Big Sky... Hiring Street Captains??
06-27-2007 | 01:27 PM
#11
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 85
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From: B747, Left
you're wrong, wrong, wrong
Worked there for many years, newbie!
Let me start a list of why not to work for this horrible place:
1. Extra flying forms, forget to fill one out and you will not get paid for what you worked. Fill one out correctly and in certain situations, you will still not get paid for what you deserve because crew scheduling (who does payroll) doesnt think you should.
2. Opens and closes based with, oh, about 10 DAYS notice, on average... Springfield, Ft. Lauderdale, Boise... eventually Boston.
3. Proposing a captain pay cut of $5/hour after what was negotiated ~7 years ago. Doesn't pay usually increase atleast 3% per year on average? Instead of the 37/hr. wage 7 years ago that should be more that $43/hr. now, management is proposing $30/hr. now... just because Mesa does it doesn't mean it is the right thing to do!
4. Crews being put up in hotels in Canada, being kicked out at 1300 when their crew call isn't until 1800. This kind of nonsense is uncalled for!
5. Needing a cab ride to the airport because the hotel shuttle doesn't run at the time your flight is departing in the middle of the night because of crappy airline management... none of THREE credit card #'s work!!! Every single one DENIED! No, I am not paying my own money to get to the airport that I will not get back!!!
6. You have a reserve schedule and think you'll have 10 days off next month... forget that, you'll be flown into DAY B (your day off) every chance scheduling gets!
7. Want to go to training on a ticket purchased by BS air... forget that, most have to jumpseat because the one Skywest and one United STANDBY ticket the company gets you (AT EXTREMELY MINIMAL COST) will very rarely get you there! You will be flying standby to get to required training, and yes, it is your fault and it will be held against YOU if you don't get there on time... even if it is Christmas time and the flights are overbooked by 20 5 days in advance.
8. No CASS, which was ABSOLUTELY promised by June 1st... but that doesn't bother management, so they'll take their sweet time!
If that's not enough for you all, especially you, Shaun... who's been at BS air for less that 3 monts... let me know, i'll give another 8 reasons not to come here!
Let me start a list of why not to work for this horrible place:
1. Extra flying forms, forget to fill one out and you will not get paid for what you worked. Fill one out correctly and in certain situations, you will still not get paid for what you deserve because crew scheduling (who does payroll) doesnt think you should.
2. Opens and closes based with, oh, about 10 DAYS notice, on average... Springfield, Ft. Lauderdale, Boise... eventually Boston.
3. Proposing a captain pay cut of $5/hour after what was negotiated ~7 years ago. Doesn't pay usually increase atleast 3% per year on average? Instead of the 37/hr. wage 7 years ago that should be more that $43/hr. now, management is proposing $30/hr. now... just because Mesa does it doesn't mean it is the right thing to do!
4. Crews being put up in hotels in Canada, being kicked out at 1300 when their crew call isn't until 1800. This kind of nonsense is uncalled for!
5. Needing a cab ride to the airport because the hotel shuttle doesn't run at the time your flight is departing in the middle of the night because of crappy airline management... none of THREE credit card #'s work!!! Every single one DENIED! No, I am not paying my own money to get to the airport that I will not get back!!!
6. You have a reserve schedule and think you'll have 10 days off next month... forget that, you'll be flown into DAY B (your day off) every chance scheduling gets!
7. Want to go to training on a ticket purchased by BS air... forget that, most have to jumpseat because the one Skywest and one United STANDBY ticket the company gets you (AT EXTREMELY MINIMAL COST) will very rarely get you there! You will be flying standby to get to required training, and yes, it is your fault and it will be held against YOU if you don't get there on time... even if it is Christmas time and the flights are overbooked by 20 5 days in advance.
8. No CASS, which was ABSOLUTELY promised by June 1st... but that doesn't bother management, so they'll take their sweet time!
If that's not enough for you all, especially you, Shaun... who's been at BS air for less that 3 monts... let me know, i'll give another 8 reasons not to come here!
06-29-2007 | 09:56 AM
#12
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 537
Likes: 0
From: Sitting down and facing front. Why would you want to know that?
I think you missed the point of my question, Nick, er, I mean Stewie.
You have good points, although #8 should have been #1. Perhaps #2 and #3 as well. Plus, I could come up with 8 more points myself, but that isn't my point either.
I am not trying to say that Big Sky is the best out there, not at all, they aren't.
