One lost 13 years seniority when US Airways merged with America West. I’m guessing you didn’t understand my comment.

Spirit will be bought/merged before a bankruptcy is possible simply bc how quickly a chapter 7 would transpire via a chapter 11. I also believe a bailout of sorts would be possible outcome.

This is kind of my worst fear second to a liquidation. Leave now and spirit ends up getting acquired when things get real bad and I end up very junior to my former self has a stayed and rode it out. Total dice roll.

I'm at 4+ years, junior captain commuting to reserve. I was only staying because of the merger. I live local to NYC and really like jetBlue and their product; always have. Now that our hopes were smashed I'm getting out. No point in commuting to reserve (I F'ing hate with a passion) when I could be driving to work with any of the Big 3 and jetBlue.

For me, I got a bad feeling as soon as they announced the hiring/upgrade stoppage and NEO parking in November. I applied to United, my first choice. I finally got the invite for the Hogan Dec 30, completed it a week later, interviewing later this month.

Then, the day after the merger failed, I decided to apply off the street to jetBlue as well (I think they have a decent future once they dust themselves off and get their financials under control). They got back to me with an interview offer in, no joke, 24 hours flat. I'm interviewing there first and will call it a warm up for United, as well as my "safety school" in case United says no. Not interested in Delta. Applied to AA at the same time as UA but haven't heard from them. Also luke warm on AA; I've heard mediocre things.

But yea, I'm almost in the top 50% system seniority and it is a lot to give up. But I think this place is done.

Why no delta?

Unrelated to delta but how old are you?

It must be bad if our number one cheerleader is leaving!!

Having to merge pilot groups is a disincentive to such a merger unless the core assets of the mergee far outweigh the costs...what would Spirit's unique and valuable assets be that would incentivize an interested party to forgo an asset purchase or BK auction in favor of also taking on expensive labor it could simply replace at a lower rate?

Also, DoJ just showed its take on a merger. Why would another shot succeed?

yup, we are in a tough spot for sure

I loathe our current administration but I’m not sure they’d consider NK dissolving as win for the people.

1.You can’t get it all at an auction.

2. Spirits finances will be a much bigger issue next time around and frankly should have been highlighted more in the trial w JetBlue

I came here to work at Spirit. Now that we are stand alone I’m going to no show my class date at airline other.

Not sure Spirit will be "acquired" in whole. Even if so, because its a distressed situation, most likely a big staple job since its not a merger, but will be handled under fragmentation. One thing is for sure...if you went to UA, DL or AA and then that airline acquired NKs assets and some of those pilots were ahead of you, it is likely that they would not be able to bid wide body FO or CA slots until every pilot from the legacy had the opportunity to bid them. So yes some narrow body guy below you might end up ahead on the narrow body only, but you'd be riding the WB plane forever. Northwest Republic merger had a 30 year fence on the WB planes.

Good luck is all I can say. This isn't your fault and you are trying to make good decisions with imperfect information. But there are other airlines that will hire you and those airlines aren't that bad overall.

Im too old to ever be a widebody CA

The expidited appeal was approved. A ruling is expected in June. Thats a long time to wait and see what happens. I expect a lot of people will leave.

Where is this info

The appeal will be HEARD in June. Not a ruling in June.

Geez, even worse.

The appeal won't be successful anyway. There is a better chance of B6 pulling out of the deal in July while waiting for the appeal ruling. The appeal is nothing more then a distraction for the future bankruptcy

Can't deal with their pilot culture and I'm 38.

McCaskill wouldn’t apply? I thought you couldn’t just staple anymore….

38 isn’t a spring chicken that’s for sure. But being middle seniority I can see the logic. Starting over at JetBlue seems hasty considering they are relatively young like us and not growing. Also, every legacy also has an NYC base.

I’ve heard this before about delta and “pilot culture”. With every legacy having an NYC base I can see putting them at the back of the line based on seniority demographics alone but culture? Is that really something anyone should consider when talking about a multimillion dollar career. Who GAF about culture. This job is about money and time off. Delta should be far ahead of JetBlue if going in as a NH

Christ! I don’t understand why they can just handle this in the next couple weeks and get on with it. In the next 6 months TC and JB will do nothing to change this business for the better.

🤦‍♂️

I say again…..

🤦‍♂️

I don't get this either, especially since DELTA has hired THOUSANDS of younger guys & girls recently....

Its not like there's no truth to it, but its not a good reason to make life descisions.

33% of our seniority list has been hired after Covid, starting in June 2021. 65% of the list has been hired since 1/2014. The old guard is definitely gone or close to being gone, especially on the narrowebody fleets.

Even this is really stretching it a bit, especially here in modern times. Some guys are holding on to this relic of the past for some reason. Who factors "culture" into big life decisions? Most guys can't point to anything the big bad delta guy did to them, there's just a lot of herd mentality out there on this one.

The Delta culture has changed. Half the list was hired in the last 10 years. When pilots are upgrading to captain in less than a year, they never had any culture instilled in them in that short of time.

I'm senior to you by a LOT and I'm doing the exact same thing. Good luck to you. These aren't easy decisions but I see no reason to stay here any longer.

Atlas?
 

Any Spirit pilots here have expieirience at Atlas? I would love to hear your thoughts of how the two compare

I am also trying to get off the boat, but being a low time junior guy I am not yet competitive for a legacy so regionals or ACMI are my choices.

I applied with AA 10/31
Test 11/2
HR Zoom 11/15
interview 11/28
resigned last week for class.
I was holding out to see how the merger was going to play out. I was 100% after the judge ruled against.
8 year CA.

Solid move. Congratulations don't ever look back

You have other option other than regionals and ACMI. Assuming you've conslidated but have less than 1000 turbine you can probably get an interview at places like Jetblue and Hawaiian. Hawaiian has an ACMI style cargo operation that allows you to be mainland based. But If you really are interested in Atlas I will tell you that it's a great company, but it's not a time building job, they will tell you this in the Atlas forum and when you interview with them. You will get less than 2 landings a month if you are in their widebody fleet. Min guarantee is a little bit lower than ours (64 hours?) and you will often be blasting through 4-5 times zones every time you leave home. You also have to factor in that training is long, they tell you plan for atleast 90 days. Atlas does has DC that is around 12% which is great, you get widebody experience which is very valuable and you'll go to places that you'll never go to with Spirit or regionals.

In your situation, my advice is to hold on to your lottery ticket here, build some bus time and see what happens with the appeal. Regionals and Atlas will still be there. Flying will pick up eventually up just through attrition, and despite what all the doom and gloomers say, spirit isn't going disappear overnight. All that being said, if you can get on with another major, do it.

Im thinking you’re sad you left. It’s really macabre how you continue to prowl this feed. Beat it stupid.

Curious you'd say this. Based on what? Things you've read on the interwebs? Disclaimer, I'm a DAL pilot. I think we've got one of the best pilot groups around. Don't believe all that you read on the interwebs or the "rumors" you've heard from bobby's cousin sisters friend who knows a guy that drives a hotel van. This is a great place with a great pilot group.

Having rode on many jumpseats across many different US airlines, I feel that pilot culture across the board is fairly similar everywhere

All that really matters is domicile choices and seniority

Say what you want about the culture, if you actaully know anyting about it, but Delta pilots were the pilots who saddled up and raised the bar sky high in the last round of contract negotiations. That says something.

ALPA needed more dues?

😂 we have a dues refund. You’re welcome, thanks for not doing any lifting of your own

a simple "thank you" would suffice...but haters gon' hate.
Sounds like you've found a cause to take up at Jet Blue. mgmt pilot, perhaps? I hope things turn around for you soon.