I find these last two reports disturbing. If this is true it means things have really changed in the last 18 months. When I came through it was the exact opposite. If you go back as far in this thread you'll notice many feel as I did. Back then everyone was sincere and real and expected the same from the candidates. Most of us were impressed, not turned off. Too bad.

Anyone have a good impression at the fair?

 

It has become a real issue. The company knows they don't have much to offer people so what they focus on is the future growth potential as the selling point at these job fairs. They're trying to sell Frontier as the place to be, and I'm not sure if they're delusional or if they think pilots are ignorant. Everyone at a legacy makes more on year 2 than F9 FOs top out at... and a few years after that they can out-earn F9 captains. The reality is that F9 is a stepping stone for most new hires at this point, and if the company wants that to change then they're going to have to play ball.

 

That is very disheartening. The way the recruiters/pilots ran the interviews last winter was just like Sulkair described- it made you want to work here and really demonstrated what an opportunity this airline can be. The PowerPoint slide covering the first-year pay and a 'possible' $17,000 training contract was the only moment that gave you poise.
The fact is this place still is a great opportunity, and I enjoy coming to work because we have great flight crews. The real challenge is keeping your sights on the long-term improvements that will arrive in the post-Indigo era.

 

So you would like the pilot recruitment to lie to you? What would make you feel warm and fuzzy? Either you come here for a 2-year upgrade, and the quick seniority that comes with a fleet forecasted to almost triple in size within 6 years, OR you go to a Legacy and hope that the mass retirements shield you from the next economic downturn. Every "career" airline is a risk, sometimes it pays out big if you get in while it's small. I haven't seen the recruiting presentation but that seems to be the sum of it. Think of Bill Franke's little boutique airline, America West; the airline name is no longer around, but their management (all hired under Franke) and pilot's have risen to the top of the heap. If you think you're not taking a risk and making a "no brainer" decision by jumping on at any legacy, then you need to spend some time talking to the guys furloughed at American and United for a decade. Good luck!

 

Between todays litany of dread on this tread and listening to Hillary drone on before the committee all day, I finally resorted to lining up the shot glasses, ready to break the seal on my 1962 Jim Beam decanter. My sorrows were going to wait until tomorrow. ...Then I read this post! Mtn, You saved my $500 bottle of whiskey and had me at America West!

 

I interviewed with Frontier last week, and they said the training contract ($24K) payback was 100% payback for the first 12 months, 75% payback from 13-18 months, 50% from 18-24 months.

 

And.... I bet you don't have to sign it.

 

Slow your roll. I'm glad they told me the truth. It saves me the time of caring about getting an interview. Good luck to all who want to go there and those that are there. It's just seems likes it's not for me and I won't waste anyone's time.

 

Well, I'm not trying to comfort anyone (including myself). And I don't think it a far stretch comparing the proposed new Frontier with the 110 aircraft America West on Sept 1, 2001 (when Franke left, after grooming Parker for the position). Prior to America West merging with USAirways in 2005, America West was the second to Southwest as the largest low cost carrier with 140 aircraft; now they're part of the largest airline in the world. AWE pilots have done well as a result. If your company can stay healthy, so can your career. Bill Franke doesn't have a great reputation with labor, but he doesn't run companies into the ground; he makes money. If Frontier stays healthy, good things will happen, but it is still a risk you'll have to take.

 

I understand. Perceptive take none-the-less.