QOL as a new hire reserve pilot at Frontier
 

Insight as to a realistic schedule, how many days per month? How many days for a usual trip, if there is one? If not domiciled in Denver how is the commute to ORD? Rate your QOL. Thanks in advance.

For specifics on rsv rules, you can search as some have posted very good explanation of all rsv work rules.

12 days off on rsv. First year pay 37.50 & 75 hr guarantee, starts on first day of training.

I believe new hires can and will get Denver. There are Denver FOs upgrading, creating a need to back fill. I believe as a new hire you could get any of the 3 bases straight out of training or within the first vacancy bid after you complete training.

Qol on rsv is alright. You can bid for many different rsv windows and between short and long call.

Good luck. It's a nice, but underpaid place to work.

Thank you for the info.

What are realistic 2nd and 3rd year annual pay and upgrade times? I know I can look up the hourly rate but I'm curious if people are making more than the min.
Thank you!

You can fairly easily fly between 70 and 100 hours of credit per month once you are a line holder. On rsv you have to try harder, like putting yourself on the junior assign list on your days off. If I had to guess, I'd say our average pilots credit/month is in the mid 80s.

Looking out 3 years, we will be back to full pre bankruptcy rates, and then in negotiations for a new contract. With any luck, three years from now we'll be making a good bit more. Of course, negotiations could be dragged out for a long time and if the economy turns ugly, upgrade times might be lengthy again. Plan according.

With 100 airplanes on order, there is at least a reasonable chance for quick upgrades. As stated in the other frontier thread, a Fall 2013 new hire nearlyy got awarded captain this month.

If you live in domicile, QOL will be decent.

If you commute to reserve it will be sucky.

All the classes since mine (Dec 14), except the one that just graduated, were spread between ORD and DEN with most going to DEN. The last class was all DEN (according to a friend in this class). I don't have a crystal ball so I can't say what's going to happen as we start growing MCO.

As far as reserve and commutability, I have only sat 2 months on reserve, one at my own bidding. Otherwise, I've been awarded relief lines. I usually credit around 80 hours (for June I'm just short of 95). I have commuted between DC and both DEN and ORD. I haven't had any problems with either however, ORD is easier and much shorter. One thing to keep in mind, we fly a lot of late flights. This means you are more than likely going to get in after commute flights home (unless you get red eyes). We can aggressive bid when on reserve and drop rsv days.

Compared to my last airline, this place is WAY more flexible in scheduling and QOL is much better.

Please tell me you guys are working on a new contract. $37.50 for an Airbus makes Gojet look like a career airline.

Yikes we are getting more than that first year at Endeavor to fly a CRJ 200.

And for years all of the Legacy carriers paid in the $25/hr range for their first year - while you were on PROBATION. Second year you got a 100%+ raise, but they actually used the probationary period to evaluate whether they wanted to have you work there. Some even had you get a form filled out from every Capt. you flew with in that first year.

Supply and demand has changed things, but try not to forget how this industry got to where it is. $40 at year one in an RJ is part of the problem for those of us who want to fly decent schedules for good pay into retirement. I know they're old, but go on Amazon and pick up "Flying The Line 1&2". It's all perspective (and ball bearings these days)!

Is only one month on Reserve still the case with some of the classes recently? Does DEN or ORD get off Reserve faster?

No. We prefer the low pay.

Is it true Frontier wants to be at 100 planes by 2020?

That's what they are saying but I think they'll beat that forecast.

Want to compare W2 totals for 36 month period?

How long are guys spending on Reserve in both DEN and ORD these days?

Anybody in the June 17th interview group, with an August 5th class date interested in going half at the staybridge suites?
I already have a room booked at 75.00 a night
PM me if your interested

2 months seems about the norm, and I don't expect that to change for a while! DEN may eventually be a LONG reserve, but not for the foreseeable future IMO.

I was kidding, but your pay is absurdly low. I'm at Jetblue now. Still want to compare W2's over 36 months?

Y'all can do what you want. I normally could care less if you guys want to be the lowest paid Airbus operators in the US. My problem is that we are negotiating a new contract and trying to match Delta/ AA/ United Pay scales. Management is countering us and using your pay as representative.

