Breeze New Hire Questions
 

Looking for answers relevant to an E190/195 new hire

1. What is training like with the new training center in SLC? What is the primary difference with non-AQP training? Pass rates?
2. Is 190/195 backed up either in training or OE?
2. Are all bases open to new new-hires (specifically MSY & CHS)?
3. What is the level of attrition?
4. How is the pilot group treated?

Any responses or PMs greatly appreciate. Thanks.

When did you interview? When did you get the offer? Just curious what timeframe it takes to go from face to face to offer

I’ll try and hit as many points as I can. The problem is conditions vary widely between pilots here. IF you live in a base (and the company didn’t shut it down/pull your aircraft out), it is pretty great. IF you commute to reserve, expect it to suck. IF you commute to a line, expect it to suck a little less than commuting to reserve.

1). The training center has been completed since I went through initial, I’ve never stepped foot in it, pictures look nice. Sim is ok I guess? It’s a used 190 sim from AeroMexico but it says Flight Safety on the side of it. The basic 121 training, in my opinion, was as easy as AQP. The procedure and systems training was done with Flight Safety instructors in St. Louis. The instructors were great and they knew the Breeze procedures and aircraft very well. The sim training is done by our own instructors, they are not there to fail you, but you are required to put effort in and know the profiles/call outs.

2). I have not heard of a backup on the 190 side. I believe they delayed 220 classes just a few weeks because of the certificate delay. No training/OE backups on 190 though.

3). ORF/MSY/CHS are all open to new hires (probably in that order). Expect a pilot shuffle as a new west coast base will be publicly announced this week.

4). It seems to have slowed down a little as of lately. Most of the pilots who were extremely upset over TPA bailed, and it’s left (mainly) a content pilot group for the time being. Some still say they’re on the fence, obviously. We are all anxiously awaiting more news. The past few weeks were far more positive than late fall/winter were.

5). That is gonna vary with who you ask. We seem to be treated differently, but I’ve never had any problems. Nor have most of my friends here. It’s a small company, your name will get around QUICK. We had pilots who couldn’t handle having their reserve shifts changed from AM to PM and got into battles over it. Basically ask yourself, were you the trouble child at whatever regional/flying job you had before? If so, you probably won’t like some things here. If you can handle being less organized than an airline who is union represented with a contract and has been around for years, this might fare you well.

Is it FedEx? No. But if you live in a base it’s great. The 220 will do multi day trips, maybe they will be commutable. It sounds like initially they won’t be super commuter friendly, but that could change as they grow and build more pairings.

Bonvoyage stated perfectly. The ppl who were super unhappy have left. The ones who remain, see the potential for the company and will be top 5% of a major for the rest of their careers. You wont get that anywhere else. Hopefully the 220 drivers don’t kill the ALPA drive, breeze will be pretty cool a year from now.

Curious on the thoughts behind this statement. Why would part of the pilot group vote them down?

Because it sounds like David hand picked select retired JB pilots (A220 DEC’s) who were at JB before the union, and gave them a really good anti-union spill. Our hope is that the majority of them can see through that. We would hate to have a “no” vote for ALPA with a bunch of 63 year olds who won’t be here long enough to even care. None of those guys have been out on the line suffering and building Breeze to what it is today. And there is a chance they come in believing what management tells them and think we don’t need a union.

The 220 guys have been home collecting a nice check. They haven’t seen the day to day operation and the abuse the 190 guys experience. Breeze pilots by far, work harder than any other major pilots out there and make 40% less hourly. That’s not even including the soft pay and the considerably higher 401k contributions pilots at other majors enjoy.

Is Breeze a Major….Seems more like a small east coast old style commuter airline…Seems that a person should expect the treatment that comes with that status….Better for pilots to view it that way…eyes wide open…be happy with it until another better thing comes along….Keeping longevity at the magic five year mark will be a Neelman and Co goal for sure

Hence why ALPA is absolutely a must. If it gets voted down, without a doubt more ppl will leave.

When are you all supposed to be voting on it?

A "major airline" is defined as having $1 billion+ annual revenue. I'm not sure Breeze meets this definition.

That's cool that you guys are "building an airline" and have lots of company pride but you guys also seem prone to hyperbole and step jumping. This is a startup with lots of inherent risk. Don't pretend you're some kind of legacy because that's what's in the kool aid.

Go to the last pages on the JB forum in 2005. They sound exactly like Breeze does right now. This place isn’t terrible right now.

The company hasn’t even been flying pax for a year. By those standards Republic and Skywest are major airlines. Had I listened to one person in 2010-2012 that told me Bitcoin would pay off, I wouldn’t be here talking to this thread right now. I remember every single pilot doubted JetBlue and said they wouldn’t be around for a single year when they started flying.

This whole industry is a risk. We could all be on the street in 6 months if the Ukraine/Russia/NATO/US war keeps heating up.

JetBlue was a completely different animal…And as a result, they are where they are today. Times are different than 2000, Neelman is different than 2000. Definitely an eyes-wide-open kinda job. The building-an-airline thing could reward the “originals” but very few beyond that. Being in on the ground floor is exciting for sure. Prob just try to keep calling it what it is…

Well... I really wasn't looking for a debate because this topic isn't debatable. Yes, SkyWest and Republic are "major airlines" by the DOT definition. Actually many of the regionals are. Breeze is not by any definition. If they manage to stay in business, they may be one in a few years.

Also the industry is a lot different now than it was 23 years ago when Jet Blue was founded. I'd say the industry is a lot more hostile toward startups and there's a lot more competition at the bottom of the industry than at the top. Everyone considering going there needs to have a clear understanding of this, not just recruiters look aid with "Get In On The Ground Floor Of The Next JetBlue". And since you brought it up a lot more have lost their asses on Bitcoin than have become millionaires. I wish you luck.

Yea I understand everything you’re saying. I’m not saying Breeze will even make it. Not saying they will or won’t. Only time will tell. But the trend here is for more people than not to come in and try telling everyone it won’t work and to bail. Every pilot here knows the risks involved. Only time will tell. Aren’t you at NK?

Thank you those that paticipated in the spirit of the original post, a lot of good information. I appreciate it.

top 5% of which major?

Breezy bois will be a major, eventually.

Wow I didn’t know Skywest was a major! I’m getting apps in now thanks. But they fly 50 seat planes though can that be a major? I thought that was a regional?

You mean the pilot with a pregnant wife who was constantly getting the 4 am call to go back on rest to fly PM trips? Or the guys who couldn’t get home because they were getting swapped to PM trips the morning of instead of the company using its PM reserves?

But yeah, I’d you can roll with no work rules for a while, you’ll survive.

No.

Filler

The official USG definition is $1B in annual revenue, so several regionals qualify.

The "industry accepted" definition is sell tickets under your own brand and fly narrow bodies.

The industry accepted definition matches with my working definition, “I know it when I see it”, to quote a Supreme Court justice in a famous ruling.

Are you continuing to take e190 deliveries and if so how many will there be total?