Wingbreaker

I'm a current first year Spirit FO, just got the offer from Southwest and consider myself very lucky to have the opportunity of choice. I'm a BNA commuter, with no plans to move my family so i'd be commuting to either airline. Looking to get some opinions on staying at Spirit or leaving for Southwest.

Pros of staying:
Quick upgrade, i'm looking at about 3 more years until upgrade with the new aircraft order alone pushing me up the list.
Schedule flexibility, the quicker seniority progression here and our trip trade system of starting each month with almost entirely green days means making your own schedule is a breeze.

Pros of leaving:
Profit sharing, we currently don't have profit sharing in our contract.
Better stability, it goes without saying that LUV is a much larger company with a more established track record and market niche.

Any thoughts or opinions are appreciated, i've been on the fence for awhile now!

RJSAviator76

By staying, you'll upgrade in this lifetime.

symbian simian

Upgrade at SWA is longer, but I think their hires in the last decade are on average older than ours (will look at that later), so as far as getting of reserve as a captain.....

Wingbreaker

This is true, quick math shows i'd either be a senior FO or a really junior CA when the last A320 is delivered. Since i'm a commuter, I wouldn't change seats until I could hold a line, so no upgrade until the next aircraft order.

usernamehere

If it were me, I’d be looking at commutability. I don’t commute. We do mostly either am or pm and you would have to commute either day before or day after. Also, lot of our bases are only served by us out of BNA (has advantages and disadvantages HOU, DAL, MDW, BWI?) I’d imagine it’s a popular commuter city, whoever you fly for. not sure what commute life is like at Spirit or what the future of commute life is there for you (seniority). Even if you just fly your line, let’s say three 4days here. That 12 turns into 15 pretty easily. 3 days a month for 20 years is nearly 2 years of your life.

FlyGuy2002

Are you happy now ? Do you like the culture ? Bills easily paid ? Like the airbus? Leaving the known to the unknown is always worrisome.
But for every pilot in the biz tomorrow will always be unknown. WN is a powerhouse . Great company and not going anywhere . But I could also say that about us . Pay is certainly better at WN on a dollar for dollar basis. At the end of the day it’s only a question you can answer. Always listen to your gut. My crystal ball is in the shop so I can’t tell you what tomorrow brings . It I’ve been in this game 20+ years .. when your are happy and content with your job and life . don’t over think it. There WILL be repercussions to your decision either way. Some good and some not
so good. Good luck

poopooplatter

I would stay. Not to be a negative-nancy. However, our list progression is non-existent for the next 3-4 years. Our actual aircraft growth is very little. (orders do not = growth, we just retire old -700's). Young pilot group here, no retirements. 10 years just to hold weekend reserve in OAK as a Captain. We are losing pilots off of our list going to greener pastures. The last crisis showed 2 main things: First, our 16 Billion in the bank means nothing when the Gov. is just going to backstop everybody if everything crumbles. AA was just as well off as us with their 30 Billion in debt. No difference. Secondly, we were all waiting for the SWA genius to show as we gobbled up marketshare and put that money to work. We were all waiting to see the powerhouse that we would be post-covid. The opposite has happened. We are losing market share. Our operations have taken a decidedly negative turn. We are getting our backsides handed to us. Far from roaring out of the pandemic, we are barely holding on.

SWA is not going anywhere, but I do believe, in all honesty, that her best days are behind her. I am about 3 years from upgrade here, and just submitted some targeted applications to leave. That speaks about as loudly as you can.

Sad. I was so happy to have been hired here. Hope I'm wrong! Stay at Spirit. IMO.

3redpapi

There's a reason you applied, interviewed, and got the job offer. This doesn't happen by accident. Don't think you would go wrong with either choice, southwest being the stronger company but both would have nice careers. However, I'm willing to bet you wont be at either airlines in the next 3 years unless you dont want to be at a legacy/cargo.

Zard

Stay at spirit. You'll upgrade sooner, fly the same schedule and passengers there. Profit sharing is not a given and you wouldn't even be eligible for it until 2024 (if we turn a profit in 23, you'd receive it in 24).

Our operation is a mess and there are no genius ideas coming out of the headquarters building (probably because everyone is still working from home) about how to right the ship.

Wingbreaker

I am happy at Spirit, it's been a great place to work and I love the airbus. I had applied to both months ago and SWA just took longer to get back to me and then it was a longer interview process.