Maybe y'all can fight for $100/hr year 2 pay so you can be At least in the ball park?

Ah the 70's called and wants its anecdote back. Really $25 /hr?

Supply and demand is right. If there is an ample supply of pilots to fly an ab for $37 per hr than there really isn't any demand to pay more.

Congrats...your post wins for more self-involved and ignorant!! Super glad you're at JB...good luck with Delta wages. And so insightful you are with the assertion that "you guys want to be the lowest paid Airbus operators."

Thanks for the help with our 2nd year pay goal, and from all the F9 pilots, a sincere apology that we could potentially be a negative impact on your negotiations.

What a d-bag. 💩💩💩

Sent you a PM

If you are at JetBlue, that means you are working under conditions that management decided on for you. Not exactly blood, sweat, and tears on your part. I am glad the pilots there brought in ALPA representation and wish you the best of luck in your first contract in the spirit of pattern bargaining.

For those interested in coming here.. reserve QOL can be greatly increased with aggressive reserve, long and medium call, and reserve day swapping in Flica. Don't expect to get all weekends/holidays off right off the bat, but in my experience, immediately after IOE I was able swap into at least one or two weekends off and that was with a schedule with all weekend reserve. Pay attention to when the next class hits the line, it increases coverage and allows you more flexibility.

I commuted to reserve and it does wear on you. But if I lived in base, I would bid reserve probably 3/4 months a year and enjoy the time at home.

Care to dig around and see when the Legacies changed from <$30/hr for probationary pilots LUVely professional? It wasn't all that long ago. Around the age 65 rule change I think.

Maybe you forgot that we are still operating under a concessionary contract post bankruptcy?

Before 2008 I rode the crew van with plenty of UAL 757/767 Captains who were making less flying wide and long haul under their concessionary contract than the ample supply same or lower years-of-service 114-128 seat AB pilots at Frontier.

BTW - The wage rates I quoted are fact, not some anecdotal "When I was your age.." mumbo jumbo. I personally think having a lower 1st year payscale and holding new hires to a high standard does a LOT better job of weeding out those who actually want to be here than buying a type or signing a training contract would.

Yes, we need a raise across the board; 1st year on up. Our Section 6 openers are in 246 days, but who's counting :-)

And another country heard from. It's easy to sit in the cheap seats - seats provided by the largest infusion of start up capital in airline history, in case you forgot.

Jet Blue Skies - Forbes circa 2001: '“I raised the money–$130 million–in two weeks,”' Neeleman says. “We had no [airport] slots, no gates, no planes, nothing. But the investors know me and trust me. Plus, I’m a good storyteller.” Weston and Chase Capital were return investors and George Soros was brought into the deal. After blowing through $30 million before JetBlue flew its first flight, Neeleman appealed for and got another $30 million to plug the hole." (a good investment by Soros BTW).

As Hacksaw sarcastically said, "We enjoy having the lowest AB wages around." - NOT! We are still working under a contract signed at the beginning of 2007, and which has been degraded since.

Maybe you weren't paying attention when we successfully fought our way through bankruptcy, and a couple other significant challenges - so we could exist to negotiate for higher wages?

Now your learned position is that we should have just gone out of business to improve YOUR bargaining position? Nice. There's only too much capacity when it's the other guy's capacity you're talking about. Back to GoJets with you.

Well, that's all fine and dandy.

But how long have you been at JB?

During the legacy concession and BK cuts, JB's (and other LCC's) pay was used as the "lowered" bar for setting new rates at the legacies for Airbus rates.

So while you cry foul that Frontier may be hampering your future rates, JB helped to reduce legacy rates years previous.

Ain't that something?

Guys, perhaps I misspoke or spoke out of line. All I'm trying to suggest is that we all try to stay at the same level for the aircraft we fly. It is much easier if we have fewer outliers in pay (up or down) so that we can all be paid what we are worth. Fair?

seekingblue, You appear to be new to the industry and whether you intended to be inflammatory or not, you were successful in ****ing on a group of fine professional pilots that had the perseverance to survive incredible odds in order to fight another day. The concessionary contract we are operating under has an early opener in 2016, at which time the Frontier pilots are indeed planning to negotiate the best contract possible. With record profits, it should be one even you can be proud of:/

I'm glad to hear that contract negotiations are opening. I hope you guys can get a great contract that pays you what you are worth.

