HMY vs. WJA

Wind Ryder · Post by **Wind Ryder** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 3:01 pm

Other than layover destinations and equipment anyone have an opinion with which would be the better airline to work for and why?

CanadaEH · Post by **CanadaEH** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 7:29 pm

Harmony has better looking FA's, hope that helps.

boeingboy · Post by **boeingboy** » Thu Sep 01, 2005 10:30 pm

Westjet.

They have a plan.

fmrc3ame · Post by **fmrc3ame** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 9:03 am

I'd go with the eye candy option lol j/k. Your decision is like comparing apples to oranges. Ultimately the decision lies on how you feel it can work for you. You may want the flexibility of a smaller carrier or the supposed security of a larger one. Do a lil homework and see what kinda schedules they both have. Just my $0.02.

prop2jet · Post by **prop2jet** » Fri Sep 02, 2005 10:49 am

Actually, you should be looking at a variety of things. Stability is one, though not always a consideration that is easy to evaluate. Best look into what the long term business plan is. HMY is obviously to fly to Mainland China, however that will require different aircraft. The opportunity for advancement into the left seat is another option to consider, and finally pay. Don't expect to get rich on stock options and profit sharing when considering pay...

flyboeing · Post by **flyboeing** » Tue Sep 06, 2005 8:49 pm

[quote="boeingboy"]Westjet.

They have a plan.[/quote]

Hamony has a plan

They just got approval to fly new routes to China. They bet out AC for them. They are also planning on getting larger aircraft. Sounds like a plan to me compared to WJ's plan of hitting and missing in the US. Now they're gonna have more plane then they know what to do with.....at least they won't have to worry about having to many pilots sitting around as many are seeing the light and the lack of money/profit sharing and are moving onto bigger and better like AC!

WJflyer · Post by **WJflyer** » Wed Sep 07, 2005 2:47 pm

flyboeing wrote:
boeingboy wrote:Westjet.

They have a plan.
Hamony has a plan They just got approval to fly new routes to China. They bet out AC for them. They are also planning on getting larger aircraft. Sounds like a plan to me compared to WJ's plan of hitting and missing in the US. Now they're gonna have more plane then they know what to do with.....at least they won't have to worry about having to many pilots sitting around as many are seeing the light and the lack of money/profit sharing and are moving onto bigger and better like AC!

Right now, Harmony has no clue as to what aircraft they want right now. The aircraft they do want, the Boeing 787, isn't ready to fly yet.

Hadji Ramjet · Post by **Hadji Ramjet** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 10:17 pm

Harmony bet (sic) out Air Canada for China rights? Would that be the same Air Canada that recently was granted approval for an additional five pax and three cargo flights weekly to China?

WJflyer · Post by **WJflyer** » Thu Sep 08, 2005 10:55 pm

Harmony is a good airline. I flew with them a couple of times on their Toronto-Vancouver run (HQ219 FYI because it is at a good time for me: 4:30pm) and the service is pretty good. Only thing that can be improved is the seat pitch. I am way too used to the larger seat pitch on Westjet's 737-700's and 737-800's (I am 1.8m tall), and the in flight entertainment, as the movies that Harmony shows are well, crap. I prefer Westjet's PTV's over a inflight movie, thanks. I make up for Harmony's little faults by catching a Westjet red-eye flight back to Toronto. Let's hope they can continue and improve the service with these flights to China, when they have the aircraft that can make the trip.

RB211 · Post by **RB211** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 9:04 am

WJ is a good airline. My mom just flew with them for the 4th time. Her experience was friendly people but crappy in flight service. She flew Charlottetown to Vancouver via Toronto. No TV. It's a long day and the only thing offered was a well overpriced sandwich (she was told it was beef but can't confirm it was

). It cost $5 and, as she told me, she "choked it down" because she was that hungry. Check-in staff very friendly but in flight crew seemed very tired and less friendly.

From my personal experience the WJ TV is overrated. One rarely gets to see a complete show before it is turned off and it cuts out most every time the a/c turns.

Hopefully WJ can improve its service before it does flights to Hawaii. My understanding is the TV won't work for most of the crossing. A crappy $5 sandwich won't cut it on a 6 hour flight.

WJflyer · Post by **WJflyer** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 4:04 pm

RB211 wrote: From my personal experience the WJ TV is overrated. One rarely gets to see a complete show before it is turned off and it cuts out most every time the a/c turns.

Hopefully WJ can improve its service before it does flights to Hawaii. My understanding is the TV won't work for most of the crossing. A crappy $5 sandwich won't cut it on a 6 hour flight.

Better than the crap movie's that Harmony shows. The last time I flew with them, they showed a movie that was so obscure, I can't even remember what it was about, and even it's name, and I flew with them only 4 days ago!

RB211 · Post by **RB211** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 4:45 pm

WJflyer wrote:... I am way too used to the larger seat pitch on Westjet's 737-700's and 737-800's (I am 1.8m tall), ...

Is the extra 1 inch of seat pitch really that noticeable to you?