I bet that pilots of about half of the airlines out there could come up with similar lists about how the company isn't the best (I bet they have CASS, though!) and how things could be improved. Actually, I have heard similar lists from pilots of other airlines, and they are comparable.
My point is that there are still reasons to go to Big Sky, and they aren't the worst airline out there. Big Sky is like Coors. Mesa would be Schmitt or something. Republic is Guinness. Coors is crappy beer, tastes bad, watered down, worse than average. Why do people still buy it? It is cheep and still gets you drunk, and it is still better than Schmitt. True, it isn't Fat Tire (Express Jet or whatever), but it is still beer.
So, what I was asking was: Why just pick on Big Sky, and not all the airlines that have problems. You treat Big Sky like they are the worst, but there are still reasons that they would be a good airline to go to for some. They offer a good chance for fast upgrade and they are hiring street captains. Not a career airline, but a good chance to get a fast 1000 turbine PIC and move on to something better a little quicker than other options (I think this is why almost all of us are here). Our Captains are starting to leave for places like Alaska and Southwest, so it is a valid stepping-stone airline.
Although the CASS thing is starting to drive me crazy. It took me 36 hours to get BOS to SEA without it.
I was told we would have it next week four months ago!
You have good points, although #8 should have been #1. Perhaps #2 and #3 as well. Plus, I could come up with 8 more points myself, but that isn't my point either.
I am not trying to say that Big Sky is the best out there, not at all, they aren't.
I bet that pilots of about half of the airlines out there could come up with similar lists about how the company isn't the best (I bet they have CASS, though!) and how things could be improved. Actually, I have heard similar lists from pilots of other airlines, and they are comparable.
My point is that there are still reasons to go to Big Sky, and they aren't the worst airline out there. Big Sky is like Coors. Mesa would be Schmitt or something. Republic is Guinness. Coors is crappy beer, tastes bad, watered down, worse than average. Why do people still buy it? It is cheep and still gets you drunk, and it is still better than Schmitt. True, it isn't Fat Tire (Express Jet or whatever), but it is still beer.
So, what I was asking was: Why just pick on Big Sky, and not all the airlines that have problems. You treat Big Sky like they are the worst, but there are still reasons that they would be a good airline to go to for some. They offer a good chance for fast upgrade and they are hiring street captains. Not a career airline, but a good chance to get a fast 1000 turbine PIC and move on to something better a little quicker than other options (I think this is why almost all of us are here). Our Captains are starting to leave for places like Alaska and Southwest, so it is a valid stepping-stone airline.
Although the CASS thing is starting to drive me crazy. It took me 36 hours to get BOS to SEA without it.
I was told we would have it next week four months ago!
06-29-2007 | 12:45 PM
#13
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Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: CL-65
Shaun,
I bet Fred, Jeff and Stig LOVE you. I had 9 captains at Big Sky tell me to leave as soon as I could...so I did. Best advice I ever got. RM busted his a$$ trying to put together a CASS program and then selling it to Fred. They played the old song and dance and told him it was great until it was time to shell out the money, even though Rich Dews had found everything they needed at a huge discount.
I didn't see a single captain move on to a better job while I was there. It is good to hear that some are now. They deserve better. Every pilot at Big Sky deserves better (well, almost every pilot).
Good luck with that commute. Just remember, CASS is right around the corner.
I bet Fred, Jeff and Stig LOVE you. I had 9 captains at Big Sky tell me to leave as soon as I could...so I did. Best advice I ever got. RM busted his a$$ trying to put together a CASS program and then selling it to Fred. They played the old song and dance and told him it was great until it was time to shell out the money, even though Rich Dews had found everything they needed at a huge discount.
I didn't see a single captain move on to a better job while I was there. It is good to hear that some are now. They deserve better. Every pilot at Big Sky deserves better (well, almost every pilot).
Good luck with that commute. Just remember, CASS is right around the corner.
06-29-2007 | 08:59 PM
#16
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 537
Likes: 0
From: Sitting down and facing front. Why would you want to know that?
06-30-2007 | 12:58 PM
#17
Thread Starter
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 955
Likes: 0
From: 737 Right
You treat Big Sky like they are the worst, but there are still reasons that they would be a good airline to go to for some. They offer a good chance for fast upgrade and they are hiring street captains. Not a career airline, but a good chance to get a fast 1000 turbine PIC and move on to something better a little quicker than other options (I think this is why almost all of us are here). Our Captains are starting to leave for places like Alaska and Southwest, so it is a valid stepping-stone airline.