Come on guys you sound like a bunch of 20 something regional pilots. No offense. :)

Lets get back to sharing info to make our lives better.
Best Regards

NO misspoke about it. Complete and total ignorance by you.

Your post was along the lines of an FNG mainline pilot lecturing a regional about all the RJ's running round like it's their fault.

Problem is, said mainline pilot has ZERO clue how it all happened in the FIRST PLACE. I'm talking the pre 9/11 FIRST PLACE.

Like I asked, how long have you been at JB? Or more importantly, this career in general? Most guys are painfully aware of the points I've made.

Here's to hoping the F9 guys get good contract. The concessions and RAH debacle has been hard on them.

As soon as he tried to compare his earnings to those at Frontier, any chance for back peddling went right out the window. Good call out and points addressed on your part.

Let's correct the thread drift. Is there junior manning at Frontier, if so is it common??

As for hiring, how would these guys respond to someone with current 'bus time? I'm pulling the eject handle on the sandpit.

Good idea. There is a voluntary junior assign at frontier. If you are willing to work on your days off, you can list yourself on the vja. You can even say what type of trip you will accept. For example, you can say you will only work if it's a one day assignment worth more than 5 hours. You set the specifics.

It's fairly rare to get called out of the blue on your days off. You never have to accept. Don't answer the phone when they call, listen to the message, see what they are offering and call back if you want it. I haven't been called in a year.

Some guys will bid reserve, hardly fly, and put themselves on the vja list on their days off and make a lot of money.

As far as having Airbus time, honestly I don't think they care. They want guys with good, positive attitudes and want to make frontier a career

There is also true Junior Assignment in addition to the VJA that Aero described.

It's in reverse seniority order, and not on Vacation days. It pays at least 1.5 block credit. I say at least because they can add incentive to get trips covered. 15 hrs at JA (22.5 credit) to fly DEN-LAX-DEN is rare, but isn't unheard of.

If you aren't on Reserve you don't need to answer your phone. Even on a working Reserve day you can let it go to voice mail, and as long as you call back within 10 minutes you're good (so you really have 2:10 to report on Short Call Reserve :D). They need "Positive Telephone Contact" to JA you. No ACARS. No radio. If the CP is standing in the jetway telling you to call CS it would be insubordinate not to, but you may be too tired to accept and they can't dock you a sick day for something you're not scheduled to fly. If the gate agent tells you to call, just say thank you and go home.

I don't answer my phone. Period. If I want what they're offering I'll call back as Aero said.

So the short answer: Yes, we do have JA. You just have to be smarter than the phone if you don't want to work days off.

Thanks for the tips, i appreciate it!

New hires still have to pay for lodging and food right? Just out of curiosity, what's the average amount of debt guys are coming out of training with. I would gladly come to Frontier if offered but having to pay for lodging and food while in training does worry me and not 100% sure I could make it work financially. Thanks!

I believe that new hires are still responsible for housing during training. This is a throwback to when all the pilots were Denver based and they basically just assumed you wanted to be Denver based. Now that we have other bases, frontier probably needs to reevaluate this policy, but since it's going to cost the company money, I expect them to not pay for housing during training as long as possible.

F9 - what about when you call in after a reserve assignment on your last day, and they give you another overnight into your day off? Does this never happen here? I've not seen anything close to it on a year of RSV at F9 but my last abusive spouse often did this to me (with an 'evil laugh') so I'm perpetually and sheepishly nervous about it :o

...

Yes, new hires pay for hotel and food. Staybridge was $75 per night when I went through in Dec, but it's gone up. My total cost was just north of $1,500. If you plan on going home every weekend, you can check out and the hotel may store your bags for you (Staybridge did). They also had free food and beer Tues - Thurs. I've been in a crashpad for the last couple of months that was was $280. We had at least 4 new hires in the pad with us. If you have a car, it works out perfectly. Something else to consider if you come over, try to get sims out of DEN. The company pays for single occupancy room (kitchenette), per diem, and a rental car for each crew.