SkyWest was truly incredible. I felt incredibly fortunate to work under outstanding leadership and alongside a supportive, collaborative team during my time as a Customer Service Agent. The role offered great opportunities for growth, and I wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone passionate about travel or interested in the aviation industry!

If you're able to lift heavy suitcases, this job offers a lot of benefits. There are no cons.

Great place to learn and gain experience. Flight Benefits with 4 Major Airlines.

Not much room for growth.

Career advancement, many domiciles, newer aircraft

Threats of job action or discipline for advocating for safety or removing oneself for duty due to illness or family emergencies. No representation to protect pilots from this action.

Very chill environment. Arguably widest network of flight benefits around.

It's a large corporation, so dealing with stockholders, layoffs, few advancement opportunities, etc are commonplace. Executives don't necessarily care about corporate employees like they do with Pilots & FAs, but they treat them better so they don't unionize. Low pay

SkyWest Airlines is an excellent place to kickstart your career as an aircraft dispatcher. They offer some of the best training among regional airlines, which sets a strong foundation for anyone entering the field. The training is comprehensive and equips you with the necessary skills and knowledge to handle a variety of situations in the fast-paced world of aviation. While the workload is not light, this challenge provides valuable experience that can accelerate your professional growth. The high demands of the job prepare you well for future opportunities, whether you stay with SkyWest or move on to other airlines. Overall, it’s a rewarding environment for those who are eager to learn, gain experience, and thrive in a dynamic industry.

One notable drawback of working at SkyWest Airlines is the compensation. While the company provides excellent training and a positive work environment, many employees feel that they would stay longer if the pay were slightly higher. The salary, though reasonable for a regional airline, may not be as competitive as some other opportunities in the industry. However, aside from this, SkyWest remains a great company to work for, offering valuable experience and a supportive atmosphere for career growth.

Training emphasizes safety and doing the right thing when you are not fit for duty. Coworkers in training were supportive and kind. Travel Benefits are great!

left a stable job of 10 years to join this company because I believed in the “safety first” culture that was clearly taught during training. We were told that if we were not fit for duty, we should call out because safety is the top priority. I followed that instruction and called out sick with a severe migraine one time because I was not fit to fly. After that single absence, I was terminated. There was no real attempt to understand the situation, no meaningful conversation, and no compassion for the fact that I had just left a decade-long career to be here. The decision felt immediate and final, and it completely upended my life. What has made this even more devastating is that my unemployment benefits were denied. After trusting the company enough to leave long-term stability, I am now facing severe financial hardship and the very real possibility of losing my housing. Being told that safety comes first, and then being punished for prioritizing safety, was heartbreaking. And SIA is a scam. They don’t really represent the employees.

Working in the airlines. Flight benefits. Opportunity to lead with support from higher up and room to advance.

Understaffed in the station and the pay didn't match the work needed or time spent.

Lots of domiciles. Off reserve relatively quick at some bases. They are the highest paid regional with boarding pay. Really wonderful instructors at training. Fusako!! Whitney !!! Jason!! I think during my career, I will always remember these wonderful teachers. This is a separate note, if you are in a position where you do not have to make the higher mainline hourly rate (ie. have a second job, etc) regional is awesome in that you only work with one other FA, have to serve a relatively small amount of people, and if you are an aviation enthusiast, there is more of a rapport with the pilots as you do not get separated on overnights as you do with most mainline carriers.

There is no protection here. One is on probation for 1 year (the industry norm is 6 months) and at 3 absences in most cases they will let you go even though they say at training you have 5. This might include being sick, a hospitalized immediate family member, or an important life event. I have heard many anecdotes where people have made it almost the whole year only to be let go just prior to its completion. They do not care how good you do your job, how many amazing reviews you have, your competence, punctuality, personality, passion. None of it. You have 3, what they call, “excused absences” and then you will be let go by a faceless person. Go to a union airline with a 6 month probation period, and more protections for the employee. Even though there are some wonderful people at the airline there is an ethos of the FA being disposable. Apparently these values come down directly from Chip Childs, the CEO. From what I have garnered via reputable personnel, his line of thinking is Flight Attendants are a constantly replaceable commodity. Mr. Childs, they are not. The incompetence was rampant, and there is a clear standards disparity that is most certainly linked to this philosophy. Making the emotional, time, and monetary investment in this is not worth it. Don’t get me wrong, people do get through probation, but it is random; there is no protection for you. If you feel you are someone that needs a little support; look for a union airline!!!!! This is an amazing career…loved every minute!!! Just look beyond this company!! I am someone with a multitude of professional and life experiences. Please heed my warning! I never write so much as a restaurant review, but was compelled to do this for people that are really passionate about aviation and customer service. Look elsewhere.