WJflyer · Post by **WJflyer** » Fri Sep 09, 2005 4:52 pm

RB211 wrote:
WJflyer wrote:... I am way too used to the larger seat pitch on Westjet's 737-700's and 737-800's (I am 1.8m tall), ...
Is the extra 1 inch of seat pitch really that noticeable to you?

For someone my height, yes. In a Harmony Airways seat, my knee's touch the seat infront of me, while in a Westjet seat, they don't. It is even better on the 737-800's, as they have even more seat pitch.

Traveler · Post by **Traveler** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 10:59 pm

The seat pitch in the fligh deck should be the same for both the 757 and 737's.

.. I perfer the sheep's fur on boeing's... as for the movies and PTV's

I have yet to hear about the PTV's in the fight deck

way to go WJ! I like how these topics go right to competition

pika · Post by **pika** » Sat Sep 10, 2005 11:52 pm

1.8M tall. That's 5 feet 9 inches. I would hardly call you large and I believe you would fit comfortably in almost any airline seat. By your claims one would have to be less than 5 feet 8 inches to be comfortable on Harmony.

RB211 · Post by **RB211** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 9:36 am

pika wrote:1.8M (that's a staggering 5 feet 9 inches) tall. A true giant among men. Does the "normal" sized world you are forced to live in cause you endless grief?

Actually it works out to 6 ft even. (180cm/2.5 in = 72) Still not likely to threaten any NBA players!

As someone mentioned a few posts back; how did this thread degenerate to an inflight service debate vs. where one would want to work?

As always, it comes down to a personal preference and there is no absolutely correct answer. Factors such as: type of flying, a/c, location, future potential and corporate culture may be some of the considerations.

One has to set their own priorities and decide what is best for them.

pika · Post by **pika** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 9:41 am

180 centimeter = 70.8661417 inch

Under six feet.

WJflyer · Post by **WJflyer** » Sun Sep 11, 2005 12:47 pm

pika wrote:1.8M tall. That's 5 feet 9 inches. I would hardly call you large and I believe you would fit comfortably in almost any airline seat. By your claims one would have to be less than 5 feet 8 inches to be comfortable on Harmony.

It is not that I am just tall, it is that my legs are a bit longer than a average person of my height. This puts a cramp on me in a Harmony seat (unless I get one of those rare bulkhead or emergency exit seat). And Harmony's seat pitch is 31", while Westjet's 737-700's are configured so there is 32". But my preference is for the 737-800's, which has their seat pitch at 34".

wsguy · Post by **wsguy** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 12:48 am

try HarmonyOne.... 52" seat pitch. And a pretty good menu too I might add.

WJflyer · Post by **WJflyer** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 1:15 am

wsguy wrote:try HarmonyOne.... 52" seat pitch. And a pretty good menu too I might add.

But can I afford it... nope. My budget for a year's travel is $1600, and that is for at least 6 trips, out and return. HarmonyOne travel will technically blow my budget into smithereens.

B612 · Post by **B612** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 7:20 am

Never worked for either but I'd look hard at Harmony. At least if you start at Harmony today you might make Captain sometime in your life. If not at least the type rating is useful! The good days of upgrades and profit sharing are gone at WJ. WJ is very stable, and if low pay in YYC as a career f/o sounds better than a gamble at Harmony then there is your answer.

RVSM · Post by **RVSM** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 8:25 am

B612 wrote:Never worked for either but I'd look hard at Harmony. At least if you start at Harmony today you might make Captain sometime in your life. If not at least the type rating is useful! The good days of upgrades and profit sharing are gone at WJ. WJ is very stable, and if low pay in YYC as a career f/o sounds better than a gamble at Harmony then there is your answer.

Wow. Another AC guy with that ol' sixth sense!

Can I have a try? "The good times are over at AC. If you get hired on today you will be an RJ F/O until the day you retire. I know this for a fact because...well, I just know it "

If Boeing gets their act together, 4 new airplanes this year to replace the last of the 200s. Next year, 15 new airplanes.

I hear they won't fly themselves.

Canus Chinookus · Post by **Canus Chinookus** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 10:12 am

but they're working on it!

B612 · Post by **B612** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:18 pm

RVSM - Nobody asked about AC. And those estimates are total crap.

Sure some new planes are arriving so you will hire. But the 200 guys are senior to the non-captains on the 700, so yes, some upgrades should occur but those upgrades won't extend very far down the current f/o list. Getting hired tomorrow puts a whole lot of names ahead of you. My point remains that WJ is safe and slow, Harmony is a gamble I would look at. It won't take much growth to get the upgrade at Harmony, afterall that is what happened at WJ, isn't it? And that is what this thread was about.

PS - stop getting so worked up when people don't kiss Clive's feet

RVSM · Post by **RVSM** » Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:56 pm

Those estimates are certainly no more full of crap than your statements about the good times and profit sharing being over at WestJet.

Next year looks like about 25% growth at WJ. Perhaps HMY will out pace that. My point is that you guys love to take shots at WJ, even though you don't have a clue about what is going on.

I don't, in fact, get worked up about people not "kissing Clives feet". The manner in which you take cheap shots at him and WestJet tells me you fret about him.

And so you should.