JetBlue work rules

[:-)]

thanks to all who responded.

 

[MCDU]

Soon, you will not be able to wait for a A 320 slot. They will offer you a job. It will be either take it or leave it. Jetblue is also hiring many commuter pilots, since they are used to the low pay. Many junior pilots at JetBlue are going back to the majors, since they will be making more as an 5 yr FO then a 190 Capt.

good luck at Blue

Marty

 

[9rj9]

Good

I hope they all go back, the whinning is hurting my ears.

 

[oldxfr8dog]

Soon, you will not be able to wait for a A 320 slot. They will offer you a job. It will be either take it or leave it. Jetblue is also hiring many commuter pilots, since they are used to the low pay. Many junior pilots at JetBlue are going back to the majors, since they will be making more as an 5 yr FO then a 190 Capt.

good luck at Blue

Marty

A three year f/o at SWA makes more $ than a reserve Capt at JB and has a much better QOL.

 

[lowpitchstop]

I could not agree with 9rj9 more. If you don't like your job/company/pay then LEAVE. If you don't like Jetblue, don't work here. If you don't like jetblue and don't work here, but criticize us, get a life. I've flown with more of your FORMER co-workers then I can shake a stick at. It's amazing you don't get it. You get furloughed, you need to provide for your family, you GET A JOB. I'm happy here and plan to stick it out. End of Rant

Go jets

 

[coogebeachhotel]

What is going on over there? I thought things were good? Is the 190 upgrade still 12-14 months?

 

[JBPA]

A three year f/o at SWA makes more $ than a reserve Capt at JB and has a much better QOL.

Year three? A year 2 SWA FO makes more than a YEAR 11 E-190 CAPTAIN!!!!! On a similarly sized jet!!!! Left seat versus right seat!!!!! Oh I forgot, we make so much more in premium time (read:whore). Oh yeah, SWA will be taking huge concessions when their hedges run out (sarcasm).

Now I have to go dye my hair red (gratuitous red-headed stepchild reference for the intellectually challenged) and quit whining before another content-with-mediocrity/status quo moron tells me to leave. I'll take whiner over sycophant anyday.

On a related note, I've flown with lots of incredibly naive people who'd likely jump off a bridge if a certain Dave or David told them to.

Before someone chastises me or tells me to leave...yes, I plan to leave if a better gig presents itself. It's nothing personal. Good feelings, lip service, and our egalitarian culture (or more realistically crappy pay/bene's) do not feed my family or pay my mortgage.

It'll be interesting to see how the 'Blue Crew' reacts to the lackluster (IMO) PCG results.

 

[flydoc]

I guess that I should be more specific.

How many guaranteed days off could I expect if I were to become a JetBlue pilot?

Is there a minimum guarantee per day?

I'm not trying to start a tinkling match, just find out what rules Blue plays by.

- 12 days off/month guaranteed
- 4+12 minimum for a reserve call-out
- 4:1 TAFB rig
- 13+30 rig for 2 duty periods that span 3 calendar days (this is for redeyes that get in early the third morning)
- if an assigned pairing gets you back in base on your last day of reserve after 0200, any reserve period you may be assigned that last day is credited above guarantee

So, all-in-all, not bad. Not great, but not bad. Pay rates need to be addressed. A lot of 190 folks are finding themselves in the poorhouse. (This is a combination of low trip productivity and upgrades not happening nearly as fast as once hoped...)

We have some issues to work through. No doubt.

IF our board of directors still think of those 5 values they always talk about, we should be seeing some changes. (notice that is a big IF).

I remain cautiously optimistic....

Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[radarlove]

-
IF our board of directors still think of those 5 values they always talk about, we should be seeing some changes. (notice that is a big IF).

Not flamebait, but an honest question. Do you think the five "values" are actually taken seriously (as in, here, I'm writing a check) by JBLU management?

I've hear arguments that they're only lip-service, they sound good, but when it comes down to profit margins, the margins come first.

