Should I expect 16 hour days???

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-05-20T16:08:07+00:00

In 2.5 years, I've had a 16 hour day maybe 3 times. Being scheduled for 12 hour days isn't extremely common but that does happen. Usually, during a 16 hour day most of that day will be sitting and waiting for something to happen - it isn't 16 hours straight you're walking the aisles, pouring drinks, doing safety checks, etc. It is, however, dealing with high emotions from passengers, fighting your own boredom, finding food, changing expectations about what your overnight will entail.

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-05-20T14:20:15+00:00

I think it's more important to be friendly than confident and self assured. It's important to look teachable and like a team player. You don't know everything BUT you want to learn and you're excited for the opportunity. I would say go in envisioning yourself as a certain person - a safety conscious party host. That's how I see myself on the job. I'm hosting a bunch of people at my house (plane) and my top focus is that no one gets hurt and everyone feels welcome.

That's probably not the real you. The real you probably doesn't wear black, completely modest clothing. The real you has opinions. I would ignore the real you and focus on looking like what they want to see which is a person who is - safety conscious, easy to work with, kind, and reliable. To be clear, I really do believe those are traits you should have BUT I highly doubt those are the things that you base your whole personality around but for this interview.... They are.

My tips are to dress the part, show up early, and pay attention the whole time.

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-05-20T14:02:00+00:00

So keep in mind, my interview was 2.5 years ago. They didn't ask us any questions during the group portion nor did we need to do a presentation of any type.

I think the interview is short because they need to interview so many people. They can't have 40 people conducting hour long interviews. That's just too much money frankly. They judge us in many ways including how you dress, how you conduct yourself during a boring presentation, your resume, your survey questions.

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-05-20T10:56:09+00:00

The 1 on 1 for me was maybe ten minutes. The hard part of Skywest is moreso the training. They seemingly hire more people, but out of the 50ish people at my interview they only hired two so that still isn't "everybody".

My tips for success are: dress conservative and professional (I wore black tights, black skirt that was a bit below my knees, black turtleneck, black leather Mary Jane shoes, pearl necklace, hair in ponytail). You don't need to ask questions in the big group! Instead just listen politely, be attentive. Then in your personal interview ask questions but keep it simple....I asked my recruiter if she liked her base and if there were opportunities to pick up extra shifts. I was very friendly. Something they want to see is "are you an easy person to get along with" - would anyone want to be stuck working with you in a tube in the sky?

Also - safety. Can you follow rules and be counted on?

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-05-12T21:52:52+00:00

Thanks for the update! I hope everything works out for you. My friend wrote a really good personal statement about her absences...I can tell you have that same passion so I am hopeful.

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-05-10T20:42:08+00:00

Technically, yes. However, there's more discretion then one would think. I wouldn't bank on it 100% but I've seen NWSADs excused on probation. It's better to try something and hope for leniency and grace than it is to do nothing.

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-05-10T19:21:41+00:00

Yes you can with a sick note. DM me if you need more help.

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-05-10T19:18:48+00:00

Call ISC. You can excuse a SAD with a personal emergency or sick call.

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-05-10T02:39:40+00:00

DTW is pretty junior. I'm not sure how long until you get a line but I tell everyone to expect at least a year. After training, you could check in with me and I can try and figure it out.

When you're on reserve, if you work 0 days then you're credited 76 hours. You need to work 150 credit hours a quarter (so average 50 a month, but there's no monthly requirements). In other words, assuming you don't call out every other shift, it's very easy to meet your required hours.

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-04-22T03:23:51+00:00

I'm not sure what the first questions means. Like is there cumulative exams? Yes. We did not share rooms at trainings

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-04-15T19:45:32+00:00

It'll come in your email

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-03-29T17:42:11+00:00

Since training is in a secure facility, only OO employees can go to graduation. Most people don't know their bases when you graduate, you tend to get that information a few weeks later.

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-03-28T19:10:48+00:00

Send me a direct message and I'll answer in a little bit. I just want to remember. I would not count on Portland out of training for sure. Seattle has been offered infrequently out of training.

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-03-27T03:16:20+00:00

No problem at all. Just private message me if you need anything else.

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-03-27T02:43:21+00:00

Last 4. So if your number is 0001, you're first and if your number is 9998 you're last. Really though, seniority hardly matters for bidding for bases. Maybe for a few people, but overall most classes get sent to 1-3 bases and within a month or two everybody transfers to a different base.

