Originally Posted by
Round Luggage
So what is the way forward for ulccs with growth plans if they have the same people accumulating FO hours and not producing captain hours?
The LCC/ULCCs have plenty of CAs. While some of their more junior CAs may jump to the Big Three, the more senior CAs are making $300k a year or better) plus 15-16% 401 k DC and are able to pick and choose (and trade and drop) their trips for max QOL. It’s the old ‘golden handcuffs’ story. Even if they will eventually make more at the Big Three, they’ll never make as much extra as what they’ll give up by starting over.
And replacing those junior guys who do leave is easy, the LCC/ULCCs have lots of upgrade eligible FOs willing to make the jump to CA, even if many of them may eventually jump to the Big Three if they are young enough and junior enough for it to make economic sense. Have you looked at the JetBlue or Spirit payscales recently?
Latest JetBlue rates:
$340 an hour plus 16% DC isn’t a bad place to be if you never get the call from the Big Three, and you are sure a lot more likely to get the call from the Big Three with FO hours in a 737 or 320 than you are with FO hours in a CRJ 200.