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Southern Airways Express

Is this your company?

Got to start somewhere - First Officer Southern Airways Express Employee Review

2.0
Sep 23, 2023
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

If you’re past 65 or are a low time pilot and other companies won’t hire you, due to increased insurance cost for them, then it’s a good start.

Cons

As an FO, you won’t get a lot of hrs, maybe 60 a month. There is virtually no chance for you to TDY as an FO, to pick up more hrs to rank up, That costs the company more money to send you to different locations so they really only due that for CPTs. Also, the company hires lots of FOs, which makes getting hours tougher. Additionally, as an FO they make you sign a promissory note. This note basically says to work for them for about 2 years or they’ll sue you for 16-20k if you leave early. With the hrs they give to FOs, it can easily take a year to reach CPT upgrade; they acknowledge this in the promissory note. Once CPT, the wording was 6-12 months as CPT before you can leave. Southern is trying to enforce a 6 OR 12 months time period, then you can leave without being sued. When they sue you it will be small claims court. This is incredibly deceptive. Small claims court you don’t have to be served. If you don’t show up, since you’re not served, you instantly lose. Southern gets even more tricky, they only sue for 8k at small claims court. 8k is the max you can be sued at small claims court in FL. Southern will try to intimidate you for 16-20k, but can only sue for 8k at a time. If they’ll try and sue again for another 8k, to get back to the price range of 16-20k, I don’t know if they can or will do this. You can only stop this, if you fulfill an 2 yr contract, or go to West Palm Beach FL, where they’re suing you at. This location doesn’t have any bases for pilots to be stationed at, so you’ll probably need a hotel and plane tickets to get there.

Explore other reviews about Southern Airways Express

5.0
Apr 7, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Leadership has really started to improve and it shows in the operation, reliability, and customer service.

Cons

pay could be more competitive

1.0
Dec 21, 2024
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The turbine time is valuable, when the airplanes are actually working. The CASS benefits are nice, and it’s 135 operator experience, but it comes at a significant cost to your overall well-being.

Cons

Pilots are grossly underpaid, with widespread maintenance and safety issues and relentless pressure to operate in unsafe conditions. Management and dispatch are notoriously disorganized and often hostile toward pilots. New hires are required to sign a training contract and promissory note during indoc, along with a SkyWest agreement that locks employees into the company for years. The compensation is insufficient to pay off these obligations, effectively trapping employees in a financially exploitative situation. The training program is severely lacking, and management fosters a culture where pilots feel targeted rather than supported. One alarming example involved a First Officer in Pennsylvania who was forced to sleep on a bench during the winter because he couldn’t afford housing, a situation management was aware of and chose to ignore. While a few bases offer free crew housing for commuters, most do not, leaving pilots to fend for themselves in challenging financial conditions. Following the merger, the company appears to be phasing out the Southern Airways Express brand in favor of Surf Air. However, it remains the same operation under the same leadership, with the same systemic issues.

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