Originally Posted by Aviatormar

May I offer a different take? Frontier isn’t great- but it’s what you make of it. I’m almost a 4 year FO and I can hold captain in Phx. I choose not to simply because my 19 day off line of day trips and 1 leg, overnights is kinda nice. I spend 5 nights away from my bed- and all those trips are 1 leg to the east coast, show at noon done by 10-12 the next day. Oh- I’ll make about 140k this year and trust me I do not work. I also had 14 days off between October and December- no vacation.

Here’s the key- they, the company, does not seem to care very much for anyone but the bottom line (man doesn’t that sound very much like a well run business? New flash pilots- all airlines are businesses and they do not care about you much beyond the surface level stuff) but here is the secret sauce- you shouldn’t either. You won’t win any awards, recognition or accolades on a consistent bases by “helping” out. Don’t confuse that with not taking care of your passengers and crew- I’ll always go above and beyond for that.
Do your job as outlined, trade trips, drop, swap and fly the contract. Show up to work, fly a brand new airbus (and yes that cockpit is light years ahead of that awful 73 WN guys love) and go home. It’s really simple and easy. Now, WN is a great airline, but that upgrade is awful, that cockpit is awful, and we have mainly day trips and 2 days. And Phx is tending junior. So yes, there is a chance to we close the base, but I honestly don’t see that happening. We inherited ORD from the Apple vacation days and they had, at most, 5 departures a day.

I’m sure I’ll get raged on, saying I’m a loser, F9 is a regional (which is rich coming from southwest… it’s almost the same route structure) and go to a “real airline”. Of course WN is better, but the upgrade time alone would tip me to F9.

Originally Posted by Aviatormar

May I offer a different take? Frontier isn’t great- but it’s what you make of it. I’m almost a 4 year FO and I can hold captain in Phx. I choose not to simply because my 19 day off line of day trips and 1 leg, overnights is kinda nice. I spend 5 nights away from my bed- and all those trips are 1 leg to the east coast, show at noon done by 10-12 the next day. Oh- I’ll make about 140k this year and trust me I do not work. I also had 14 days off between October and December- no vacation.

Here’s the key- they, the company, does not seem to care very much for anyone but the bottom line (man doesn’t that sound very much like a well run business? New flash pilots- all airlines are businesses and they do not care about you much beyond the surface level stuff) but here is the secret sauce- you shouldn’t either. You won’t win any awards, recognition or accolades on a consistent bases by “helping” out. Don’t confuse that with not taking care of your passengers and crew- I’ll always go above and beyond for that.
Do your job as outlined, trade trips, drop, swap and fly the contract. Show up to work, fly a brand new airbus (and yes that cockpit is light years ahead of that awful 73 WN guys love) and go home. It’s really simple and easy. Now, WN is a great airline, but that upgrade is awful, that cockpit is awful, and we have mainly day trips and 2 days. And Phx is tending junior. So yes, there is a chance to we close the base, but I honestly don’t see that happening. We inherited ORD from the Apple vacation days and they had, at most, 5 departures a day.

I’m sure I’ll get raged on, saying I’m a loser, F9 is a regional (which is rich coming from southwest… it’s almost the same route structure) and go to a “real airline”. Of course WN is better, but the upgrade time alone would tip me to F9.

Originally Posted by flyguy81

If you’re happy that’s all that matters. But $140k for 4th yr FO is god awful. You’ll make more than that 2nd yr at WN. Yes, you’ll fly a 737. Yes, you’ll do more than 1 leg a day. But you’ll have 15 off as a rsv and 16-18 off as a line holder.

Living in base I’m gone from home anywhere from 6-8 nights a month. I’ll make about $280k and just finished my 7th yr. Should upgrade next year.

Originally Posted by tommy2times

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You are missing the big picture, he bypassed upgrade or else he would be making $350k, instead of waiting a decade to be captain in the guppy.

Originally Posted by Aero1900

There was a time I was a very senior FO at Frontier. I was flying 2 day turns a week.

20, 21 days off a month. Zero overnights. Zero suitcases packed. Neighbors thought I was unemployed. It was glorious.

A guy at Southwest working his butt off flying 4 legs a day in a vintage 737, 16 days a month, certainly made more money me. But I don't care.

Originally Posted by Aero1900

There was a time I was a very senior FO at Frontier. I was flying 2 day turns a week.

20, 21 days off a month. Zero overnights. Zero suitcases packed. Neighbors thought I was unemployed. It was glorious.

A guy at Southwest working his butt off flying 4 legs a day in a vintage 737, 16 days a month, certainly made more money me. But I don't care.

Originally Posted by I was inverted

140k? Guess you won’t be participating in the annual end of year W2 measuring contest 😂

Originally Posted by Squawkbox2012

Not that my opinion matters but I’d say SWA. No comparison between the two airlines.