Spirit vs big 3
01-07-2023, 02:01 PM
#13
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2014
Posts: 511
I'm a No voter, but certainly not angry as Flyguy suggests. I do agree with him in that the reasons to stay or go are as varied as the individual's wants and needs. The fact of the matter is that every contract out there has something that the other guy wants, be it it pay, work rule, or some percieved benefit that maybe a contract is lacking. There is no perfect contract.
In terms of Spirit, it is a great airline and I enjoy the crews I fly with in my base and what our product was. But, post covid this place has seem to lost its direction, identity, and the wheel house in terms of management is empty. Repeat problems never get corrected, bases are downsizing, upgrades have slowed, constant changes to the FOM, procedures or our ****ty manuals, and attrition will always be present, but has continued to increase to unmanageable levels. The place now has the feel of a big "Giong out of Business" sale since the merger was announced.
So the uncertainty of what we will become adds to the reason why many choose to leave. The ones who seem most at risk are the pilots who cant/won't leave. Namely, yes voting Captains. Those adverse to uncertainty are most likely drawn to the big 3 because of pay, benefits, and the likelihood that they will be around for the remainder of thier careers. I would hate to be a younger pilot and invest 7-10 years in a failed Blue/Spirit venture and then be looking for a job at the big 3 past peak hiring.
For me, I'm undecided. If I'm to believe what our negotiating committee has presented, then it sounds like Spirit is in dire straits financially, and if this merger doesn't go through I'd be very worried.
In terms of Spirit, it is a great airline and I enjoy the crews I fly with in my base and what our product was. But, post covid this place has seem to lost its direction, identity, and the wheel house in terms of management is empty. Repeat problems never get corrected, bases are downsizing, upgrades have slowed, constant changes to the FOM, procedures or our ****ty manuals, and attrition will always be present, but has continued to increase to unmanageable levels. The place now has the feel of a big "Giong out of Business" sale since the merger was announced.
So the uncertainty of what we will become adds to the reason why many choose to leave. The ones who seem most at risk are the pilots who cant/won't leave. Namely, yes voting Captains. Those adverse to uncertainty are most likely drawn to the big 3 because of pay, benefits, and the likelihood that they will be around for the remainder of thier careers. I would hate to be a younger pilot and invest 7-10 years in a failed Blue/Spirit venture and then be looking for a job at the big 3 past peak hiring.
For me, I'm undecided. If I'm to believe what our negotiating committee has presented, then it sounds like Spirit is in dire straits financially, and if this merger doesn't go through I'd be very worried.
01-07-2023, 03:04 PM
#14
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2015
Posts: 437
Maybe I've lost the plot, but as someone not at Spirit, I wanted some perspective from ya'll.
If the new agreement comes to fruition and the new pay rates come into effect, is there really much reason to leave Spirit for one of the big 3's? Aside from widebody options and perhaps some contractual issues that I'm not aware of, it seems like Spirit offers a great QOL with comparable pay.
To put it simply, why would someone leave Spirit, or why would someone stay?
If the new agreement comes to fruition and the new pay rates come into effect, is there really much reason to leave Spirit for one of the big 3's? Aside from widebody options and perhaps some contractual issues that I'm not aware of, it seems like Spirit offers a great QOL with comparable pay.
To put it simply, why would someone leave Spirit, or why would someone stay?
01-07-2023, 04:28 PM
#18
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2016
Posts: 170
Spirit MEC negotiating committee operates with a philosophy of preserving our training dept intact with seniority list instructors and no contractors. The instructors can then continue their 140 hour lines with 17 days off. Our training LEC council holds considerable sway in union negotiating.
We pay a considerable price in negotiating capital to preserve this training dept and its benefits.
We pay a considerable price in negotiating capital to preserve this training dept and its benefits.
01-07-2023, 05:16 PM
#19
On Reserve
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Dec 2019
Posts: 14
I suppose I've misinterpreted the proposed pay scale with other factors that affect total compensation. Looking at a 12yr captain at AA on the NB, $278/hr, compared to Spirit $312-318/hr.
Thanks for all the responses so far everyone!
Thanks for all the responses so far everyone!
01-07-2023, 06:58 PM
#20
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2015
Position: Gear slinger
Posts: 2,974
Maybe I've lost the plot, but as someone not at Spirit, I wanted some perspective from ya'll.
If the new agreement comes to fruition and the new pay rates come into effect, is there really much reason to leave Spirit for one of the big 3's? Aside from widebody options and perhaps some contractual issues that I'm not aware of, it seems like Spirit offers a great QOL with comparable pay.
To put it simply, why would someone leave Spirit, or why would someone stay?
If the new agreement comes to fruition and the new pay rates come into effect, is there really much reason to leave Spirit for one of the big 3's? Aside from widebody options and perhaps some contractual issues that I'm not aware of, it seems like Spirit offers a great QOL with comparable pay.
To put it simply, why would someone leave Spirit, or why would someone stay?
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