WelcomeToBen

This guy again..

flyingpuma1

The best advice I can give is are you comfortable staying where you are if no one ever called you again? There is no crystal ball but what if spirit was the only place you got hired, what if those calls from Delta, United, etc never came and you were at colgan (or whatever it's called now) for ever. Also don't come for the quick upgrade, I will hit third year pay late this summer and I am no where near close to upgrading probably at least another year. However my qol can't be beat, but I also live in base. To each thier own, make a list and see what you come up with.

Lobaeux

I don't have any experience in the regionals, in fact I'll caveat the fact that I have no experience in the airlines at all. So take my advice with a grain of salt.

That being said, I talk to a LOT of guys who come to Spirit from a regional, and without exception they are glad to be here. I'm sure the pay is below what they were earning, especially the first year but there are things that are just as important as pay. Amongst them is future growth, not just growth in an airline, but personal growth and expectations.

When I came to Spirit, I was not at all sure what to expect, but as I'm entering third year pay, the single biggest thing that pops out in my mind, the single biggest thing that made me realize that I made the right decision is this fact:

I look forward to going to work. I enjoy going to work and I enjoy being at work.

That's all I've got. You'll hear some incredibly rosy things about every airline and you'll hear some things that every airline sucks at. Spirit is no different, but when all is said and done, I can say I really enjoy going to and being at work, and that is worth a lot to me.

YMMV

RockoADT

Thanks for the advice.

Lobaeux

No worries, you have to balance and do what's right for yourself (career-wise) and what's best for your family (income, insurance, time off, etc.). You're doing the right thing, comparing what you've got right now and what you may have in the future. Leave no stone unturned in your research and continue to ask questions.

The time you spend with your family is irreplaceable, you will never get that back. As someone who as spent a large amount of time away from family, trust me in that.

Two times will really decide whether you made the right decision, every day you walk in the door home from work and the day after your 65th birthday. If those two times you can hold your head high and be proud of yourself, it matters not what else you've done.

RockoADT

Are there ways to get some soft pay to help cushion the blow?

Examples: International overrides, premium pay for red-eyes and days off, etc.

Also, is there any way I can get a look at the current pilot contract?

Silver02ex

It sounds like you're trying get someone to agree with you, that staying at your current company is the best choice. To be honest, most people come to Spirit because they truly want to be here, and that they believe in the company and the business model. I never once said to myself "should I stay or go" I knew that Spirit was the place that I wanted go. If you have to sit there and decided to stay or go. IMO this is not the place for you.

Lobaeux

There is soft pay, international override, junior man pay, transition conflict, etc.

I didn't factor in soft pay at all when I was making my decision to come here, any soft pay realization was a bonus. That's usually what I tell guys. You'll probably find that's standard advice.

Our contract is amendable in August, groundwork I'm sure is being laid now for it. Not in a million years do I expect our pay rates to drop, for us to make LESS money. I'm not expecting top of the industry pay rates, but I fully expect we'll be properly compensated. However, as I'm a cautious investor, I'm cautious in my expectations. I am not relying on the new compensation from an upcoming contract, I plan to live within the means afforded to me by this current contract.

Qotsaautopilot

^^ give me one good reason why you shouldn't be expecting top of the industry pay rates? Those already at the top are negotiating now too.

bubi352

I am heading we are converting more A320 orders to A321s. More aircraft orders coming up too.