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What is life at like at Spirit?
Hi all,
I'm considering putting in an application with Spirit. I understand there are grumbling about pay and the contract negotiations....but aside from all that, I'm curious about the average month for a line pilot. I understand bidding is not PBS which I think is great, hopefully you don't lose that in the new contract. How does a monthly schedule look for a new guy? I'd want to base out of LAS, would it take long to get there? How easy is it to drop and move trips around? How many days off per month? Min daily guarantee? What are upgrade times? Do you expect a significant pay increase with a new contract? Anything else you can think of that would help? Any insight that would help me make a decision would be greatly appreciated. |
Honestly, try to make friends with a spirit pilot. You are going to get lots of conflicting information here.
People love or hate it here. Schedules are either awesome or terrible. Gravy chookers make money that my math can't make any sense of (first year pay). My schedule flexibility is not that great. 4 days trips are hard to move around and I don't pick up the phone when crew scheduling calls (twice today, always on the weekends) Lots of red eyes out of vegas... we have no red eye override or min day... |
Originally Posted by bfmglobal
(Post 2333477)
Hi all,
I'm considering putting in an application with Spirit. I understand there are grumbling about pay and the contract negotiations....but aside from all that, I'm curious about the average month for a line pilot. I understand bidding is not PBS which I think is great, hopefully you don't lose that in the new contract. How does a monthly schedule look for a new guy? I'd want to base out of LAS, would it take long to get there? How easy is it to drop and move trips around? How many days off per month? Min daily guarantee? What are upgrade times? Do you expect a significant pay increase with a new contract? Anything else you can think of that would help? Any insight that would help me make a decision would be greatly appreciated. Absent any new orders there is no upgrade under 8 years probably for a new hire today. |
Originally Posted by NFjt
(Post 2333514)
Absent any new orders there is no upgrade under 8 years probably for a new hire today.
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Originally Posted by Alphafloor
(Post 2333518)
Really? With pilots bailing out of here like a sinking ship where do you come up with 8 years. If you're trying to help the guy out and dissuade him from coming here I get it. Im just a little curious, how did you come up with 8 years?
Whatever number you put on it, it's longer upgrade here than other places plus f/o's at legacy's make more than our captains. It's not three years like they tell you in new hire class. They neglect to say it's three years for some, just not you! No new orders, no upgrades. |
Originally Posted by bfmglobal
(Post 2333477)
Hi all,
I'm considering putting in an application with Spirit. I understand there are grumbling about pay and the contract negotiations....but aside from all that, I'm curious about the average month for a line pilot. I understand bidding is not PBS which I think is great, hopefully you don't lose that in the new contract. How does a monthly schedule look for a new guy? I'd want to base out of LAS, would it take long to get there? How easy is it to drop and move trips around? How many days off per month? Min daily guarantee? What are upgrade times? Do you expect a significant pay increase with a new contract? Anything else you can think of that would help? Any insight that would help me make a decision would be greatly appreciated. what are the competitive number to get a call? Is a job fair recommended to be attended? Thanks. |
Originally Posted by bfmglobal
(Post 2333477)
Hi all,
I'm considering putting in an application with Spirit. I understand there are grumbling about pay and the contract negotiations....but aside from all that, I'm curious about the average month for a line pilot. I understand bidding is not PBS which I think is great, hopefully you don't lose that in the new contract. How does a monthly schedule look for a new guy? Probably RSV for a while, with 13 days off. Different bases have different Reserve Availability Periods (RAP), each is 14 hours long. Automatically released on your last day of RSV after 8 hours. Next up would be a Relief line with 15 days off and a mix of trips and RSV. I'd want to base out of LAS, would it take long to get there? Hard to say, it seems like you can have any base within 6 months. New hires have been going to ACY for a month and then DTW and elsewhere after. System bids are awarded each month, and are effective in 2 months. (The System bid that closes on Apr 3rd is effective June 1st.) This is always evolving, so that's why it is hard to predict with accuracy. How easy is it to drop and move trips around? RSV can only drop. Relief and Regular line holders can drop, add, and swap. We have a Red/Green system based on reserve staffing, so a Red day with low reserve coverage would limit your ability to drop/swap. So, ease depends on the staffing levels in your base. You can also add and swap trips with open time in other bases, not just limited to your domicile. How many days off per month? 13 RSV, 15 Relief, up to 17-18 for Regular lines. It varies per month for lines. It is also possible to gain additional paid days off on RSV and Regular lines by bidding a conflicting schedule. Min daily guarantee? 4.0 for a turn, 4.5 for multi-day. What are upgrade times? Currently just over 3 years for 2014 hires. There aren't THAT many people leaving yet, so without a significant aircraft order the upgrade time is sadly non-existent for someone hired today. Do you expect a significant pay increase with a new contract? YES, up to industry average. The proposal is posted in another thread. How long that will actually take has yet to be seen. It could be the end of the year, it could be several years. Our Negotiating Committee is working hard and we are asking for FULL RETRO pay, Profit Sharing, and Retirement to August 1st, 2015. There is now a precedent for FULL RETRO. Anything else you can think of that would help? It is a risk, and there are safer bets and the future of widebody international command time at legacy carriers. Southwest will have a shorter upgrade time than Spirit and offers far more pay RIGHT NOW. However, if you are willing to wait it out and want to live in a Spirit domicile, it might pay off. Any insight that would help me make a decision would be greatly appreciated. First Officer pay, ESPECIALLY FIRST YEAR, is a very difficult pill to swallow. A lot of our pilots are becoming very angry after the honeymoon phase wears off. If you have a spouse with a career, or you have other income and want to live in domicile, it could be okay. Otherwise, life can be very difficult due to the pay. Good luck with your decision. You are smart to ask for advice on this airline and I hope you make your choice with open eyes after some real soul searching. That's all I've got, for now. Hope it helps. |
Originally Posted by westwind1
(Post 2333563)
Good questions, I am thinking to apply as well.
what are the competitive number to get a call? Is a job fair recommended to be attended? Thanks. |
To correct the comprehensive post above.
