Well, to be fair, NEOs make up such a small percentage of our fleet, and even then, half of them were likely grounded at any one point. So the fact that ‘most of us never had issues with NEOs’ isn’t really saying much...

Over a decade on the IAE V2500 and NEVER had an engine problem but I keep taxiing past NEO's that are parked. I admit I'm not an expert on the topic so I can only rely on common sense and basic observational data. I just can't get the past the idea that a jet engine that is routinely being grounded might not be a good long term investment. I'm just a simple line pilot trying to make it to 65 and I am convinced it will be easier to finish out my career in a non NEO powered jet.

That's fair, but it would be nice to have real numbers to know if the NEO issues are really as bad as popular belief?

How about we let the engineers do their job and we’ll do ours.

That’s no fun.

Don't know how much they have improved, but last year ferried a NEO back from DEN to DFW after an engine swap due to vibrations. Had MX on board, they told me the engine they put on that one was really meant to be put on the one without engines in DFW. They also told me that the 4 flying NEOs we had at that point had had something like 17 engine swaps in the past year. Most of those were not because of failures, but faster wear of some components that could not be done with the engine on the wing. That is of course not sustainable...

The CEO has had its share of catastrophic failures, shedding blades and vibrating the cabin into a panic. Spirit is surprisingly tight lipped with their failures so it's hard to say but the NEO stuff I've heard about has been shutdowns where you have time to have a cup of coffee while complying with the COM.

Took off in an IAE or “CEO” engine a few nights ago...
N1 vib at 3.7
It’s all a gamble.
Any one of these things could come apart.
High speed mechanical things fail.
It’s part of the job.....

Not just at NK. Supposedly the fix for that is available, but it takes time to produce the parts and swap them out. Apparently a lot of the production of new parts is going to new engines for the factory backlog, the engines in service are having to share availability with new production. Also heard it's not a safety thing, more a mx headache.

"We are in the midst of evaluating the options for deliveries beyond 2021 and anticipate having an update on that front by year-end." Ted @ Q2 Earnings call.

Well Ted, it's year-end. Hoping no news is good news.

Well let’s see how bad the factory fire in Germany was and what that does to current orders and deliveries.

Would that be tonight? Maybe it’s Hawaii time [emoji1787]


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At least it won’t effect our future 737 deliveries 😬

That would be crazy nuts (and doubtful) if it were a complete fleet swap. Silkair in Singapore (SIA affiliate) swapped out something like 30+ A319/20s for 737NGs and MAXs. Obviously a much smaller number than the Spirit fleet. Would need to be 150+ 737s and a large number of E2s for thinner routes I suspect.

I know - highly unlikely (especially with the current MAX backlog) but no doubt Boeing is working the numbers...

Crickets from management(new head boss)....although, I did hear we are buying B6 from a senior APD.

I was thinking the same thing...calm before the storm?

I heard American was buying us.....or was it United????

Heard it was Pan Am.

I’m not wearing the white hat!

Can only hope.

Nope. I heard Sun Country or Allegiant.

you have no idea what the american contract is like if you are hoping they will buy us.

NO THANKS. You can keep your 150 dollar FO pay if it takes getting abused to make it. again NO THANKS.

+1000!

But we would be the best trained pilots in the wooooorrrrrllllldddd!😂

God please not “Merican”

Yeah that would really be terrible. Worldwide non rev on your own metal, bases almost everywhere, pay in line with other legacies....
I know people there and don’t hear them complaining like the non-AA pilots here do. What work rules specifically do we have that are superior? 4 days off?

I have friends there. in fact one has been there 5 years and his advice is do not go. He's still working holidays, still working 13 off and the only benefit in his words is the money.

I don't care about money if I am forced to be a slave, life is meant to be lived. I need flexibility. THAT is something we have that they don't. I am at 20 off 81 credit this month. Can't do that at american whether you wanna believe it or not.

Money doesn't go with you when you die. Time is more important to some of us.

Amen to this ^^^^ . Fact is spirit has
Become a pretty legit job. And American would
Be the absolute last place I would hope to buy us .. no thank you .. the grass is not Greener on the other side . Might have a few weeds here and there but the grass is pretty damn green in this side . Was on delta Jumpseat few weeks ago and the mad dog captain was 19 years in ... holding maybe one weekend off a month with lots of JAN, ALB,GSP overnights .. his credit was 66 hours.. this industry can always change , but I’m thankful, happy, and quite content with the job at NK and where it’s headed

I wonder how many have left Spirit for America and vice versa. The answer probably tells us where is more desirable. Without an offer in hand, it's rationalization, the defense mechanism.

I doubt the regulators would allow a Spirit/American merger considering the overlap of flights.

We are very strong, so I look forward to more plane orders for us. If a merger does happen, it will be out of left field. Something like a Spirit Silver merger or some other strange combination.

Most logical post on the subject so far.

This schedule flexibility that everyone cheers about is subject to change in the future. When Spirit slows the growth and settles into its size, you can bet they will lean the operation and it will more in line with most other airline where dropping down will be very difficult unless you are in the top 10% for your seat. The 75% green grid will only protect those at the top, as seen last summer, ect.
I’m not a doom and gooom guy, this is just the reality. Saying an American buyout would be bad for the pilot group is an emotional reaction.

Besides that AA could never afford us. They are deeply in debt and they need new planes. They are one economic downturn from being in trouble. IMO

Not bad for the pilot group??? Maybe you missed the last couple of mergers they were involved in.

AA, no way! I'll take anyone else, but organic growth is always best.

Sorry, that's the "reality".

So what your saying is it’s my schedule but without the better travel benefits and pay? And no I don’t bid reserve voluntarily I can’t hold a line in the base I live in (also not acy).


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You could be a super senior FO in all our bases at 5 years. you could also be a lineholding captain.


my friend in the above predicament is an FO.


I will agree that our travel benefits are straight sht

Find me a us air or America West pilot happy with the AA contract.


Don't worry I'll wait.

Spirit Mulls Adding Smaller Jets
 

I am a ca but can’t hold a line in about half the bases which includes the one I live in. (and of the bases I could “hold a line” that’s only because people bid down, I’m not 50% up the seniority list on the CA side in any base)


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AA has 5 billion in cash. I think they'll be alright.

If he’s already been there 5 years he’s going to have an amazing seniority boost in the next few years. Curious to see the comparison then.

They had roughly $4 billion when they declared bankruptcy.... And they were smaller, so the cash could go further.
Cash on hand means little when you're carrying $20+ billion I debt.

He's 55% in base in seat. If you need more than that to avoid garbage trips, and 13 days off, then like I said before I don't want itnot that any any of us have a sayy in a merger. I'd literally rather merge with frontier and take my chances at a JCBA than merge with American. Ever.