Espirit of NKS
05-22-2013, 05:39 PM
#41
Banned
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: A-320
Posts: 6,929
Originally Posted by Normann
I did not even want to get into this but exactly what A320Flyer said. I am a 6th year CA too. I just got the left seat.
We all know this is not SW and I am not trying to brag and I know our pay is lower than industry. It is. But we are a tiny company! 50 planes. I want to see how SW or DAL compared when they had 50 planes. Pay will go up here too with future contracts. Having said that I was able to make $128k with flying 860 hours as a 5th year FO due to the ability to bid conflicts and picking up OT. That was like $148 for each block hour. I finally got over $100k as a 4th year FO a year prior but I had to work harder that year. It is definitely harder to make OT lately so this will go down some. Also this is not the average, most guys made around $80-90k in my range but they had the days off. The conflict bidding means quite some soft time and days off, although most don't even take advantage of it or care to learn how to do it.
On average I fly 2.5h per leg, may be 2-3 legs per day but closer to 2. Some sits but nothing crazy like 2x4h same day. Some red eye stuff which definitely sucks but most of it can be avoided. Schedule integrity. Cancellation pay 100%. Some min guarantees are not that great like trip averaging but we have them at least. 8% 401k matching at 100%. Min 4 days off between trips. Vacation overlap drop. Commuter policy. Transition conflict handling is nuts. They drop it, you pick the same trip up again and you get paid for it twice. Or if you commute they drop it and you are pay protected and get the days off. Very decent hotels. Holiday Inn is considered bad here. Hiring like crazy, movement = most of us are happy. Labor hostile management but the good news is our union jumps into the ring for the contract all the time and calls the company out on the BS and we are winning one arbitration after the other. I can say "no" to my CP or scheduling whenever I feel like (as long I have the contractual right to do so). Profitable company which means job security. Mostly new planes and more coming. Upgrade will go down to 3 years for a while.
Tons of growth related problems since the company will step over a dollar to save a nickel. But they learn from it and fix things eventually.
I don't know what is Orbit's problem. United is hiring dude. Go for it! I am sure the majors can't wait for you to join their ranks.
We all know this is not SW and I am not trying to brag and I know our pay is lower than industry. It is. But we are a tiny company! 50 planes. I want to see how SW or DAL compared when they had 50 planes. Pay will go up here too with future contracts. Having said that I was able to make $128k with flying 860 hours as a 5th year FO due to the ability to bid conflicts and picking up OT. That was like $148 for each block hour. I finally got over $100k as a 4th year FO a year prior but I had to work harder that year. It is definitely harder to make OT lately so this will go down some. Also this is not the average, most guys made around $80-90k in my range but they had the days off. The conflict bidding means quite some soft time and days off, although most don't even take advantage of it or care to learn how to do it.
On average I fly 2.5h per leg, may be 2-3 legs per day but closer to 2. Some sits but nothing crazy like 2x4h same day. Some red eye stuff which definitely sucks but most of it can be avoided. Schedule integrity. Cancellation pay 100%. Some min guarantees are not that great like trip averaging but we have them at least. 8% 401k matching at 100%. Min 4 days off between trips. Vacation overlap drop. Commuter policy. Transition conflict handling is nuts. They drop it, you pick the same trip up again and you get paid for it twice. Or if you commute they drop it and you are pay protected and get the days off. Very decent hotels. Holiday Inn is considered bad here. Hiring like crazy, movement = most of us are happy. Labor hostile management but the good news is our union jumps into the ring for the contract all the time and calls the company out on the BS and we are winning one arbitration after the other. I can say "no" to my CP or scheduling whenever I feel like (as long I have the contractual right to do so). Profitable company which means job security. Mostly new planes and more coming. Upgrade will go down to 3 years for a while.
Tons of growth related problems since the company will step over a dollar to save a nickel. But they learn from it and fix things eventually.
I don't know what is Orbit's problem. United is hiring dude. Go for it! I am sure the majors can't wait for you to join their ranks.
This is awesome! I know the JA pay is extremely hard to come by but I am looking forward to some Overtime once I hit 2nd year.
Originally Posted by RideandDrive
Yeah, Spirit is profitable but it also has one of the worst management-employee relationships in the business.
There is a reason they are targeting RJ people. Anything looks good compared to a regional.
There is a reason they are targeting RJ people. Anything looks good compared to a regional.
05-22-2013, 06:47 PM
#42
Banned
Joined APC: Feb 2008
Position: A320 CA
Posts: 501
Originally Posted by DakBroadbent
I'm still trying to figure out what "Espirit," means.
05-22-2013, 09:23 PM
#43
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2011
Posts: 147
Espirit
Originally Posted by A320Flyer
Spirit with a Spanish accent. Controllers down south have a hard time pronouncing the "Spiritwings" call-sign. It comes out as Espiritween or Espirit.
Lack of correct ICAO phraseology amongst Spirit new hires is not embarrassing either. Just yesterday into SJO I heard Jet Blue and UCAL embarrass themselves as well.
I suppose a new hire Spirit pilot creating an internet thread making fun of a Spanish controllers correct but accented aviation English may be funny as well.
I gently explain to a guy/girl that has never been south of the 48 that as I, and they, may very well be able to count to 10 in Spanish that I have no idea how to say "forty" in Spanish.
I then explain to them that we need to say "four zero zero" instead of "fohhundred". The light goes off, they say they get it, but it takes at least two more trips until they can communicate effectively.
Que?
05-23-2013, 12:09 AM
#45
Banned
Joined APC: Dec 2009
Position: Narrow/Left Wide/Right
Posts: 3,655
Originally Posted by A320Flyer
Not weird at all. The airline is growing 20% per year. Currently 8 to 12 pilots upgrading per month. Most pilots taking captain slots are below me on the seniority list. Spent one month on reserve in my domicile after I moved to the left seat. Holding a 16 day off line next month.
Cheers
Cheers
Aloha,
LUV
05-23-2013, 03:17 AM
#47
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2008
Position: A320 CA
Posts: 549
Originally Posted by RideandDrive
Yeah, Spirit is profitable but it also has one of the worst management-employee relationships in the business.
There is a reason they are targeting RJ people. Anything looks good compared to a regional.
There is a reason they are targeting RJ people. Anything looks good compared to a regional.
I have to call BS on the "targeting RJ people" as well; the recent hires are a good mix of regionals, corporate, heavy/cargo and a few military guys. How is that different from any other airline?
Looks to me like you're on the outside looking in and aren't qualified to speak what you spoke.
05-23-2013, 05:01 AM
#48
Banned
Joined APC: Feb 2008
Position: A320 CA
Posts: 501
Originally Posted by full of luv
Ok, now I see that by moving up you are referring to relative to the category and not in overall seniority number. I would find it hard to believe that with upgrades at 6 or less years there would be a lot of attrition from the top.
Aloha,
LUV
Aloha,
LUV
A320
05-23-2013, 06:08 AM
#49
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2013
Posts: 103
Originally Posted by hemaybedid
Espirit was a clothing brand in the late 80's, early 90's. I'm still... a regional fo. Hope I don't have that many years on you guys.
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