Life at Spirit
#471
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2019
Posts: 439
actually captain upgrades have slowed from 32 planned to 20 for the next 8 months due to massive amounts of FO’s quitting (attrition.) plan was for growth and many upgrades until every legacy started hiring our newly minted FO’s making 56 bucks an hour. Any legacy is a pay raise for new guys. Can’t upgrade Captains if we don’t even have first officers. This simple fact should worry any FO here who wants to upgrade or any junior captain.
#472
On Reserve
Joined APC: Jan 2022
Posts: 13
Personally I think those quick upgrade times are over at least for the next 4-5 years until we get another big plane order. Do the math with how many planes we have on property and how many we will have in the next 5 years. With very little retirements, I’d say anyone hired today would be looking at 5 year minimum and that’s if they can even upgrade on this current fleet order as how things stand now we are well over half way to our current fleet projection on this order.
#473
Personally I think those quick upgrade times are over at least for the next 4-5 years until we get another big plane order. Do the math with how many planes we have on property and how many we will have in the next 5 years. With very little retirements, I’d say anyone hired today would be looking at 5 year minimum and that’s if they can even upgrade on this current fleet order as how things stand now we are well over half way to our current fleet projection on this order.
#475
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2006
Posts: 489
I really love flying, as a new hire, how much could I expect to fly 1st year? 2nd year? 3rd? Looking at FL bases. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Im sure things are starting to pick up such as Captain upgrades base choices from training.
I understand completely the industry changes, musical chairs are in effect, and who knows what will happen in the future contract negotiations … (I’m willing to bet a pay increase due to attrition)
That said, I’m very impressed with Spirit and how they treat their people. I know many guys who have left stable secure jobs for this airline and cannot say one thing bad about it (minus first year pay and 90 day insurance policy hold) which tells me a lot.
this thread has been very helpful.
I understand completely the industry changes, musical chairs are in effect, and who knows what will happen in the future contract negotiations … (I’m willing to bet a pay increase due to attrition)
That said, I’m very impressed with Spirit and how they treat their people. I know many guys who have left stable secure jobs for this airline and cannot say one thing bad about it (minus first year pay and 90 day insurance policy hold) which tells me a lot.
this thread has been very helpful.
if you love flying then just buy your own airplane and just go flying. Or go to southwest. I hear they really fly a lot
we also don’t have any helicopters at spirit. There are some regional airlines that will take helo pilots.
#476
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,788
Lots of negative replies to your question, so here is a more balanced one.
1. You will be on reserve anywhere between 8 months up to perhaps 1.5 years. Depending on the base you will either fly a lot or a little. You can’t pick up flying on reserve but you can put yourself on the “call me first” list. This will drive more flying your way.
2. As for the company treating us great, I would say it’s your fellow pilots, Union, some of the chiefs and our contract that makes it appear the company treats us great. At the end of the day, the company cares about profits, not us.
3. Personally I have had a great experience with the people mentioned above. I will say that we need to increase our IT, we need to fix pay at the lower end of the scales due to slower upgrades. Would also be great to be able to drop/move some reserve days.
All in all, you will be happy here. Hope you come on board just be sure to save for that first year. I can’t emphasize enough what a hit it is, especially that first three months.
1. You will be on reserve anywhere between 8 months up to perhaps 1.5 years. Depending on the base you will either fly a lot or a little. You can’t pick up flying on reserve but you can put yourself on the “call me first” list. This will drive more flying your way.
2. As for the company treating us great, I would say it’s your fellow pilots, Union, some of the chiefs and our contract that makes it appear the company treats us great. At the end of the day, the company cares about profits, not us.
3. Personally I have had a great experience with the people mentioned above. I will say that we need to increase our IT, we need to fix pay at the lower end of the scales due to slower upgrades. Would also be great to be able to drop/move some reserve days.
All in all, you will be happy here. Hope you come on board just be sure to save for that first year. I can’t emphasize enough what a hit it is, especially that first three months.