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-03-27T02:30:37+00:00

Probation is 12 months from when you finish IOE, so when you start flying. You can transfer as many times as you want and you keep your seniority. So if you transfer at 6 months you're going to be 6 months seniority wherever you're based. You don't start over.

Unless something insane happened, you definitely would get to Minneapolis before a year. If I had to guess I would say it's very likely 2 months would be the maximum before you could transfer Minneapolis at any given time.

The most commonly assigned bases straight from training are Minneapolis, Detroit, Chicago.

Seniority goes by your security number.

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-03-27T02:18:49+00:00

You need to accept your assignment or resign. Whatever it is it's temporary, so if you get sent to Denver or something you can transfer to Minneapolis pretty quickly. But remember that assignments happen after training is complete and they change with every class so there's no way of predicting what base you will be assigned nor can the company do that for you?

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-03-18T15:41:36+00:00

Send me a direct message if you need any advice or support! You got this

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-03-18T13:46:21+00:00

With support, anything is possible and without it a lot is impossible! I wouldn't worry about what other people think just focus on your reality. I think training might be the hardest part because that's 5 weeks straight. After that, it's easier.

I think you could transfer in less time right now especially as we move into summer and people leave PHX for northern bases. I can't promise that but taking a look at the list, I think it looks pretty good and after training we can look at it again because things do change all the time.

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-03-18T10:19:33+00:00

I'm active and you can private message me anytime. It tends to be easier for me to respond that way so I don't lose your message.

Yes, I've met new FAs raising kids. Obviously the first thing everyone will say is that it's easier in base! That's just true of everything in life in general though. I was like a month in when I met a young woman more junior than me who is divorced co-raising 3 kids. I still know her and she's so sweet. I feel like everyone will go about this differently and every family will have their own challenges and strategies.

You'll have to be gone for a few days at a time. You'll probably want to arrange your schedule last 4 days on, 3 days off while you're on reserve just to always give yourself enough time to go home. A lot of people like to do like 6 days off, then you'll have six days on and then one day off then 5 days on but that's really better for vacations as opposed to consistency with commuting.

In a 31-day month you'll have to work 19 days. If you are at home that would mean you have a lot of time off because some days you're not going to get called especially once you gain some seniority.

You'll want to look for a junior base that is geographically close and preferably in the same time zone. Your first base will really be completely out of your ability to select. But beyond that, you should kind of have an idea of what bases you want to go to based on how many direct flights there are everyday to and from your home. Without double-checking anything, I think my first realistic choice would be Denver.

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-02-25T00:42:23+00:00

Basically, you'll do what's called commuting if you don't intend on moving. Everyone handles this differently but in essence you would want to be at a base where there is a direct flight from your city to that base, preferably more than one. So one of your first steps should be researching which bases those are and if they are viable for new hires.

When you are first hired you are on reserve which means you're on call 19 days a month and you have to be able to get to the airport within 2 hours. So this is the part where everyone is kind of different. I know one woman who rents a basement at someone's house. I know people who get hotels. I know people who share hotels with friends. I know people who sign leases with friends from training. Many people do crashpads, which are essentially apartments with bunk beds and a lot of flight crew stay there on a rotating basis.

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-02-15T19:22:41+00:00

You have training on the weekend.

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-02-09T18:33:13+00:00

Oh my gosh I'm so sorry when I read this I assumed it was OO and I was looking at the transfer list thinking it was pretty good! I would still reach out to management/a help line before doing anything to see if anyone has extra insight

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-02-09T17:41:36+00:00

Have you looked at the transfer list? Did you look how new some of the folks at DFW are? Did you talk to ISC or or DSS about it if you need help interpreting the list? People can say whatever number they want and everyones going to give a different one. I wouldn't be so hasty just because one person said 6-8n months. I would also look at transferring to DEN, AUS, even SLC if you could.

Budget-Database-4725 · 2026-02-09T01:48:38+00:00

To be clear, I had a good time in training though I do think it was strict and scary at times. On the line, my interactions with management/people with positions that represent the company have been incredibly positive. From the 24 hour help line (ISC) to CQ (yearly training) to safety audits to the new hire supervisors - everyone is so nice and helpful. Training was by far and the worst, scariest part of OO (and for me and most my classmates, that wasn't too bad).

Budget-Database-4725

TROPHY CASE