Fact 1: Pilots at RDU and ORD when I left were being managed by flight attendants--there are lots of things pilots need answers to that are work related(technical) that they cannot answer.
Fact 2: FAs are really nice and unfortunately do not hold a contract and are fired left and right for sneezing wrong. When any of them are promoted to any management position, they will not stand up for their employees.
Fact 3: Even captain pay is hardly notable due to lack of Pay protection.
Fact 4: Be prepared to do four day trips that pay only 4 to 8 hours.
Fact 5: DO NOT COMMUTE! it will cost you money you don't have
Fact 6: Labor Contract gets violated constantly by both Pilots and Company, so there is no leverage for Pilots to get anything worth a damn.
Fact 7: GoJet was created to avoid paying another pilot group higher wages...so why would Gojet get a contract??
Fact 8: Pilots and FAs are awesome! Great diverse and well experienced group. I met an FA that spoke 5 languages and Captains that were at Legacy carriers prior to GoJet.
Fact 9: Because of Fact 8, great people don't stick around (they have a brain and know how to use it)
Fact 10: There is too much to write about, so contact me personally or whatever and I will give you an honest analysis. I'll even do it using math. I also still have a copy of their current "Contract"

I'd say Fact 7 is way over simplified from my understanding of what really happened back in the day, but for most that's water long under the bridge.

Fact 8 & 9 are exactly spot on, and why a lot of people are finding greener pastures, both Captains and FOs.

You are correct about your statement regarding Fact 7. Most pilots don't really care. However, Hulas cares. From his point of view, Fact 7 is accurate. Better contract means expenses goes up. It is not about who is mad at who and what pilot ever denied another the privilege of the jump seat. It is about the big picture (MONEY). Fallow the money! Keep your personal fights aside when making career decisions.

Look at what is happening to their pilots!

"Just to add fuel to the fire...last month a reserve guy got over 120 hrs credit. Take that lineholders! Thats the problem, if you know someone in scheduling, even a reserve pilot, you are hooked up. I sent Adam another email explaining this isnt kosher...UNION REP START A GRIEVANCE!"

This is just an example of many emails I see everyday complaining about the company stealing money and hooking other people up. About the company violating the contract. About the pilots not following proper grievance procedures. ETC.... GoJet saves Hulas millions of dollars and that is the only reason for its existence. If GoJet ever gets expensive, Hulas will either liquidate and start another company or keep GoJet and start another cheaper version.

Well, I got 120 hours credit in my first month on the line, but them trying to get me through consolidation had a lot to do with it. Beyond that it dried up considerably.

You make several valid points. Good luck to you in your next step! Where are you off too?

How often do pilots break guarantee?

Thank you,

As of now I am not focusing on any airline. My focus is to finish my two degrees and hope my business grows from there. Not to say I may never consider going back but, that is not on my mind at all right now.

I am not sure how it is right now, however; the question is why would you want to break guarantee?

This is a company that cancels a lot for MX and other "Operational" reasons. You will not be paid protected and basing your bid on the hopes for getting paid 95% of your award based on reaching a 98% completion rate is a gamble. Many senior pilots can bid "productive" trips (damn few) and most do. The percentage of productive trips available is small.

What most pilots do is bid min guarantee so that way if they get cancelled, they don't grow more white hair over it. These two different bidding strategies which many use to date.

Reality, you will be at min days off with min guarantee....again, most four day trips are worth anywhere between 4 to 12 hours...I have even seen a trip worth 2 hours. It literally consisted of nothing but dead heading you around for a few days and only flying one leg on your last day.

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The only time I have ever seen anyone over 100 credit was before FAR 117 and when their trips were dropped due to IOE (in which case the pilot who was dropped gets paid as if he/she was doing the trip) During that time the pilot that was dropped would pick up trips on open-time and get paid at 150%. But those days are over. Picking up open-time is difficult because the company awards left over trips to Reserve pilots without allowing Line Holders to bid for them first. This is against the "Contract" and was apparently "fixed".

If your line was 120 credit and none of the criterieas above applied, then you were not legal to fly based on FAR 117 rules. There were a lot of lines awarded while I was there that were not 117 compliant.