lots of the regionals I think match your longevity with the pay. So I’d be coming in as a year 9 CA on year 9 CA pay. I could also pick up a lot and fly premium. I just can’t justify flying anything other than my guarantee right now, not with our fello pilots on the street.

 

One of the reasons I left was the union, or lack there of. Every grievance I filed prior to 2023 I got paid extra. Every grievance I filed after 2023 I lost, due to incredible poor interpretation of the cba. I called my rep about a blatant contract violation, and he literally told me they were aware of the situation. But weren't going to do anything about it. It was hard leaving, not just because of seat, seniority, or pay, but because I liked working there. I just couldn't get past how both management and the union had given up.

 

Oh you mean while I was on a 6 month Voluntary Furlough to help save a job of a pilot junior to me. Why do I have the feeling you probably lead the league in X and Y Pickups during that time?

I used that 6 months to get my log books caught up and get apps out. I could see the way Spirit was trending. The F9 merger only solidified my decision to go. Like Alabama and Missippi applying for joint state hood so they can better compete against the economies of Texas, California, Florida and New York.

 

Honest question; you just listed like 10 union reps who have left. Does it really matter if the MEC Chair has apps out? Haha. In all seriousness. I wish you the best. Hard when finances are also a huge factor. Good luck man

 

Commuting to reserve might be 21 days away from home if you can't hold long call. Being senior FO in base will give you way more time at home. And I truly respect your intent to not work extra with people furloughed, otherwise it would be pretty easy to match commuting reserve Captain pay as a senior in base FO. My plan B was regional DEC, so looked at that, and they offered 1 for 1 years of 121 experience, and even some for 135, so like you said you would not start at the bottom for pay. I would be very reluctant to commute for those jobs though, with 11 days off a month. UAL upgrade is in the air, and it's a brutal pay cut for the first 2 years, but for me being in base, I expect almost the same take home including 401k and some profit sharing by year 3, based on the same amount of hours away from home compared to 12 year commuting Captain pay at NK. Your DUI is not impossible to get past, flew with a new hire Captain who had one, was in HIMS. But you definitely need to be able to explain it. Good luck.

 

Right now, RM is the Captain of our ship. I just wanna know if he will be a Captain Edward Smith type and go down with the ship? Or a Captain Francesco Schettino type, someone who watches people drown from dry land? My guess is the latter given the way so many SPA leaders left in the middle of there elected terms. At least have the decency to finish what you signed up for before you leave!

 

Fair enough, but you may be overestimating the amount of premium that would be available to you when you are commuting to reserve. 9 year FO pay at Spirit is still more than 9 year DEC at Skywest.

 

Completely agree!! SPA is weak. What other union has Negotiating Committee members serve for 20+ years. SPA is a large reason we are where we are.

i just got way to comfortable. Way to use to 4 days off, way to use to drop to zero. I missed the window to apply when the Legacies were hiring 2,000 a year and now they are getting pickier. I’m sure my DUI 7 years ago is a huge road block. I just pray to god I can either land at a regional as a DEC or at an ACMI carrier to tide me over to the 10 year mark when I no longer need to report it. I would stay, but I just don’t think Spirit has enough runway to make it another 3 years. Not with the losses we have been having.

 

I just can’t bring myself to X or Y list when my fellow brothers and sisters are on the street right now. I’m old school I guess, but that’s how we did it back in the day. Just not right to pick up 200% when you got junior guys at home working at Home Depot just to make ends meet.

 

C and A were fantastic reps. Got me out of an NOI a year before I left for Delta. I read their emails and the things they said in the WhatsApp chats. They weren’t wrong and they ultimately were the reason I finally decided to pull the trigger. So glad I bailed when I did. If I ever run into those dudes or any of the other reps that set the example by leaving, beers on me at the hotel bar.