I’m fielding lots of questions from potential applicants. One concern I’ve heard is the training pay. It seems well below industry standard considering all the regionals pay min guarantee and most are throwing in a bonus again.

2018 had a $25k bonus too. I’m sure the bonus is still a ways off but any word if training pay is going to go back to normal?

The hiring bonus got absorbed into the across the board payraises. prior to covid, new hires were on full pay day one, but the Co in its infinite wisdom (figured no one was going to be hiring for a while) went back to reduced training pay. Now iAero is behind the proverbial 8-ball, since everyone is hiring again. Sounds like a lot of applicants are deferring classes, not showing up, or getting current with the type and jetting

Good reminder about the rollover into the pay raise. I forgot about that.

Full pay for training is an easy switch to turn back on. Especially with the options people have now. The pre-Covid CJO’s are already onboard. The recruiters are competing for new hires now.

Competition is stiff. Like you said, everyone is hiring again.

As he said the bonus were integrated into the raise and we got another raise in March of this year which I was surprised to get.

Those of us here for a while still don’t have our retention bonuses either. Holiday pay is still suspended for crews and training pay remains $2700/month plus per diem. From day 1 of indoc till finishing OE. Least I would hope if they have training pay that it would end at your type ride and get MMG from there. I know atlas last I checked was $1800 a month plus per diem for training, but don’t remember where it ends.

These were all covid cost measures and I know we’re not at our normal summer capacity without Europe and vacation express, but we’re doing a lot of other flying to supplement.

The shortage is around the corner and remaining competitive will be difficult. Can only hope we get all our programs back in place prior to covid.

Suspended programs:
-MMG from day 1 in lieu of training pay
-relocation hotels to base for 14 days.
-RTP program.
-holiday pay
-401k matching (never started)


On the other side looks like we will be returning to some live events this year for recruiting, so we’re slowly pushing back to normal. Not where we need to be but at least I think we’re on the positive side after enduring a long year.

Guys hired in March 2020 are going through upgrade so I believe it seems to be moving quick that direction at least. Especially since a lot of our new hires are experienced regional pilots who used to be captains at places like xjt tsa and compass.

We’re all riding this crazy wave for now!

You bring up excellent points MexPilot. Potential new hires are asking about the front end. I’m concerned about retention at this point. I have a feeling losing more pilots than what are coming in isn’t going to help the growth plans that are constantly discussed.

You probably would not be surprised by the number of people that are just waiting on a class date to drop their notice. It’s a fast moving pilot’s market.

Two furloughed buddy’s originally looking here already have cjo’s with spirit. They would have been quick upgrades too.

The majors and LCC will absorb our highly qualified pilots unfortunately. We need to become a career destination, while we do have some lifers here I think the ante needs to be raised in order to continue attracting talent. When I mean talent not just any Joe Schmo, but guys with skill that bring great things to the table where they make things better and stay on.

It’s not just the money
 

When you hear pilot’s leaving for other 36th street carriers, especially the really bad ones, that should tell you something. I met a new hire recently and he was already looking. He said it was constant chaos with scheduling, hotel issues, basings and no clear direction or communication by management. I’ve heard the turnover is like 30 plus percent at Swift/Iaero. You can replace FO’s but Captains are much harder.

Things have to change but every time you read these posts you wonder how it just keeps trundling on.

It’s been a year and the biggest turn over has been captains. Home basing displacement was a big deal to a lot of guys over the summer and even with the small increase right now it’s not enough. FOs have been steady because the bigs have barely started to hire again if you want to call it that.

I know we will be losing some guys to some big carriers in the fall already. They will be back on track where they hit a wall when their regionals went under pretty soon. The cycle of the industry will come back to pick them up where they left off.

They need to suck it up and open home basing up wide like it was

I would argue if we want to retain qualified and experienced pilots going back to home basing is one of many good ideas that need implemented.