 

[flydoc]

Not flamebait, but an honest question. Do you think the five "values" are actually taken seriously (as in, here, I'm writing a check) by JBLU management?

I've hear arguments that they're only lip-service, they sound good, but when it comes down to profit margins, the margins come first.

Again, emphasis on the big "IF". I think at one time, the "values" did mean something. I believe the way B6 management handles this situation will set the tone on how the rest of the company will continue/not continue to use the "values" in anything they do. It will either be a re-affirmation on what the company stands for, or will be the beginning of the end of our little experiment.

When we were smaller, upper management was VERY good about getting out on the front lines, talking with the troops and customers alike. Now that we are a larger company, this interaction has dropped off considerably. There have been lots of other little things slipping lately.

Our journey into the red-ink last year was a major re-focusing event for the company to "Return to Profitability". I think there will be another re-focusing event in the future to get the company back on track to caring about its employees. Otherwise, with all the pissed-off employees out there, our product to the customer will be no different than any other airline. Not to put down any other carriers, but the majority of the folks that fly JetBlue, like us because we are not pissed off at the company. To me, that seems to be our only edge. That edge is starting to get dulled....

 

[radarlove]

When we were smaller, upper management was VERY good about getting out on the front lines, talking with the troops and customers alike.

But that comes back to my question. What difference does it make to "talk" to the employees? In the end, it's the decisions made, not the talk that matters.

I can imagine Neeleman talking and talking about how 190 rates simply reflect 60% of the A320 rates. To him, that makes sense, so what good does it do the rank-and-file to hear him talk about it?

 

[embdrvr]

I got a Blue Dart

Is that something penicillin can cure?

 

[flydoc]

If one doesn't care about their employees, they just make the decision and implement from behind closed doors. I saw plenty of that at my last carrier. At least by getting out and talking with (not at) someone face to face, it gives the "appearance" of caring or listening. HOPEFULLY some of the input will weigh on the decision making process.

Maybe my attitude seems naive, but talking with your employees like this, that is a basic leadership tool. Not management, but leadership. That is a fundamental difference from what I have seen at other companies. And believe me, by no stretch of the imagination do I have the rose-colored glasses on. There ARE problems. We are working through them. I will be on-board until the company stops trying to fix them. Then I'm gone.

 

[dee48eal]

sounds like you guys are going thru the same small company to big company events we went thru at fedex. trust was lost and attitudes hardened - a lot.

 

[Blue Dude]

I can imagine Neeleman talking and talking about how 190 rates simply reflect 60% of the A320 rates. To him, that makes sense, so what good does it do the rank-and-file to hear him talk about it?

The 190 payscale was a major, major misstep. The question is still open as to whether the powers that be recognize this and will take steps to correct it. And maybe even learn that listening to your people before making such a mistake might be a good thing. I think we'll find out shortly.

 

[radarlove]

What's weird is that the original A320 payrates were actually pretty high, higher than the non-scheds that JBLU was the same size of, back in the day, if I remember.

 

[Blue Dude]

What's weird is that the original A320 payrates were actually pretty high, higher than the non-scheds that JBLU was the same size of, back in the day, if I remember.

No, the original A320 rates sucked, but with the promise of quickly increased rates. The rates were in fact quickly increased from sucky to not too bad. Taking the same tack with a new airframe in an established company was the mistake.

 

[tico]

No, the original A320 rates sucked, but with the promise of quickly increased rates. The rates were in fact quickly increased from sucky to not too bad. Taking the same tack with a new airframe in an established company was the mistake.

The approach seems somewhat like an "Amway" approach....For the first four years worth of employees life is probably good. But how will life be for the second four years worth of employees....years on reserve, even more years to upgrade, low or no profit sharing etc... If they can(management) can provide a good experience for that second four year group and keep them as happy as the founding group than they truly are great airline managers and the culture which appears to be about all that passengers respond to will be kept alive....As another poster said "the experiment" will now either bear fruit for the long slow haul or will be shelved.......I for one hope that it bears fruit