Flexjet Organizational Committee

[Big Stick]

Attention Flexjet Pilots. Please go to www.ibt1108.org. Click on the Frac pilot drop box and explore. Also on the same site click on NJA Pilots/Info for New Hires/ New TA , and read the entire document. You will be hearing from us. Pass it on.

Happy Holidays

 

[cosmotheassman]

We won't hear from you if none of us are working there anymore...

 

[p38]

Is Flexjet the MESA airlines of the frac industry?

 

[CapnVegetto]

I think that is FLOPS.

 

[Frac Daddy]

I think that is FLOPS.

Naw. FLOPS is the Great Lakes of the fractionals.

 

[miles otoole]

And NJA is the DAL/UAL of 2001. Look where DAL/UAL are now.

 

[gunfyter]

Where would you rather be? Flexjet, Flops, or NJA?

I would rather be NJA EVEN under our last contract...

I am not sure what your post is supposed to mean. Delta and United would still be the place to be if it were not for Osama bin LaidOff.

I can only guess its another nonsensical slap at Unions. However let me point out that THE Most Profitable airline is Southwest... and it is highly unionized. Maybe we should BLAME their success on the Unions?

 

[jetwash]

And NJA is the DAL/UAL of 2001. Look where DAL/UAL are now.

Do you really thing the pax at NJ , Flex, Flight Opts and citation share will go and stand in lines with auntie May so Goober and Barney can search for nail files.

Our pax catering costs more than most SouthWest flights.

If they worried about money they would not be flying alone in a Citation X across the country to go skiing.

 

[Galaxy]

The NJA business model is different from the airlines. Like this is news but someone always brings it up "The big airline fall" The salaries are coming from the monthly mgt fees the owners pay. They pay these fees each month if they fly or not. The company is not hoping on filling every seat as an airline does. The owners have no where elso to go as fractional is flat out cheaper than owning your own aircraft. From what I hear the owners had the mgt fees raised by 4%. Do you really think the owners care about 4%? If they were counting coins that hard they would still be standing in line and proud to be a delta elite member instead of kicking back in a nice comfortable chair already half way to their destination. Congrats to the NJA guys and thier IBT1108. Now instead of hearing tired and weary netjet crews complaining there is silence. They now talk about how to spend that FAT bonus check they all got. Now its the FLOPS guys walking that old path. But, dont worry-they are close and will be joining hands with the 1108 soon. Expect Flex or whatever is left of it soon.

 

[gutshotdraw]

Whoa there Galaxy,

You are correct that the fractional business model is completely different from the airlines. However, fractional owners are in the programs because of liability concerns, predictability of expense, corporate public image, and most of all: CONVENIENCE. Any objective analysis proves beyond any doubt that block charter for fewer than 150 flight hours a year and whole aircraft ownership beyond that is CHEAPER than a fractional share. Most everyone who shills for a fractional fails to include the difference between original purchase price and the end-of-contract buy back price in the total cost of the five year contract.

A good flight department manager, with the help of the owner's attorney and accountant will generate a lower cost per flight hour after five years and they still own the airplane five years later.

Fractional ownership is still a viable business model but because of reasons other than money. While the cost sensitivity of a typical fractional owner is pretty low, that doesn't mean there is an endless amount of money a frax owner is willing to pay.

 

[Baby Cakes]

Get a load of the new NJ pay sheet-- http://www.airlinepilotcentral.com/content/view/109/15/
Until the other frax organize, they'll only dream of such rates.

 

[Semore Butts]

Thanks BAbycakes!

I have to change my stsanding bid, I take a pay cut if I take GIV/GV F.O. position.

 

[ce750drvr]

Whoa there Galaxy,

You are correct that the fractional business model is completely different from the airlines. However, fractional owners are in the programs because of liability concerns, predictability of expense, corporate public image, and most of all: CONVENIENCE. Any objective analysis proves beyond any doubt that block charter for fewer than 150 flight hours a year and whole aircraft ownership beyond that is CHEAPER than a fractional share. Most everyone who shills for a fractional fails to include the difference between original purchase price and the end-of-contract buy back price in the total cost of the five year contract.

A good flight department manager, with the help of the owner's attorney and accountant will generate a lower cost per flight hour after five years and they still own the airplane five years later.

Fractional ownership is still a viable business model but because of reasons other than money. While the cost sensitivity of a typical fractional owner is pretty low, that doesn't mean there is an endless amount of money a frax owner is willing to pay.

Gutshot,

Have to disagree slightly. I have a friend who is part owner of a MLB baseball team. He looked at the four major frac companies. After careful consideration and on the advise of his attorney and accountant, he chose to purchase his own Citation X. It may be diffierent for each individual, but, it was cheaper for him to go fractional if he flew 400 hours or less. Well, he averages over 800 a year and decided on buying his own.

 

[twincessna]

End of the year is getting closer, and still no word from Flex about what is going to happen. Everybody needs to get the KY Jelly out and ready.

 

[miles otoole]

End of the year is getting closer, and still no word from Flex about what is going to happen. Everybody needs to get the KY Jelly out and ready.

KY Jelly? Are they lowering the salaries? Maybe the KY should be handed out to the NJA new hires who are forced to live in LA when they might be from North Carolina. $45K a year for 5 years + in So Cal won't go very far.
I was watching footage of the transit strike in NYC and the lone remaining road block is over the new hires having to pay for a percentage of their pension which current workers never had to do. The comment from a union rep was "What about the word "union" don't they understand? What the senior person gets is what the new guy will get. Otherwise you'll have a fractured union with the haves and have nots which is in many cases worse than fewer benefits, but equal benefits."

 

[wolfpackpilot]

Otherwise you'll have a fractured union with the haves and have nots which is in many cases worse than fewer benefits, but equal benefits."

Reminds me of my favorite quote from the book "Animal Farm":

"All animals are equal, some animals are more equal than others"

 

[Cpt Splash]

Just got back from Dallas and apparently Flex is still hring even during the hoiliday season, unlike last year, and from what I hear the powers that be are taking whatever they can get their hands on

 

[miles otoole]

Just got back from Dallas and apparently Flex is still hring even during the hoiliday season, unlike last year, and from what I hear the powers that be are taking whatever they can get their hands on

With the economy humming along, it looks as though all the fractional companies will take whatever they can get their hands on. I doubt many are turned away from any of the big four.

 

[netjetwife]

It remains to be seen if NJA will be able to attract the pilots they want with the new restrictions. There are some serious doubts about their ability to do so, but no doubt that 1108 will be ready to talk if the company should decide to rethink their new policy. Sometimes, it's best just to "wait and see".

 

[ArtVandalay]

What new restrictions are you referring to?

My first post by the way!!