LoopsMcDoops

NK here too. I'm pretty sure our management has checked out. Seemingly, there's no path forward for us without being purchased/merged any longer. I'm betting during covid, this became the realization from Spirit management. I've no crystal ball, but prior to covid, we were buying planes, adding routes, bases, etc. During and now after covid, there's been no commitment to invest in our infrastructure and right-size our operational side to match our growth/deliveries. So in short, i'm saying it seems management has been and is fully committed to no longer being the entity that is Spirit.

That being said, as an NK pilot, we are safe either way we go, so not too much to worry about in terms of job security. It would however be unwise and costly for JB to simply buy us out and not use the assets they are purchasing. In terms of pilot retention, I think the B6/NK merger does a lot more for pilots looking for a career stop over that of a NK/F9 merger. The B6 product is superior in terms of pay, benefits, and simply put the relationship between the pilots and management. I am speaking only anecdotally here but, a quick venture to the Frontier forum is very enlightening to how poorly management treats their pilots. It's almost as if they treat you like a bottom of the barrel regional pilot. This is not too say that B6 has a great relationship, but having friends at both places I can say with certainty that these relationships are not equal. Hell, at Spirit, it's been an incredible place to work. You call out sick, you don't hear anything, you're not called into a meeting to explain your absences like you work for a minimum wage job. I also want to be very clear, this is NOT an attack on the pilot group at Frontier, they are a fantastic bunch. Simply an anecdotal look at the potential difference in the type of work experience we can expect.

Another interesting thing I've seen/heard from some co-workers is that a F9/NK merger "makes more sense", or that we complement each other better. Honestly, I see it as six of one, half dozen of the other. While I think there's a lot of overlap on the east coast with B6/NK, Spirit ads value to both F9 and B6 some incredible growth opportunities. There's a lot in the midwest that Spirit covers that B6 and F9 don't. Truly the only thing we share in common with F9 is our contract and pricing structure. But when making an investment for a long-term strategy, that doesn't really mean much. Given the opportunity, B6 will become the 5th largest airline with a network that really competes with the legacies. If folks can come to work here and commute on their own metal, are paid comparable to that of the legacies, and be a part of some growth with opportunities to expand further, that seems like a good option.

Anyway, i'd much rather retire from B6 than F9.