excellent choice…..

i declined the bonus for this very reason. The $35K is now in violation of the CBA. So it’s unlikely we will get it. Now I’m free of the three year lock.

Hotels for new hires is also a violation but that hasn’t stopped the company.

New hires are supposed to pay for their own hotel rooms according to the CBA??

According to past precedence and the CBA new hires are based in Denver initially, and, pilots in training in domicile are not afforded hotels. Doesn’t say they can’t, but the company is choosing to not give pilots in training in their domicile a hotel unless that pilot is a new hire.

prolific brand….huh? Maybe if you lived in Denver. Outside of Denver no one really knew who frontier was.

Just cause you didn’t get it doesn’t mean no one else is entitled to it. Get over yourself or leave if you’re that disgruntled over it. It’s not violating the contract, it’s a signing bonus through the company. Not the union or contract. All the regionals do it.

it’s good to see the whole industry get increased pay. “Whoa is me”, get over yourself

Also, it’s 35K to basically buy out all the WO captains locked into their 30K bonuses they have to pay back. Now it’s a wash for them to leave and go F9

Incorrect. If it was a bonus, new hires would not be taking a hit on their credit report and it adversely effecting their debt to income ratio. Do some research. It is a loan that new hires work off over the term of 3 years while under the F9 CBA.

I hope you’re better at flying than reading comprehension.

Fellow pilots,
Recently, the company introduced its latest scheme to attract pilots and slow attrition at Frontier by offering $35,000 “signing bonuses” attached to a three-year employment commitment. ALPA opposes this ploy, as we believe that our airline’s inability to attract and retain pilots stems from a larger cultural problem that can only be addressed by an overhaul of management’s approach to labor relations. However, we feel it appropriate to leave the systemic problems aside for the moment and address just the bonus program.
First, pilots should be made aware of how the program was launched. Based on the rollout we are not certain management considered U.S. tax law when designing the program, which requires that participants sign a $35,000 promissory note. In fact, the first eligible new hires were still in ground school when the company demanded that they sign amended documents changing the terms of the agreement. Pilots were informed that they would now be charged interest on their “bonus” at a rate of 4.1%. In addition, each new hire pilot who accepts the funds will be charged income taxes on the $35,000 once their three-year commitment is complete and the promissory note is forgiven. Finally, any pilot who accepts this money and does not fulfill their obligation will not benefit from any proration of amount owed to the company.
More relevant to our current pilot group, the bonus program clearly violates Section 3.R of the CBA by offering a bonus to new hires, excluding all other Frontier pilots on the seniority list. Section 3.R. provides that, “Pilots of Frontier Airlines, Inc. shall participate in any Discretionary Bonus Program on the same terms and conditions of other non-management employees.” The unambiguous intent of this provision is for all pilots to be included in all bonus offerings that are provided to any employees of Frontier. The seemingly clever approach of giving a bonus in this way is merely an attempt to end-run around our CBA.

Furthermore, the bonus program violates the contract by circumventing LOA 4. This LOA, negotiated between Frontier and ALPA in 2019, allows the company to raise first-year hourly rates to 98.5% of second-year hourly rates. The intent of LOA 4 was to give the company the ability to attract pilots with increased pay in a manner that complies with the CBA. However, instead of utilizing the contractual mechanism already available to them within LOA 4, they chose to proceed in a manner that is not contractually compliant. Notably, the company has chosen not to raise new hire pay to the levels agreed to by ALPA under the LOA.
Frontier pilots flying the line are the backbone of this company, and the safe, efficient, and profitable operation of this airline falls squarely upon our shoulders. Management’s choice to flout our contract and dangle a one-time cash payment to entice new pilots while ignoring those already wearing a Frontier uniform is short-sighted and will do nothing to improve retention in this historic job market.
ALPA has filed an Association grievance challenging the bonus program. We continue to object to management’s attempts to gut the protections afforded by our CBA and will keep the pilot group updated as the process unfolds. As always, your continued professionalism will allow this pilot group to rise above. If you have any questions, please contact your elected representatives or send us a DART.
In unity,
FFT MEC