singlepilot

Trying to help one of my best friends out. He has CJOs at both places.
Lives in the ORD area so commuting is a non issue.
Mid 50s not looking to upgrade anytime soon if ever.
He was a pilot until 9/11 then left the industry to start a business, which he sold last year for $2.5 mil. He's comfortable but after paying some debt off he's not quite ready to retire.
I don't know much about NK so I can only fill him in on the F9 contract details, however Im sure people here have dissected both in great detail.
He's leaning towards F9 but only because he felt like it was a classier more professional setting during the interview. He claims NK was somewhat demeaning towards their competitors, while F9 Reps were very respectful and humble.
He likes the 125% over 82 and more thorough training at F9 but also likes the flexibility to drop to 0 at Spirit.
I feel like he really can't go wrong at either as overall it really seems like the exact same thing.

GrillMaster

I dont know anything of F9, but NK has the ability to pickup 200% pay trips. Lineholders can drop to 0. Reserve cannot. But being in base, his qol on reserve would be pretty darn good. Recently seems like reserves arent being flown to the moon and back like they were Nov-July this last season. In regards to the 200% trips, Being in base would help tons with that as sometimes its a trip only a few hours away. Reserves can list for them, on off days.
Time to a line in ORD is coming down drastically as they are hiring tons. Might be off reserve after a few months pretty soon.

What did your friend most recently fly? Recent 121? Yeah training is quick, but really not bad at all. If you have decent or better study habits its really no big deal. Just have a good attitude and be prepared. However, guys coming from non-glass and non jet aircraft will have a huge learning curve, but absolutely doable.

If your buddy was seriously peeved at the NK interview by a few jokes someone told about other airlines, and thought NK was somehow “unprofessional”.... I'm sure he will love it at F9, as well as consistently being ranked the worst airline in america. ZINNNGGG!!!!

Aero1900

I think they are more similar than different.

One thing I will note is that Frontier doesn't seem to have any growth going on in Chicago. Chicago has been problematic for us as they haven't really been able to get more than 2 gates in ORD.

Aside from that, I believe that Frontier has better training. More sim sessions and a really solid instructor group. I've heard Spirit training is shorter and tougher. If he's 50 and been out of flying, that matters. That being said, both airlines have similar pay and both have lots of hiring and growth.

SaintNick

I’d choose spirit just cause the ord base is bigger.

singlepilot

Yeah I did forget to mention he’s been at a regional the last 18 months getting back in the groove, no training issues.

MCDUmanipulator

Go to spirit. He might want to take a lot of time off since he’s well off financially. At spirit as a line holder it’s fairly easy to drop to 0 whatever month you want. Schedule flexibility is pretty much unbeatable once your a line holder.

WaterRooster

We were told no growth in ORD until at least 2021 when the construction and terminal five is complete. At that point in time we’re supposed to pick up four additional gates.

ShyGuy

Are you guys in the L gates at ORD?

WaterRooster

M. International Term 5

Aero1900

Cool. I hadn't heard that. I just knew that ORD has been very stagnant. I don't know if Spirit has been able to grow there?