#477
Line Holder
Joined APC: Mar 2017
Posts: 87
The Captain upgrades make sense, this is all good info. Seems that a lot of people are experiencing poor quality of life. What would be a good way to improve it for yourself? Have you tried to move to another company? Any input would be great!
#478
Line Holder
Joined APC: Mar 2017
Posts: 87
Lots of negative replies to your question, so here is a more balanced one.
1. You will be on reserve anywhere between 8 months up to perhaps 1.5 years. Depending on the base you will either fly a lot or a little. You can’t pick up flying on reserve but you can put yourself on the “call me first” list. This will drive more flying your way.
2. As for the company treating us great, I would say it’s your fellow pilots, Union, some of the chiefs and our contract that makes it appear the company treats us great. At the end of the day, the company cares about profits, not us.
3. Personally I have had a great experience with the people mentioned above. I will say that we need to increase our IT, we need to fix pay at the lower end of the scales due to slower upgrades. Would also be great to be able to drop/move some reserve days.
All in all, you will be happy here. Hope you come on board just be sure to save for that first year. I can’t emphasize enough what a hit it is, especially that first three months.
1. You will be on reserve anywhere between 8 months up to perhaps 1.5 years. Depending on the base you will either fly a lot or a little. You can’t pick up flying on reserve but you can put yourself on the “call me first” list. This will drive more flying your way.
2. As for the company treating us great, I would say it’s your fellow pilots, Union, some of the chiefs and our contract that makes it appear the company treats us great. At the end of the day, the company cares about profits, not us.
3. Personally I have had a great experience with the people mentioned above. I will say that we need to increase our IT, we need to fix pay at the lower end of the scales due to slower upgrades. Would also be great to be able to drop/move some reserve days.
All in all, you will be happy here. Hope you come on board just be sure to save for that first year. I can’t emphasize enough what a hit it is, especially that first three months.
#479
Line Holder
Joined APC: Mar 2017
Posts: 87
Yes first year pay has to increase I agree. It will be a big hit for me and my family. Otherwise, bases would be great for us. We love florida. The contract will start being negotiated in September or October timeframe. Hopefully, pay raises will come along with better 1st year for new hires.
I know there are a lot of negative posts about my comments. Regardless, it’s great input to hear someone else’s perspective. It’s just hard to know who actually works for spirit since there aren’t any ways to verify due to the format of this forum.
I sincerely appreciate all feedback. It’s going to be a very interesting decade for hiring. Hopefully the economy hold out!
I know there are a lot of negative posts about my comments. Regardless, it’s great input to hear someone else’s perspective. It’s just hard to know who actually works for spirit since there aren’t any ways to verify due to the format of this forum.
I sincerely appreciate all feedback. It’s going to be a very interesting decade for hiring. Hopefully the economy hold out!
#480
Banned
Joined APC: Jul 2021
Posts: 551
actually captain upgrades have slowed from 32 planned to 20 for the next 8 months due to massive amounts of FO’s quitting (attrition.) plan was for growth and many upgrades until every legacy started hiring our newly minted FO’s making 56 bucks an hour. Any legacy is a pay raise for new guys. Can’t upgrade Captains if we don’t even have first officers. This simple fact should worry any FO here who wants to upgrade or any junior captain.
We have been at 20ish upgrades a month since the 2020 leaves ended. Yes it was planned to increase, but it also hasn’t decreased or “slowed”.
Total attrition last year amounted to around 2%. While not something that can be ignored, we are still significantly net positive for number of pilots.
Attrition was highest in the last months of 2021, and even if that same amount continues for all of 2022, there will still be a lot more pilots on property come December than there are now.
The “massive” exodus is a misnomer, and until we reach a point where we are 1) losing more pilots than we hire and 2) unable to fill new hire classes, you just sound foolish pushing this narrative.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
downinthegroove
Regional
2
06-03-2008 05:55 PM