Well...right now, Spirit isn't much of a threat to anyone. The airline is still relatively small and offers limited frequency to the markets we serve (of course, there are some exceptions). The big boys will let NK get away with flying a route here or there.

The problem I see down the road is if Spirit tries to grow their network to the point where it impacts the revenue generation of Southwest, JetBlue, AA, etc. At that point, those carriers have enough "tools in their arsenal" where they can engage NK in a prolonged fare war, and attempt to bleed NK's cash like no tomorrow. Nobody is doing that yet because everyone is conserving cash...but, when things turn around, and the time for growth is right, those other guys will seize the opportunity.

Remember, NK has a "go it alone strategy." We'll have to see how that strategy plays out without having partnerships like other airlines.

 

Two new aircraft scheduled for Feb, and they just drew down the March schedule. Hmmm..

Obviously these planes just popped up out of nowhere, taking management by surprise, otherwise they would have been properly staffed to fly them once they showed up. Not like it's hard to find pilots or sim time these days.

Also I didn't know we had "delivery pilots"

 

Maybe not hard to find pilots but sim time has been almost impossible to get. A classmate of mine needed extra time and had to wait close to a week to get one more session. It's to early on a Saturday to listen to crap you don't have a single clue about. I've kept my mouth shut with all your negativity but now its just getting old. If you don't like it here anymore go where the grass is greener......if you can find it.

This place is not perfect and never will be, just deal with it and move on. Just like the contract. We get it you are a 26%er.

 

Yeah, with all the training going on... Ha

Last PC, we were the only ones at Airbus... at 6pm on a week night.
Just because your friend needed to wait, doesn't mean sim time is hard to come by. Its out there.

NK knew these planes were coming and CHOSE not to crew them. Why?
They drew down flying for March, coincidence? I think not.
You want to keep your head buried in the sand, be my guest. Don't use your brain, and don't read my posts.

 

Planespotters also shows 2 aircraft coming soon to Spirit.

 

No sarcasm but I am not getting your point. We are pretty much overstaffed for February. It is actually counterproductive (for us) because there is so little in open time that trip trading is not picking up any speed. True we are getting two more planes, but we also have two classes. One is in the pipe the other one is scheduled for end of March.

I think we will be just a bit short for the Summer. May be not even because they will build a ton of high value (90+) lines with 13 days off.

The only way we will be short if Delta starts hiring. I know some DTW FOs who want to jump ship. Ohhh and the new rest rules may have an effect if they get implemented but those will probably not even take effect this year.

Other than that, no more planes after 607 all the way until the end of the year, or after IPO. But the way oil is at the moment I doubt they will rush the IPO. I think this will be a "wait and see" year.

 

Relax Farva. Just order a large cola.

My point was I don't see how they can accept 2 new planes within the next couple of weeks if they had to cut 500 hours out of the schedule for March. And by delivery pilots I mean one of the two guys who always goes and picks them up from Airbus.

 

It's possible but both a/c will be ready for delivery by mid-February.

 

They were anticipating a larger number of pilots returning from furlough. At the last moment a group of furloughees resigned that had previously accepted recall. This left the staffing much lower than expected (see the bid list for ACY...big disparity between CA and FO). Since it takes twice as long for a new hire class to be released to line than a recall class, we dont have anymore bodies until the last week in March. They decided that rather than having to JRM and/or cancel a ton of flights the first three weeks of March it was better to draw the flying down a bit (500 hours).

As for the airplanes, they were always scheduled for a Feb delivery. They are paid for, and they are coming whether we want them or not. That will be it as far as new planes go until the fall.

And as for having delivery pilots, there is training that must be done in order to go over and get the jets...so says the FAA. To date, there are only a couple guys that have the training.

 

Good points about the returning furloughees and the aircraft deliveries.

But how can you say this? "They decided that rather than having to JRM and/or cancel a ton of flights the first three weeks of March it was better to draw the flying down a bit (500 hours). "
Do you seriously believe that they would cancel approximately 40 round trips just because they are afraid that each trip could cost another $800 in pilot costs? I suggest that any canceled flying is the result of marketing re-analysis. They told us about it hoping we would blame it on the "selfish".