If they're still hiring street captains at the end of summer, I'll probably give it a shot. I'll meet the mins, but not much more than that.
Thanks everybody for the feedback!
08-02-2007 | 05:42 AM
#18
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Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 46
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Are there any BS employees here that have worked for other airlines and can compare to their previous or current employment situation to their time at BS?
It's frustrating trying to sift through the senseless banter of why an airline sucks. I don't know a single person in ANY other industry that wakes up in the morning and says "Damn! I love this company! They really do right by me!" and in fact it has been my experience that for some reason, airline pilots are one of the most cynical employee groups I've ever dealt with.
IMHO, until ATC finishes addressing you with the word "Heavy" following your callsign, your relationship with your airline should be like a bad personal relationship: One is in it for the sex, and the other is just waiting for something better to come along.
See it for what it is. My airline doesn't have CASS. So what. What concerns me about BS is that it sounds like they get your timesheet and then look it over and selectively choose to pay you what they think is what they owe you. To me: Unsat.
I'll finish with this: with what this industry is doing, the airlines need pilots a lot worse than a pilot needs a specific airline. I can change employers faster than I change my underwear. Not a bad place to be.
It's frustrating trying to sift through the senseless banter of why an airline sucks. I don't know a single person in ANY other industry that wakes up in the morning and says "Damn! I love this company! They really do right by me!" and in fact it has been my experience that for some reason, airline pilots are one of the most cynical employee groups I've ever dealt with.
IMHO, until ATC finishes addressing you with the word "Heavy" following your callsign, your relationship with your airline should be like a bad personal relationship: One is in it for the sex, and the other is just waiting for something better to come along.
See it for what it is. My airline doesn't have CASS. So what. What concerns me about BS is that it sounds like they get your timesheet and then look it over and selectively choose to pay you what they think is what they owe you. To me: Unsat.
I'll finish with this: with what this industry is doing, the airlines need pilots a lot worse than a pilot needs a specific airline. I can change employers faster than I change my underwear. Not a bad place to be.
08-06-2007 | 07:21 PM
#19
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
From: B747, Left
Shaun,
I bet Fred, Jeff and Stig LOVE you. I had 9 captains at Big Sky tell me to leave as soon as I could...so I did. Best advice I ever got. RM busted his a$$ trying to put together a CASS program and then selling it to Fred. They played the old song and dance and told him it was great until it was time to shell out the money, even though Rich Dews had found everything they needed at a huge discount.
I didn't see a single captain move on to a better job while I was there. It is good to hear that some are now. They deserve better. Every pilot at Big Sky deserves better (well, almost every pilot).
Good luck with that commute. Just remember, CASS is right around the corner.
I bet Fred, Jeff and Stig LOVE you. I had 9 captains at Big Sky tell me to leave as soon as I could...so I did. Best advice I ever got. RM busted his a$$ trying to put together a CASS program and then selling it to Fred. They played the old song and dance and told him it was great until it was time to shell out the money, even though Rich Dews had found everything they needed at a huge discount.
I didn't see a single captain move on to a better job while I was there. It is good to hear that some are now. They deserve better. Every pilot at Big Sky deserves better (well, almost every pilot).
Good luck with that commute. Just remember, CASS is right around the corner.
08-06-2007 | 07:27 PM
#20
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Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
From: B747, Left
Shaun,
I bet Fred, Jeff and Stig LOVE you. I had 9 captains at Big Sky tell me to leave as soon as I could...so I did. Best advice I ever got. RM busted his a$$ trying to put together a CASS program and then selling it to Fred. They played the old song and dance and told him it was great until it was time to shell out the money, even though Rich Dews had found everything they needed at a huge discount.
I didn't see a single captain move on to a better job while I was there. It is good to hear that some are now. They deserve better. Every pilot at Big Sky deserves better (well, almost every pilot).
Good luck with that commute. Just remember, CASS is right around the corner.
I bet Fred, Jeff and Stig LOVE you. I had 9 captains at Big Sky tell me to leave as soon as I could...so I did. Best advice I ever got. RM busted his a$$ trying to put together a CASS program and then selling it to Fred. They played the old song and dance and told him it was great until it was time to shell out the money, even though Rich Dews had found everything they needed at a huge discount.
I didn't see a single captain move on to a better job while I was there. It is good to hear that some are now. They deserve better. Every pilot at Big Sky deserves better (well, almost every pilot).
Good luck with that commute. Just remember, CASS is right around the corner.
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