Also when I got hired 2.5 yrs ago the big shiny new contracts were not in place. We made far better money than usairways, American was in its bankruptcy fight and united did not have their current deal.

I believe virgin and jet blue were even behind us.

If I was at a regional as a captain with a reasonably good expectation of getting picked up at one of the big 3, no way would I entertain coming to spirit given the current pay/benefit disparity as well as the fact that the fast upgrade is not there for guys hired today