JetBlue Interview 2/1/07

[Longhorn]

I agree...most are happy.

 

[8vATE]

Crazy...............everyone I know that works there says to stay away from jetblue. I'd be very careful about making a decision unless you are already in a bad or worsening situation. I wanted to work there too for a while, kinda glad I don't though.

just my.02

good luck

Your "friends" must have that "management is screwing us" mentality already?
Wow...

JetBlue is by no means perfect or paying the highest wages, but advice to "stay away" is pretty crazy.

If you're at SWA, UPS, FDX.. sure stay away.
If you're at AA and haven't been screwed over.. sure stay away.
If you have 3,4,5 years longevity at a "retooled" legacy.. sure .. stay away.

Otherwise... from my experience and persective, you're giving some pretty silly advice.

 

[8vATE]

Emotions and expectations are high and a lot of trust has been lost. The perverbial ball is in managements court. Could be good or bad. Opinions?

I'd say the pilot group should EQUALLY take responsibility for this run up in EMOTIONS and EXPECTATIONS.

Where did all this come from?

Yes.. the leadership and compensation committee should have been more forthright, transparent and should have communicated better.

But where is this MASS hysteria coming from?

People are frustrated.
Upgrades and growth have slowed.

But the profitability and success of the whole company is at stake.

And management is not "gettting rich" off our backs.
They do not have exorbinant salaries and stock options.
The top have ownership interests in the company, but they FOUNDED it and deserve what they have.

CRAZY, WHINY PILOTS!
BE RATIONAL and REALISTIC!

And I want to make more money...
But not at the expense of the future growth and viability of the airline!

 

[oldxfr8dog]

Your "friends" must have that "management is screwing us" mentality already?
Wow...

JetBlue is by no means perfect or paying the highest wages, but advice to "stay away" is pretty crazy.

If you're at SWA, UPS, FDX.. sure stay away.
If you're at AA and haven't been screwed over.. sure stay away.
If you have 3,4,5 years longevity at a "retooled" legacy.. sure .. stay away.

Otherwise... from my experience and persective, you're giving some pretty silly advice.

OR, You're at a lower-tiered regional, or a sweaty-little 135. OK, come and build some "major" 121-time and get the resumes out.
THEN, stay away...

 

[IrishjbPilot]

JB may not be perfect, but its better than working at a small 135 outfit. I would go there, get some 121 major time and then decide.

 

[Dogwood]

Crazy...............everyone I know that works there says to stay away from jetblue. I'd be very careful about making a decision unless you are already in a bad or worsening situation. I wanted to work there too for a while, kinda glad I don't though.

just my.02

good luck

Reply to All,

While I respect their opinion, advice to stay away from JetBlue is a little harsh. Many of those people had high expectations, that couldn't be sustained. Many of them had not worked at an airline before, and were disappointed when reality set in.

When the company was smaller, yes management was closer to the troops, communication was better, etc. As the company grows, management has had to step back and take a broader view. I'm glad they have.

JetBlue is still trying to find its place in the market, and with that comes change. People generally don't like change, but there is no way to avoid it.

We will have hired nearly 2000 pilots in just over 7 years. That cannot happen without getting a few people who are just not happy here. Those people could not find a comfort zone here, so they moved on. Then, they tell others to avoid JetBlue, just because it didn't fit them.

When deciding if you want to work here, look at yourself, your age, your family, your other needs in life and career. Then look at what JetBlue has to offer, and see if there is any common ground. If so, you might consider working here. If not, don't do like Rex Grossman did last night in the Super Bowl, and try to force a play to happen when it's just not there.

We have no million dollar lump sum retirements, and we do not pay top of scale or anywhere near it. Pay and retirement are being addressed, but that is something you build up over many years.

Commuting is tough, and it does wear you down. But, if you get in the correct frame of mind you can adjust.

In the end, you just have to enjoy what you do. If you don't, then you will not be happy anywhere.

While I'm gone, I miss my wife and daughter, but after 20 years of doing this, I still do enjoy strapping on the uniform and going to work. To me, that's the key to survival in this career.

DW

 

[elag777]

Crazy...............everyone I know that works there says to stay away from jetblue. I'd be very careful about making a decision unless you are already in a bad or worsening situation. I wanted to work there too for a while, kinda glad I don't though.

just my.02

good luck

I'm glad too..

 

[Splinter]

Dude, you know no one. You are F.O.S. No one here says "stay away".

You work where your QOL is best...period. The next questions is HOW you define QOL. Is it money, time off, retirement, home-base, etc. Each carries different weight with each pilot. Would I double my income to commute to ANK and fly all night to Japan? Never. Would I prefer to commute for $25k more per year? Nope. If I worked at B6 and had my recall for UAL coming and I lived in Denver...damn right I would go back. Opinions are like A$$holes, everyone's got one and they all stink to you.

 

[clickclickboom]

I have been here almost 16 months.. I know what I signed up for I knew the pay scales but here is what I am happiest about..

I can bid my schedule.. Typically I can get all commutable 4 days trips with good credit or pair up 2 day trips that put me up against the 30 in 7 rule, Or drop in a day trip here and there. I do fly transcon redeyes but limit myself to 2 or 3 in a month. I have never flown a ponce, or Sti allnighther except for ones from mco in a pairing that actually had me in bed before sunrise.

Here are my days off for the last year by month

16, 17, 15, 20 ( pto drop 2 day). 20. 23 ( dropped a 3 day), 13 ( 103 hrs credit) 18,16,18,17,17

I have averaged 88.7 hrs credit monthly

Nearly everyone I have flown with are a blast, Have had Neeleman on the jumpseat ( when he was not serving the pax in the back) and he is a real normal guy and very interesting

 

[IronCityBlue]

conditional offer

We were told that the interviewees from 2/1 would be eligible for classes starting as soon as Feb 28th if their background checks do not reveal any negative information. If they're hired before the background is cleared, then their employment will be contingent upon successful completion of the background check. This means that, if they find something while you're in training because they hired you before the background check was completed, you will be asked to leave, OUCH!
GF

Ouch is right, that would certainlly be a bummer to say the least. But its hardly something unique to JB. I know of someone who was hired by an airline just as big as well known as JB, then pulled out of ground school and fired for a relatively minor thing in his background check. It was so minor the guy didn't feel the need to report it under the blanket question "have you ever been such and such" but the airline disagreed. In addition to losing that job, he had just given up an arguably worse (but still pretty good) flying job to go there in the first place.

Without turning this into a discussion on if he should have reported the small incident (non aviation related in any case), this can and does happen at other airlines. If there is something you worry about, don't accept a conditional offer. We went through a period where close to half of guys put in class were given conditional offers and not "cleared" til almost out of training. To my knowledge, no one has been "asked to leave" because of a conditional offer.

Just be honest with them, and if you're still worried about it, politely wait for a firm offer. Its really not that big of a deal. Best of luck in phase II.