Oh, we'll thx for giving us your permission

 

If you look at the forum menu;

 

Like it or not Spirit is a major, with over 1 bil in total revenue for 2011.

 

okay...I have been an F/O at Spirit for 5 years about to upgrade and I gotta laugh at this forum.....some of you guys need to get a freaking life......First off...no matter what Spirit does...we have no control over it....so instead of bit**ing about what the Chief Pilot does or Benny or Frankie does....hey get the hell over it....we can't control that.....as far as the contract goes....it is what it is....it's coming up on 2 years...get over it......we are right now the hottest airline out there making money and excellent growth.....I'm not a kool aid drinker....but damn...it sure beats being at Delta number 12502 out of 12505 or at American right now......right now....we should be great full we have what we have today.."company health" wise.....oh and in case you are wondering who would write such a thing....my last name is Kle**...I'm sure you can figure out the rest....first name Jas**

 

Thinking about applying, but I have a pretty cushy job right now at XJT five weeks vacation 15 years seniority Bid in the Low teens made 125,000 last year flying a 145 around but I live 15 minutes from ACY and it kills me to make this ride to EWR anymore. Well not just that, the regional are in the cross hairs now more then ever. Not interested in United gave that number up in 05 at CAL. But we do have a 10 year CPA signed and that would make me 55. Internal recs are not a prob and plenty of flight time, Caribbean, Mexico and Glass. I've made two big booboos so far in this industry like not going to JetBlue there second year (used to work for Dave Barger) because of the CAL FT and waiting for the CAL FT don't want to make this my third.

Been pretty lucky otherwise, anyway its hard to give up money to do the same dam thing I do now! Dam I hate this industry!

 

I can understand why you would want to leave. Is money a sticking point? You will probably not make $125,000/year as an FO (even a 10 year) here unless you work alot or become a sim instructor. You've been doing this long enough to know that just because we have plans to take airplanes doesn't mean we will get them or you will ever upgrade. So with that in mind can you make the move? The job is easy, most of the guys here are great to fly with, ACY flying is cake and its by far the most junior base.

 

Only two boo boos? You're one better than most of us '

If you really want to try Spirit, you'd better not wait any longer. A current new hire might be able to upgrade with the orders in place. Next years new hire might sit right seat a long time.

 

You may have made 3 already. If I look back @ your Dec. 2010 thread here, I see you're still struggling with the same decision you were then. Honestly, hindsight being what it is, if you had pulled the trigger right then, you'd likely be a relatively senior ACY line holding FO looking @ upgrade @ Spirit to the ACY base within the next 2 years and be around #500 out of 600+ (Spring 2011 DOH @ Spirit, what say you, Spirit guys?), assuming Spirit continues to grow and take deliveries of new A320's. You'd be averaging about 16 days off and 85 credit hours @ $66.22/hr right now.

You've obviously been sitting on the fence on this for over a year. Why not apply to Spirit, see if you get the call? Then you can make the decision for real, rather than ruminate about it on this forum. But heck, this is a forum, so playing the 'what if' game is what 90% of this forum is about, so, feel free to ride the fence as long as you want. It's easy to give advice on an anonymous forum when you don't have any skin in the game, but to give up a top 20 # @ XJT for new hire FO @ Spirit for real today . . . only you will know if you made the right choice 20 years from now.

My only personal advice - don't go just for the ACY base. Its unlikely that a base such as that will stay over your career, just based on the economics of ACY (declining local economy).

There were some senior San Juan based American Eagle ATR CA's who were in a similar position as you in early 2008. They lived in base, flew good trips, had good QOL, etc. It would take something really good to get them to leave. Spirit opened a SJU base, and some of the SJU CA's took the leap. 4 years later:
They got furloughed in summer 2008 for about a year. During that time the SJU base closed. today they're FLL based and pulling down $82/hr as FO's on the Airbus, either commuting from SJU or moved to FLL. They'll upgrade within the next year, probably. Turns out Eagle is closing their SJU base too, after AA went Ch. 11, so they were going to lose their SJU base either way.

Did they make the right decision? Today is seems that way, but in late 2008, when they were furloughed, it looked VERY different. Only they will know for sure decades from now.

With risk comes reward. Good luck in your choice.

 

JUNE 2012

DFW-TLC-DFW daily

DFW-DTW-DFW daily

DFW-SAN-DFW daily

 

Hmmmm. DFW crew base next?!