The distance based learning will happen with or without any LOA. If anyone can point to any language in the CBA to prevent it, then make your case based on that.

Some pilots had higher credit in training months was because the company had "brick and Mortar" groundschools, run as a class, on dates certain, at a set location. The Ipads will negate the need to do this, LOA or not. Section 11.D.2 allows them to do home training in the current CBA, one day a month, for 4hrs of pay credit, with no restoration of days off even if you are at minimum days off. (this is what they did six years ago with "runway Incursion") They could do one day a month, and they have three months to work with, grace early, base, and grace late. And then they could have your PC contain one day of classroom GS that will complete the 25hr FAA requirement. So they could under current book do this as home study for a total of 8hrs pay. They prefer not to do this as they want a 27hr GS.

But they could still have you come in to your base to do GS for 4hrs of pay per day in the current CBA, and without the LOA this is what they plan to do. So there will be no travel to GS, because it is your domicile, no LOA required. If you are above min days off they could have you come in, at a day of their choosing, for 4hrs of pay, and no requirement to restore days off. To keep you at or above the 12.E.1 limits (min days off) they may do one day one month and one the next. (And total hell on your life if you are a commuter in the middle of a 4 day break) Or they could drop a trip, of their choosing, in a very efficient manner from their point of view, because with Ipad based training there is not a set classroom date, for Zero extra pay above line value. And they could do this right now, under current book, with no LOA. As a reminder, all time and hotel expense will be born by the pilot, because you are simply being told to report to your domicile.

I'm not so sure that I would agree to the LOA if I were Spirit management. The pain they could impose on us would be significant enough, for commuters which I'm not, that we would have to burn negotiating capital in the next CBA just to achieve this LOA.

You have to know your hand, and play your hand. But our hand is not an unknown. Its straight forward in the CBA, and Spirit management knows it. It is not as if voting NO will stop the DBL from coming, they could do this without the LOA, perhaps for less money, and not have this as a sore spot of an issue that ALPA would be forced to address in the future CBA negotiations.

Yes the company is getting a big savings, but not because of any LOA, but for the Ipad's ability to have "virtual GS" at a time and place of their choosing. And make no mistake, with no LOA, you will be traveling to your domicile, on your dime and time, for training, for at best 8hrs above line value and in the case of a dropped two day, no extra pay whatsoever.

Again, I will vote YES, but I hope it fails so as to serve as a lesson to all about bad decision making.