CFI Guy

Hi Everyone,

I have an upcoming interview with Spirit. I am excited for this opportunity. I was told during the phone interview that LAS was senior. I have no airline/121 experience so please bear with me.

I currently live in LA. LAS would be my choice of base. I’m looking for some insight on how my life would look if I got hired tomorrow, 6 months from now, a year from now, etc.

I’m taking a large pay cut if I’m lucky enough to be offered a position. I want to go in eyes wide open. My wife has a good job and financially we can swing it. Looking down the road the money will surpass what I’m making now. I’m tired of the uncertainty of the 91/135 world. I know 121 has it’s ups and downs as well but feel now is the time to make the switch.

I know living in base is ideal but not an option (for the moment at least). If I finish training later this year, how much time should I expect to be commuting and away from home?

I’m looking for honest and even conservative estimates on how much time I’ll actually be home, how it will impact my earning potential (breaking guarantee), having to live in a crash pad, etc. I understand it’s going to be a sacrifice and a big decision for the family. I want to make sure there’s a light at the end of the tunnel and not I’m not just trading one evil for another.

I appreciate any insight and honest opinions. PMs are welcome.

astral

Sounds like you are flying corporate... out of VNY, or SMO?

lowandslow

Although a certain base is considered “senior“ here, it does not mean what that may mean at a legacy. We’re talking months not years to get your base of choice. We bid for seat/base monthly and historically there are openings in nearly every slot each month. Under our old contract time on reserve (only time you’d need a crash pad in LAS) was abnormally low due to the flexibility reserve allowed. This led to more senior pilots bidding it. Not sure if that’s still the case since we are now limited on reserve drops. We do now have a “long call reserve” of which I know nothing about other than you could do it from LA once able to hold it. Once you’re not spending multiple nights on end in LAS there are hotels cheap enough to avoid a full on crash pad.

Total BS

LAX to LAS is an easy commute with many options per day. You’ll enjoy a great quality of life within 6 months.

symbian simian

I'm middle of the seniority list in LAS (on the left side), getting 50 or so people below you in LAS would take around a year. At that point you have a lot of flexibility in how much you want to work, as long as you hold a hard line (non reserve) there is no limit on picking up/dropping down, provided you can do it before they run out of reserves/open time. I plan for 75 hours of credit but need to do a lot of trading to accommodate my wife's schedule. Most of this is relatively easy at Spirit, because of the required reserve coverage we have. I commute, don't have a crash pad. Even the few months on reserve I gambled on getting called out, with hotels at $40/night it's doable. Most trips start late, so easy to commute in on the first day of work, I have a red-eye option so always get home after the trip, maybe 1-2 nights hotel max. I think there is a few that occasionally drive from LAX. I have flown with quite a few ex91 that were making $200K+, they're all pretty happy about having a set schedule.

Nawstin

What sort of schedule flexibility do y’all have on reserve? Has it been affected by the new contract? From reading up it seems like Spirit has historically had good flexibility and I’m wondering if/how that’s changed recently. I’m considering Spirit but out of DFW with an easy commute.

symbian simian

I avoid reserve like the plague, have young kids and worked xmas last year because I could not make myself put a reserve line in my bid. There is really no flexibility. You bid you get a line, you are on reserve the days that are on your line. Flame away, checkerboarders

Halon1211

Welcome to 121! I think you made a wise choice. Not only will you probably someday surpase what you make now but the retirement and health insurance is something that’s even unheard of out side the major airlines. (For the most part).

On reserve yes, you will probably spend more days at a crash pad or hotel (I always went with a cheap $40 hotel and hoped I got called out and didnt have to keep paying for a room) depending on the reserve line you get plan on only being home 12-15 days of the month.

In my honest opinion commuting sucks. I would try to life in base. However LAX-LAS doesn’t seem that bad...my commute was further.

But things are exciting at Spirit, we are growing fast and there is a huge announcement they are making on Facebook on Monday.

Qotsaautopilot

Commuting vs living in base is no comparison. Commuting to reserve is hell on earth in my opinion. Reserve living in base can in many cases be better than a line assuming you are bidding and getting reserve lines you want because swapping is not possible.

Not sure what Vegas is like other than it’s one of the more commutable bases but the flying is generally less productive (read more working days for the same money) and lots of red eye. I live in another base and my wife and I actually considered moving the family to Vegas for a few years just to live and be out west. But trips were too unbareable to me so we stayed put. To each his own though.

BeechedJet

Halon do you even work for spirit?