TA Reached
#671
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2019
Posts: 1,279
Okay Halon’s goofy hat is off for a second…
I recently went to the road show and I have to say I went from a yes to a definite YES.
They explained things pretty clearly and definitely know what they are talking about. I really had no idea before how bad Spirits position was, like how Legacies make lots more revenue on other stuff…it makes sense just never thought of it that way. How legacy pilot labor expense ratio is a lot less (I always assumed it was more). How Spirit had to borrow lots of money because of up coming expenses (like this pilot contract coming up) also to make sure we had enough cash to cover credit card transactions because Spirits cash got to a critically low point.
you can talk all you want that they are trying to scare us. But that is the truth, we really arnt in the position that Delta is in. They acknowledged that yes we fly the same planes and have the same responsibilities as our peers but the ULCC model just definitely isn’t favorable to what we want.
here is some good news through…they do have a plan to bring us to narrow body Legacy rates relatively quickly. They 3 step plan they talked about…and let’s be honest the JetBlue merger really needs to happen…
the SLI stuff is really why we need a contract now and not after JetBlue votes. It’s really the timing of it. But anyways I’m getting tired of writing…lots to explain. But if you want I encourage all of you to watch that discussion about halfway through the virtual video they have on the ALPA website.
Did I expect $20/hour more from this TA? Yes absolutely but this is still a pretty significant pay raise in the next step to the JetBlue merger.
also I hear a lot of stuff about how guys want the union to go after the company on work rules…dude you don’t want to go down that road. You know they are going to try to take work rules away and not give us favorable work rules and that will drag this thing out even further.
anyways that my 2¢ why that road show solidified my YES vote.
(okay goofy hat back on)
I recently went to the road show and I have to say I went from a yes to a definite YES.
They explained things pretty clearly and definitely know what they are talking about. I really had no idea before how bad Spirits position was, like how Legacies make lots more revenue on other stuff…it makes sense just never thought of it that way. How legacy pilot labor expense ratio is a lot less (I always assumed it was more). How Spirit had to borrow lots of money because of up coming expenses (like this pilot contract coming up) also to make sure we had enough cash to cover credit card transactions because Spirits cash got to a critically low point.
you can talk all you want that they are trying to scare us. But that is the truth, we really arnt in the position that Delta is in. They acknowledged that yes we fly the same planes and have the same responsibilities as our peers but the ULCC model just definitely isn’t favorable to what we want.
here is some good news through…they do have a plan to bring us to narrow body Legacy rates relatively quickly. They 3 step plan they talked about…and let’s be honest the JetBlue merger really needs to happen…
the SLI stuff is really why we need a contract now and not after JetBlue votes. It’s really the timing of it. But anyways I’m getting tired of writing…lots to explain. But if you want I encourage all of you to watch that discussion about halfway through the virtual video they have on the ALPA website.
Did I expect $20/hour more from this TA? Yes absolutely but this is still a pretty significant pay raise in the next step to the JetBlue merger.
also I hear a lot of stuff about how guys want the union to go after the company on work rules…dude you don’t want to go down that road. You know they are going to try to take work rules away and not give us favorable work rules and that will drag this thing out even further.
anyways that my 2¢ why that road show solidified my YES vote.
(okay goofy hat back on)
oh, and TL;DR
#672
#675
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2015
Posts: 394
Yeah, something doesn't add up. Just because the company has been able to keep their head above water in 2022, doesn't mean they will going forward. Looking at the fleet plan, we are getting more aircraft this quarter than the previous 3 quarters combined. Next year, they are scheduled to get 33 more airplanes. This, combined with the fact that every regional pays more, and the legacies are all hiring close to 2000 pilots each, this strategy is untenable. If you read every quarterly filing, they all read the same: We would have made money if the aircraft utilization was higher.
I watched the roadshow video, lots of good info. The takeaway for me is it’s a tough call. However I keep coming back to: Spirit is broke and can’t afford to pay us, which is why they want to give us a raise……Because they know that’s how to utilize airplanes to become profitable. Call the bluff, vote no.
#676
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2017
Posts: 3,283
#677
Yup. Pulled into LAS this morning, 6-7 aircraft parked in the pad not utilized.
I watched the roadshow video, lots of good info. The takeaway for me is it’s a tough call. However I keep coming back to: Spirit is broke and can’t afford to pay us, which is why they want to give us a raise……Because they know that’s how to utilize airplanes to become profitable. Call the bluff, vote no.
I watched the roadshow video, lots of good info. The takeaway for me is it’s a tough call. However I keep coming back to: Spirit is broke and can’t afford to pay us, which is why they want to give us a raise……Because they know that’s how to utilize airplanes to become profitable. Call the bluff, vote no.
#678
I have gone back and forth about it myself, especially after the B6 TA with its catch-up provision. In retrospect, I think we should have held out for such a provision, especially since it has no immediate cost to management and they would potentially have the summer to recover economically. And shortly after that, we’ll likely belong to JetBlue in any event, and they seem to value their pilots more. I’ve now sort of moved into the No column, hoping we could get a quick deal on a catch up provision and insurance for new hires - perhaps with management giving up the ability for management to increase first year pay to near second year pay that seems to offend so many other No voters so much, though for the life of me I can’t understand why.
#680
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2015
Posts: 394
Correct me if I'm wrong but didn't they write off the parked aircraft as losses? In other words if there was another way to do the accounting we may have been closer to profits? I'm not an accountant by any means but it stands to reason that if a large part of the losses were from depreciating unused aircraft than yea then can indeed afford more number one, number two these profits forecasts are just that forecasts - I don't know about ya'll but I trust financial forecasts to have as much accuracy as weather forecasts - GIGO, garbage in = garbage out. Didn't they have Hurricane Ian still hitting Tampa at 48 hours out so not enough time to evacuate Fort Myers? Forecasts are the equivalent of the "two in the bush". We're supposed to put all our faith in the financial forecasts when all other evidence points otherwise?
I can honestly see where the NC and MEC and ALPA legal are coming from. It’s the safe bet, “3 bites of the apple”. I’ve watched the roadshow, went through the FAQ, and it makes sense. But it’s a little biased and has slight flavor of fear mongering sprinkled throughout which I find distasteful. I’m voting no.
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