beech1980

They hired 24 for the two January classes.

maverickchill

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2020-01-16/nobody-makes-money-like-apollo-s-ruthless-founder-leon-black
Not everyone sees it that way. In 2016, Apollo moved to cut retirement and health benefits for workers at a chemical plant it owned in upstate New York. The workers, who sometimes developed cancer from handling hazardous materials, felt they had no choice but to strike. New York State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli joined the picket line, but it was a little awkward—New York’s pension system invested $350 million in the fund Apollo had used to buy the chemical plant. The strike lasted an impressive 105 days through the dead of winter, but in the end, Apollo, which had been paying itself millions of dollars to oversee the ailing company, held all the cards. “It’s assisted suicide,” says Stephen Lerner, a former strategist for the Service Employees International Union who also tracks asset managers’ involvement in labor disputes. “We invest in companies whose official ideology is they want to destroy us.”

https://www.wsj.com/amp/articles/amazon-looks-to-sun-country-to-boost-its-cargo-unit-11576621801
Amazon will receive warrants to acquire a minority stake in Sun Country, which was bought two years ago by Apollo Global Management Inc., similar to its deals with Atlas and ATSG.

tolipenalpria

SW application window will open February 24 and close March 10. Just FYI

ViperCrosswind

I have an interview in a few days and I'd like to get the line pilots perspective if I may --

2 different recruiters have stated that the new contract starts in May, with LOA's starting in April. What the realistic expectation from this? Long Call? Commuter Clause? Pay rates equal/better Spirit/Frontier? Better days off/lines/commutable trips?

I live about an hour+ outside the short call window, and if this forum holds true I can't make Sun Country work without significant life changes.

Where do you see this airline in the next year?

Thanks Fellas

nibake

I think we would all like to see those things, but not a single one is reality now. I think a new contract that soon is a bit of a pipe dream. Some of them may come to pass, but you are talking about a big gamble. Sun Country is "a completely different airline to work for" when you are a reserve pilot/commuter and that is where some of the attitudes about it being worse than a regional are coming from, imo.

There is some negativity on this forum, yes, but a lot of good information from guys who are just looking to help a fellow pilot out. Take a good look at those life changes, and weigh them in the balance. I had to make a lot of changes to make this work and it really sucked. I do foresee a lot of positive changes coming over the next year, but if you are in a position where you need a certain improvement(s) for things to work well for you that is a risky win/lose type of gamble. In my situation is was win/win regardless which is why I came.

idlethrust

Sw is only hiring into a pool right now due to the max grounding.
Dont get your hopes up with them until the max issue is resolved or they find a bunch of 800s somewhere in Mexico to buy dirt cheap.

beech1980

Early opened is May 1. That means nothing! LOA’s starting in April is false. Not much will transpire in hopes of really improving anything in pay and QOL until a new contract is actually signed. Get the blinders off. The number one job of the recruiter is to get you in class at all costs. I would not go to sun country unless you could live under the current gutter of a contract for 3-4 years at a minimum based on industry trends of how long it takes to get a new CBA. Also.. if PBS is voted in give it 12+ months until it’s in place and you see an improvement in the horrible lines. Do some research before coming to Sunny! It’s a commuter nightmare!

Starchkr

If Jude got together with our ALPA guys and they were able to agree on a contract like the other ULCC’s they’d have every class full and they could grow as planned.

I’ve heard a lot of colleagues saying we will likely see a big spike in attrition this year if hiring picks up as forecast. I think they’re right so long as there isn’t an economic downturn or the Max doesn’t get figured out.

It seems like Sunny has had lucky circumstances. For example, the Max slowing down hiring a bit and Compass airlines losing some of their flying which freed up some pilots. I’ve been told we lost a couple new hires out of training. Not sure if they left or if they washed out. We had two full classes to start 2020 for the first time in months(years?) and they’ve already lost a few of them. We will see what happens in the next few classes but I have a feeling that those full classes were an anomaly.

Jude if you’re reading this, just settle this contract deal ASAP and grow this airline. No one here is asking for a Delta contract but you’re gonna have to pay up and solve these QOL issues. Fix the contract and you’ll fill all the classes you need, stop the bleeding, and you’ll have a reinvigorated pilot group eager to make this place thrive. Stop wasting time, let’s do this!!!

sidelinesam

Sunny can't afford to wait 3-4 years for a new contract but I can't recommend coming here until things are settled. Too many unknowns and variables.

maverickchill

With Trans States closing the doors, sunny will see a few more apps I bet.