A few questions for the Jet Blue pilots on this forum

[Boeingman]

Probably so. There's one big difference between an industry newbie at GIA and a pilot at JetBlue though: the GIA newbie doesn't know any better, but the JetBlue pilot does. The GIA pilot doesn't realize how he's harming the industry because he's too new to everything to be involved in the union politics and such. The JetBlue pilot knows that he is harming the careers of pilots at other airlines, but says "it's not my problem."

I call that "rationalization". PCL, what you are saying may have a very limited amount of merit but given your background, you are a hypocrite. Buying your way in is not much different than scabbing in the sense they both reek of opportunism.

Either way, saying it is ok just because the "newbie" doesn't know any better is like trying to strain sh!t out of ice cream. Once it gets in there you'll never get it out. You will never lose that stigma.

Honestly listening to you discuss many subjects is ratehr comical given your "jumpstart" method within the industry.

 

[That Guy]

US Airways will own JB before 2010.....mark my words.

LMFAO - yeah, and they're going to bring back Stevie Wonder and Rakesh Gangbang to do it, too. Along with a revival of impressions for excellence, they are going to be, as Stevie once put it, "THE world class carrier."

Awww, that was good. Haven't belly laughed like that in ages. Thanks!

 

[That Guy]

GIA. I thought that was common knowledge around here.

Talk about lowering the bar. At least JetBlue pilots get paid to fly, and not the other way around.

You've lost all credibility with me, PCL. I thought you might be slightly misguided. Now I know you actually believe your management when they tell you to compare your pilot group's situation to JetBlue, because you're either extremely naive, or a huge toolbag.

 

[SUNDOWN]

GIA. I thought that was common knowledge around here.

Ok you have officially lost all credibility. NEXT

 

[Blue Dude]

GIA. I thought that was common knowledge around here.

Bwahahahahaha! And you're lecturing me? That is too rich.

 

[pitotstatic]

Hmm,

I am then wondering. What is the reason for the 5 year contract. What happens if someone decides to quit beore the 5 years are up? Is there a financial penalty for the pilot?

 

[Blue Dude]

You can quit anytime you want with no penalty. My best guess is that the contract is time limited to protect the company in the case of an industry downturn. The company is obliged to pay you minimum guarantee for the life of the contract whether or not there's any flying for you to do. A five year contract is kind of a catastrophic stopgap so that the'y don't have to pay you guarantee until you die. Since they'd have to furlough in reverse seniority order, what this means is that the first to go would have the most to gain in terms of guarantee pay, since presumably they'd have the most time left on their contracts. This makes them very expensive to furlough. This is as good a method as any of providing a de facto no-furlough clause. So in a sense, the 5 year limit protects both parties.

 

[holdon]

And the needs of your pilots to jumpseat to JFK are strictly speaking, not my problem either. Are you starting to see why some of the NWA guys are giving your pilots such a hard time on the jumpseat? This "screw you, we've got ours" attitude of the JBlue pilots is getting old. I have yet to deny a JBlue jumpseater, and I probably won't in the future either, but I do understand where the few NWA pilots that have are coming from. Your attitude is hard to take when the rest of us are struggling just to hold onto the flying we already have.

Correct me if I'm wrong but wasn't it NWA that declined MANY Ticket Price increases in the 90's. While Airlines were trying to raise tickets above 1980 prices it was NWA that wouldn't match fares and drive the prices lower.

I don't see that attitude at JB anymore than any other airline. Were just trying to make a living like the next guy. I would never give a guy a hard time commuting home to his family or going to work to pay his bills. I'm disgusted that professionals at NW have taken this stance (I know not all but definitely 1 to many.) It's funny pilots are there own worse enemies.

Good luck to us all...

 

[IB6 UB9]

I think PCL_128 has done a fine job of establishing his credibility, and any further responses to this little guy are just a waste of your time.

 

[Boeingman]

I think PCL_128 has done a fine job of establishing his credibility, and any further responses to this little guy are just a waste of your time.

I think he is trying to find an ice cream strainer.