Fired From Virgin America

[bluejuice787]

A good friend that I used to work with at Jetblue was recently fired. I do not know all the details but I can say that it was the most un-called for firing I have ever heard of. Apparently he asked a question during indoc about being typed as a captain. The guy that answered the question is know as an egomaniac and was most likely hired to manage pilot expectations by intimidation. Ironically he was know for these very same qualities at Airtran.

My friend is one of the most trustworthy honorable men I know. I have worked with him for nearly ten years and can say unequivically that he did not deserve what was so easily handed to him by Virgin.

It is my personal opinion that he was fired for the very qualities that got him hired. He is honest, professional, hard working and a dedicated family man.

Be very careful about applying to Virgin. They say one thing about treatment and values and do the opposite.

Juice

 

[Lear70]

Good to know. They called me for an interview...

After being handed my walking papers by airTran just last month (although for lack of anything even resembling meaningful reasons), I was a bit surprised to receive an interview offer from Virgin with the termination fresh on my record and on my application as well.

Definitely don't need to get into yet ANOTHER "shiny and pretty on the outside, just as black as some Legacies on the inside" kind of carrier...

There may be more to the story, but after what happened to me, I'm inclined to believe the worst rather than the best out of some of these places.

 

[Joblu]

Sorry to hear that guys! That surely blows. What are you doing now Lear?

 

[bluejuice787]

Good to know. They called me for an interview...

After being handed my walking papers by airTran just last month (although for lack of anything even resembling meaningful reasons), I was a bit surprised to receive an interview offer from Virgin with the termination fresh on my record and on my application as well.

Definitely don't need to get into yet ANOTHER "shiny and pretty on the outside, just as black as some Legacies on the inside" kind of carrier...

There may be more to the story, but after what happened to me, I'm inclined to believe the worst rather than the best out of some of these places.

I bet it is the same good ol boys at Airtran that are now at VA

 

[A350]

Lear:

Hope you find clearer skies during your time in this "career".....

I can't believe that VA just cans people for nothing...the first JB guy that got the axe deserved it from what I have heard at least from the people that used to work with him at Indy Air. The latest guy is a mystery but there is usually three sides to the story, the company, the employee, and the truth.

A350

 

[swaforme]

I have seen many fired at various airlines in my career. Unfortunately most of the time it was justifiable. In many cases an attorney was hired and the employee was able to get their job back through litigation. Sometimes for better or worse.

I would say that if the story is true how you tell it, your friend would have an excellent chance of saving his job with the correct representation. Especially in California where the courts seem very empathetic to the employee side. Of course why would you want to work for a company that you had to sue to keep the job. Happens all the time though. We have had our fair share of that here at old SWA. We had an f/o let the Ca run into a gas station and they didn't fire him.

Like he said above, always more to the story.

 

[thruthemurk]

Lear:

Hope you find clearer skies during your time in this "career".....

I can't believe that VA just cans people for nothing...the first JB guy that got the axe deserved it from what I have heard at least from the people that used to work with him at Indy Air. The latest guy is a mystery but there is usually three sides to the story, the company, the employee, and the truth.

A350

So they have already fired at least two pilots in several months of operation? Sounds like a problem with the hiring process - or the culture- or both.

 

[Old School 737]

Good to know. They called me for an interview...

After being handed my walking papers by airTran just last month (although for lack of anything even resembling meaningful reasons), I was a bit surprised to receive an interview offer from Virgin with the termination fresh on my record and on my application as well.

Definitely don't need to get into yet ANOTHER "shiny and pretty on the outside, just as black as some Legacies on the inside" kind of carrier...

There may be more to the story, but after what happened to me, I'm inclined to believe the worst rather than the best out of some of these places.

How long were you at Airtran?

 

[Captain Overs]

You guys crack me up. I'm sure there is more to the story, but you guys probably don't care about the facts.

 

[Lear70]

Was at airTran about a year and a half, grievance and civil suit pending, but it's a long, drawn-out process. Will be a toss-up to see which happens first, the arbitration or a new contract T.A. at airTran which *should* (DFR issue) bring all the "hostages" back (people who were vocal about the T.A. and have found themselves on the streets... there's more than just me).

I'm flying Lears again, just finishing sims and getting ready for OE.

Overs, you can laugh all you want, and there IS more to the story... a lot more that the company did that shows personal malice that I can't talk about right now but, rest assured, it WILL come out in the civil suit(s).

Yes, there's always two sides to the story (I believe I was the first person to say that), but sometimes the person crying "foul" is in the right. Or do you automatically assume that ALL companies are ALWAYS doing the morally- and ethically-correct thing?

Shall we talk bankruptcies and pensions? Because there's PLENTY of material there to show corruption... It's big business; they do what they think they can get away with and, if you're in the way, too bad.