Originally Posted by
LennyAlanMcHifi
Are any of you current F9 pilots worried about turning into the next Spirit? Looking at the Spirit QOL threads it seems like the pilots are generally happy, but it seems like being an ultra low-cost carrier like that would eventually start wearing on you. Spirit leads the industry in customer complaints. Those complaints no doubt get directed to the gate agents and flight attendants constantly. Which, you would figure, leads to gate agents and flight attendants having poor attitudes (who wouldn't be that way if you're constantly getting yelled at all the time?). And then these poor attitudes (while not being directed toward the pilots) become part of the everyday work environment.
Does anyone have concerns about that? Or am I just being overly negative?
Admittedly I haven't been at Spirit long, but I've yet to experience this.
Every flight, the pax have been very nice, thanking the FAs and pilots as they get off the plane, I've heard nary a complaint. Most complaints filed have been due to being late or lost baggage, something pilots have very little control over.
Complaints about Spirit on social media come in two categories:
1. People who expect gold standard treatment, but only want to pay rock-bottom prices for it, or
2. People who haven't actually flown Spirit, but had a sister, brother, uncle, friend, friend of a friend, etc., who have and can't believe you have to pay all those fees (which, btw, you pay for on other airlines, they're just bundled into the price, or if you actually read any of the small print, or change your behavior slightly, you won't have to pay).
Don't equate flying as a ticket paying customer to flying on Spirit aircraft as a flight crew member. I'm not an expert, but as I understand it, Spirit has a fantastic contract, great work rules, is making gobs of money and the planes have been built in this century.
Best of luck to those at F9 and those getting ready to interview.