As I wrote previously, our leaders appear to be diametrically opposed to premium pay. Our contract administrator is also opposed to premium pay because it is not an ALPA contract standard provision.

As such, I doubt that it will reappear. I predict that they will actively work to prevent the company developing any "tricks" to pay premium pay and to prevent pilots from taking any premium pay.

This is only my analysis, don't read too much into it other than an idea that premium pay OT will not likely return.

As for the pilots who will continue to fly OT, I personally have always appreciated them. They fly and keep me from being junior assigned. Which brings me to my only real disappointment with this contract: that 90 hour lines will force me to work OT against my will. However my friends who analyze scheduling and the numbers better than I tell me that my fears are unfounded, that Spirit will not be able to consistently build 90 hour lines. I hope they are correct, I value my days at home far more than another day of pay.

More: The only thing that will bring back furloughs and upgrade downgrades is more airplanes. We had what?, thirty five or thirty six airplanes two years ago? When we get back to that number, then we can talk hiring, etc.

Every airline relies on OT to provide a staffing "shock absorber", and I expect that both SPA ALPA and Spirit expect and ACCEPT some reasonable level of OT. Obviously, both sides, no matter what their public stance, are OK with OT. Completely eliminating OT would have necessitated a huge concession in pay to provide the funds to pay the extra crews necessary to cover ALL flying. IOW, don't hate the OT guys, they actually help keep the average pay UP, not down.