Line holders are generally UP TO 17-18 days off but not the norm. There are many many 13 day off 72hr uncommutable lines. Also, we do not have a min day. We have a min duty period of 4hrs for one duty period trips and 4.5 for multi duty period trips. I have seen 10hr 3day(two duty period) trips and 14hr 4 day(three duty period) trips. It's a total scam |
But what about our great work rules?
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How does WN have a shorter upgrade time?
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Originally Posted by beech_nut
(Post 2333611)
But what about our great work rules?
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Originally Posted by abbynormallaw
(Post 2333619)
Don't worry our new hire welcome committee from ALPA(JT) will teach you all about that! He'll also teach you how to game the system and circumvent the CBA to make the maximum dollar amount. Then he'll bail the company out for some sweet gravy all while the pilot group is working for a TA!!
And yeah, JT....instead of explaining to new hires, while being fed from union dollars, the importance of unity and following the contract, he teaches Gravy 101 and how to get yours. Steak and lobster, anyone? |
Originally Posted by OneEyedMonster
(Post 2333662)
That guy has done nothing but act like a clown every chance he has, including bringing the family to new hire ALPA dinners and buying scabs dinner at them. How about the company video he starred in with that check airman from Jamaica that yells at her IOE pilots...what a charm
And yeah, JT....instead of explaining to new hires, while being fed from union dollars, the importance of unity and following the contract, he teaches Gravy 101 and how to get yours. Steak and lobster, anyone? He's done it again and again..yet our union leadership stands idling by as he continues to pi$$ on this pilot group! |
Some great answers, I appreciate you taking the time to respond!
Is reserve just a two hour call out or do you have long and short call? What is the pilot community like? I really enjoy most of the people I fly with where I am currently, so curious what the pilot group is like there. How are the South of the Border trips? Are trips enjoyable? The advice to tread cautiously is very much appreciated. I don't want to stumble into the middle of a strike situation. I'm thinking that it maybe wiser to sit on the sidelines and observe for a bit... Thanks again.... |
Originally Posted by bfmglobal
(Post 2333766)
Some great answers, I appreciate you taking the time to respond!
Is reserve just a two hour call out or do you have long and short call? What is the pilot community like? I really enjoy most of the people I fly with where I am currently, so curious what the pilot group is like there. How are the South of the Border trips? Are trips enjoyable? The advice to tread cautiously is very much appreciated. I don't want to stumble into the middle of a strike situation. I'm thinking that it maybe wiser to sit on the sidelines and observe for a bit... Thanks again.... They probably won't want to hire you because they know you'll be gone to Delta or AA as soon as you can go. Even if it's not true, they will think that. I honestly would love for you to get hired, get a type and have Delta and AA calling you for a job. |
Crews are great. Some of the newer folks are "interesting" and there are some real tools hired pre 9/11. Not all but most of the weirdos were hired around then. Some great guys hired then as well. I guess my point that most everyone is really great to fly with with a few exceptions although I do question some of our latest hires.
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You'll be easy to spot in the yellow highliters flying through the air when ATC asks others to call traffic in sight.
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Crews are good. We have the usual 10% odd balls. In Vegas, bottom lines are 13-14 days off. Most trips are 4 days and almost all have a redeye in them and finish around 2030 local.
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Originally Posted by bfmglobal
(Post 2333766)
How are the South of the Border trips? Are trips enjoyable?
The only South America "trip" we have is Lima. Everything else is turns. Most of them red-eyes. Personally, Lima is my least favorite city in South America, but I enjoy going there simply because it offers an international layover, something that I miss. The hotel is fairly decent, the breakfast is included and you're right in the best part of town, Milaflores. The redeye on the way back is kinda brutal, unless you go down there during the winter months. Then it's a short layover with a day flight back. If the rumor of Manaus turns out to be true we'll be seeing another layover, so that would be great. But I do envy my United 73 buddies when they post pictures of their Bogota layovers... |
You will have to fight for your hard earned pay every 15th. They almost always short you, and it is up to you to find out where and how and get it back. Eventually after a near decade of consistent shorting, blaming the system, or the manual hand audit, or just contract misinterpretation goes out the window and becomes plain illegal and unethical behavior. They always pay, but ONLY if you stay on top of it. That is what really happens here.
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Originally Posted by bfmglobal
(Post 2333766)
Some great answers, I appreciate you taking the time to respond!
Is reserve just a two hour call out or do you have long and short call? RSV trips may be added to your schedule at any time, you are only required to be available to answer your phone starting with the beginning of your RAP. Minimum call out time is 3 hrs to BLOCK OUT. What is the pilot community like? I really enjoy most of the people I fly with where I am currently, so curious what the pilot group is like there. How are the South of the Border trips? Are trips enjoyable? 99% Hard working professionals who are great to fly with, and about 1% idiots who make special deals with scheduling for greed. It used to be fun, and still has its moments, but the overall morale is low due to management dragging out negotiations while our airline peers have prospered at less profitable (per aircraft) airlines. The advice to tread cautiously is very much appreciated. I don't want to stumble into the middle of a strike situation. I'm thinking that it maybe wiser to sit on the sidelines and observe for a bit... Thanks again.... |
Thanks again for some great insight into the company and culture.
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Originally Posted by Macjet
(Post 2333617)
How does WN have a shorter upgrade time?
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Originally Posted by flyboyike
(Post 2337653)
WN has an upgrade time at all?
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