B727DRVR

Hey Rocky,

I am currently at flyExclusive and love it, but definitely give props to XOJET as being a great company with an amazing fleet of aircraft and a great group of pilots. Having quite a few friends there, I don’t want to get into a back and forth battle of who is better. The fact that we are even close to XOJET on paper is sort of a back handed compliment considering that we only celebrated our 4th Anniversary last month, starting with only 3 aircraft now up to 40.

FlyExclusive is also a great company, but for different reasons. I feel that we are a little more flexible as to where we allow pilots to fly out of, some examples being KDHN, KEWN, etc. And, I prefer our per diem over the $80 food allowance that XOJET offers.. I will admit though that it is well known in this business that XOJET pilots will gain a pound or two, as they are known to eat so well, much like everyone knows that the Navy has the best grub. Also, I feel that we are a little more Mom and Pop over here, but in a good way while still being professionals.

I’ll be honest, XOJET just got a pay raise on April 1 and they offer a flex schedule (more money potential) in addition to the 8/6, 15/13 typical schedules that we both offer. So that’s another positive for them

So with quite a few friends happily flying there, living in KAUN, CA.. just down the road from KMCC, and flying for a company just a few hangars down from the XOJET HQ, why didn’t I apply there? The reasons are simple, but admittedly dated: I was very disgusted with the way XOJET treated their pilots during the last economic downturn (fact), also heard that they required current VistaJet pilots to re-interview for their jobs in light of the merger(rumor), and at the time, XOJET still used the rolling clock without defined rest (old fact). Granted, this happened a decade ago, with totally different management, but was so atrocious that it really hurt the XOJET brand among the pilot community. Again, this was in the past, with a different management team, so some say that one should just let it go. I didn’t personally know any of the more than 1 out of five terminated pilots, but I later met several and heard their stories of the heartless and reprehensible way that this was carried out (Think getting greeted by security at a far flung FBO with a TERMINATION letter, not FURLOUGH letter, and a ticket home as long as you turned in your Company ID and property...). Again, this happened over a decade ago on a Saturday 2 weeks before Christmas, and XOJET has turned into a great company with great benefits... I am just concerned that with all the pay raises and perks, that they did not learn from their past and offer a WRITTEN FURLOUGH POLICY to ensure that those mistakes from the past never happen again. I guess that makes me a Negative Nancy to even be mentioning furloughs and terminations in the current market and the new realities of the pilot shortage. But....

If XOJET had a WRITTEN FURLOUGH POLICY, given their history, I feel that they would have learned and atoned for their misdeeds of the past.. Maybe they have one, and I just haven’t heard about it, but even with the Economy as great as it is, I wouldn’t go there without one. With all that being said, I don’t feel that you could go wrong either place.

And congratulations to the XOJET pilots on their recent pay raise. Chase made one of the most informative posts that I have ever seen on this forum regarding his/her experience there. Great write up on your experience there and I am glad that you are so happy. It is only fitting that SWA seems to love XOJET pilots, and now SWA pilots are loving XOJET.