Commercial vs. Charter Airlines

[wes]

I was wandering if anybody had flown for a charter airline and a commercial airline? And if so, what would be your pro's and con's on the two companies. I am currently a student at a four year aeronautical university in the states and wanted to weigh my options. Any inside info would be excellent, thanks.
--Wes

[Secret Squirrel]

Hey, Wes. I think you mean Charter vs Scheduled as they are both commercial airlines.

I work for a scheduled airline but we do some charters. The charters we do are mainly ski charters and Blue Rinse Brigade, holiday charters.

The advantages with scheduled airlines are really the overall punctuality, the quality of the punters. We are less prone to slot delays (big ones at any rate); and our punters are mainly business travellers. Charter airlines tend to cater more for the holiday market and as such their customer base tends to be from further down the evolutionary ladder.

Of course we have our fair share of white trash pompous business types who think the airline owes them life itself simply because they paid for a ticket. There's also more night flying in charter airlines, mainly due to airport slots being scarce during the day. Usually the money is pretty good though and allowances too. You do get to fly good aircraft and they are easier to get into than the majors.

I suppose it's six of one, half a dozen of the other, really. Depends on what turns your cog.

[AIRLIFT]

Hi wes, I fly for a charter company and I have freinds in scheduled airlines and from my point of view, if you like diversety and to go many differtent places then the charter is a good place to go. Also It's true, the charter as a good portion of it's flight at night but in our company it's about 50/50. the working conditions are about the same since we both go by the same air regs. The biggest difference is on the pay check and what comes with it. All in all they are both a good place to go but as secert squirrel point out the charter is a little bit easyer to get into and to my experience the wait for a left seat on a large jet is shorter. The scheduled companies have like their name say a more stable life. Your scheduled depending on your seniority will be very predictable.

I gess it all depends on what kind life you want to lead...

Good luck :)