Originally Posted by
ATISInformation
I have a couple questions about Spirit's "drop to zero" policy.
I understand that Republic, Delta, FedEx, and maybe a couple others have this but that it's more limited elsewhere; what makes it great at Spirit is that they are contractually obligated to keep 75%(?) of the grid green.
How frequently can someone actually drop to zero at Spirit? Could someone realistically work at Spirit in a kind of part-time capacity? Like, could I do one 3-day trip per month? Or fly once or twice every couple months? On a routine basis? Is flying 6-12 trips per year realistic, or is there an expectation that you execute a normal month most months?
Additionally, does anyone have any insights on what might happen to "drop to zero" if/when the jetBlue merger goes through? I've heard that the Spirit and jetBlue pilot groups both want it to stay, but I was unsure of how realistic of an expectation that is.
Thanks for the insights. Really appreciate this discussion.
75% green is at a specific snap shot done during the bidding process. It does not need to remain 75% through the month. This has been arbitrated and the arbitrator best compared it to the pilots regulating what stays red and what stays green based on demand for drops. If guys know we are short staffed and want to drop, they will drop until the days are red and they will mainly remain red while guys wait for premium. So as a new FO, forget about green days and working part time. As a CA in most bases, yes you can drop pretty much anything.
As far as the expectation you work a certain amount, they can suck a ….. This is our benefit and we can drop to zero so any expectations they might have, it doesn’t exist in reality. Again, pilots determine the grid with our drops once the month opens.
Will this remain in the merger? I’ll say this, the current NC will die on the hill to protect red/green and drop to zero. As the NC said last week, any mention of losing this with our own management (they haven’t asked) is a “non starter”. I would imagine the Jblue NC will want this provision carried over in the JCBA so I expect this to be a hard fought provision to bring over.
Dropping to zero is in my opinion, the best benefit we have. But since we are short on the FO side, many FOs are dropping during the start of the bidding/award process and that’s leaving a lot of red on the FO side.