PilotJ3

I believe is 4 days off between sequences.

I'm looking at both airlines, whichever hires me first that's the one I might probably stay the rest of my career.

ZapBrannigan

Haha... I've said that about at least 4 airlines in the last twenty years...

ManFlex

1) Spirit pilots bid 'hard lines' which are made each month in advance of the bid as opposed to PBS, a software program which is used by most other carriers.

2) All lines (reserve and regular) must be built with no less than four days off between work blocks. Work blocks created by the company may not be longer than six calendar days in length.

3) The only exception to the four days off between work blocks occurs during the month to month transition. You can have less than four days off between work blocks during the transition. How the transition is handled otherwise would warrant a very long explanation.

Hope that helps.

Hercguy

Got it. Thanks all, that does sound amazing.

LoudFastRules

When I hear people say that our health care is just fine because it's better than what their wife's corporate job offers, that makes me very concerned for our future.

There is a lot that is OK about our airline and that makes for a lot of complacent pilots. Meanwhile our management are doing many many very small things to show just what they think of us. I am concerned that our pilots are not aware of the battle our management has in store for us, and I am not sure they are up for that battle.

You bet I think Spirit offers more. I gotta play the cards I've been dealt.

TallFlyer

Is there a way for a pilot to front or back load his schedule (say two 4-5 day trips separated by a 30 hour break or day off) to try and achieve a longer set of days off without using vacation?

pilotpayne

So management did enough to get over 70% of the pilots to vote in a union and you think they would change what the were doing because we voted one in?

Spirits management thought so much of their pilots that they pushed them to a strike and up until a few years ago nobody wanted to go there. This has changed and they are doing well and I hope that continues for all of us.

I assure you when it comes down to a strike our pilots will do it.
If we had a 51/49 union vote I would not be so sure but that wasn't the case. We took a big step with the vote but things will take time, do not mistake that for weak pilots.

I am sorry you got the hand you did but remember many people would love the cards you have so you might want to keep that in mind....or you could always fold.

The Juice

Yup. You will have to get creative to find trips that don't violate max hours in the contract, you'll need green days to make the swaps, and 117 makes it hard to go 7 in a row and get the 30 off, but it's possible.

Last month I created a 21 day off line with the last 2 weeks of the month off. Did this with IOT, trade board swap, transition conflict, and a pure drop of a 4 day. Even with 21 days off, I was able to still credit 73 hours because of the transition conflict pay. I've only been here for about a year, so this isn't something that only senior guys can do.

I needed the time off and it was able to work out with some juggling. I care more about my time off than anything, so scheduling flexibility is my goal
every month, not working 20 days a month for 120 hours credit and begging for JRMs. To each their own.

RyanP

Can someone tell me about the base size in FLL for both Spirit and Jetblue? I am really looking to just move back to south FL soon, and looking for a base that will be around there for the long term. This last decade of commuting has made it clear that I never want to deal with that nightmare again.

Seems like my only real options are Spirit/Jetblue (FLL), and AA (MIA) for what I really want. AA flow through keeps getting further and further away with continued delays.. 2.5 - 4 years away (if ever). I hate AAG and their hostile towards employee management style anyway. Not sure I could take another 30 years of that BS even though the money/retirement would be better.

Is FLL still Spirit's largest base? How does it look for growth, and long term viability?

thanks!

Plane Ramrod

With WN and B6 over saturating the FLL market, I wouldn't look for much FLL growth from Spirit.