jetBlue May 16, 17 Interveiw Session

[Longhorn]

OK...back to buisness....good luck everyone

 

[sayagain?]

What was with all the blue ties? Goobers.

Guess you didn't wear a Blue tie. Shame on you!
Probably stuck out like a sore thumb. How'd the interview go?

 

[capt. megadeth]

Yeah, I haven't really followed them since the Black album. I would love to go to a concert but the huge arena and a gazillion dollars for the tickets isn't really my thing. I think I will stay with the small shows (ahem, Megadeth) for $18 and general admission.

Duh, for the most part everyting after the black album is crap. The trend setters became the trend followers. And making a movie where Hetfield talks about how he "feels". Puhleeeze.

 

[Pilottodd2]

OK, latest and greatest list of May Interviewees:

Name Date Preferred A/C Email yet?

Pilottodd2 05/16 A-320 N
Masterofpuppets 05/16 A-320 N
Grommet 05/16 First Avail N
Uppercrust 05/16 n/a N
Milehye 05/16 n/a N
Flylears 05/16 A-320 N

Latest intel:
Next avail EMB-190 class is early August.
Next avail A-320 class is late August/early September.
50 March interviewees currently in pool.
18 months for upgrade in EMB / 4 years for upgrade in A-320.
MCO base by end of year or early next year.

If anyone has any more relevant intel or thinks the above in is error, let me know.

Good Luck to all!!

 

[HalinTexas]

Interview went OK, but I never know how to judge these things.

I don't get the impression that things are going all that great at B6. I'm hearing some of the same things I've heard before from borderline profitable airlines.

Upgrade will be 2+ years no matter how y ou slice it. Aircraft locked, but not seat locked for 2 years. Selling 2-5 Airbi, and slowing deliveries. Fence for the Emb. goes away in Oct. '07, and those that want to upgrade on the Airbi will probably go to the EMB for the most part.

Cost cutting measures only illuded to eliminating Blackberries for managers, and finally setting up SE taxi procedures. Elec. flight kits are coming, but is that really a cost saving expense? Nice to have, but do you need it to save money? Cat II certification. Don't really know if that will save them that much money until everyone is certified. "Time of day" routing sounded like the smartest option. Pulling back from some trans-cons due to lack of profitability, but not closing the west. Stated they may concentrate on the east coast.

Revenue enhancements are pretty weak. Starting some charter ops. Bragged about doing a couple of military charters. Not much of an enhancement if you don't have the fleet available to do ad hoc military. There's not that much domestic flying and there are many carriers doing it. That was the extent of the revenue enhancement talk. Scares me.

I can't accept a job offer if it takes me to the EMB. Can't do that to my family. It's another 50% paycut. I'm questioning whether I can take an Airbus offer. I'm afraid I might be jumping from the frying pan into the fire. If B6 is losing money now, and their solution is to sell off assets that also generate revenue, then I have to wonder. Slowing deliveries might be smart at this time, but labor and lease payments are only going to get more expensive. I don't buy the statement made in the "Welcome room" that the airplanes they are giving up are "used up." Many carriers fly their planes similar amounts with greater cycles, e.g. SWA, and are not giving them up at 5-6 years of age.

B6 has a novel product, no doubt about it. Their on-board service is pretty good. I've only flown one flight. MSY-JFK for the interview. It was over an hour late and I sat in the only seat where the video didn't work. They are setting themselves up to concentrate out of a well-worn market. BOS, NYC and Fla. Lots of competition, lots of customer traffic and air traffic, low yeilds. Video and XM is great, but pax are fickle. They want on-time, reliable service. They have lots of carriers to chose from and $5 difference in fair can be determinant. Giving away amenities that someone has to pay for may not last.

The industry is still in great turmoil even though loads across the industry are improving. NWA and DAL are restructuring. This is the great unknown, but for certain, they'll probably be in BK protection for another year, and still be operating. LCC is stable and might actually eventually be a threat again in the east coast. SWA is very cash positive and aggressive.

No carrier is safe.

Interesting interview process.

 

[Longhorn]

HailinTexas,

Good to see your review of the interview process. Seems like a very honest review. The only comment I can say is that there is more to the revenue mgnt and new ways of tweeking the profits then they would have shared at the interview. The mil charter is big right now. We are seeing a lot of mil charter flights lined up for the summer. As for the cost cutting measures, there is MUCH more than just getting rid of the crackberrys and oet's. Lots of small things that are adding up. From what I have heard April has been one of most profitable months in the airlines history. That along with the changes being put into place should help not only turn the profits around but really strengthen the amount of $$ coming in. Changes would be things like charging a $25 fee for changing flight the day of. Charging a small fee for UM's etc. There were alot of oppertunities to make money that we passed on by giving a lot of these things away. Now that we are charging for them it should help. Raising the ticket prices is another move that many are happy to see. So what if we have a 90% load factor. I would rather see a 75-80% load with higher fares and making money. Concentrateing on shorter routes EX. BUR-LAS/SMF-LGB etc will make a big difference in the ability to make more money. Yes, not out of the woods yet but the changes that have been made are great ones and the market as well as the industry seems to agree.

 

[sayagain?]

Thanks Hal. Good luck with the rest of the process. And when the time comes, I'm sure that it'll be a difficult decision for you and your family.

 

[Grommet]

Halin,

(From the welcome room) The airplanes they are selling were the first ones purchased and have some unique equipment. Selling them makes the fleet more uniform and easier to maintain. He also said the AB was not built like a Boeing and implied the airplanes were not engineered for longevity so they would sell them while the airframes still had resale value. (I can neither confirm or deny the AB ideas, but I've always flown Boeings older than me)

I'm also concerned about the day when the aircraft fence goes down. It seems like if you took the E190 now expecting to upgrade about the time the fence drops, you stand a good chance of being stuck for a full 2 years in the right seat as more senior A320 FO's transition to get the higher pay/left seat in the E190.

Also, most of the advancement in seniority coming from expansion wedging in beneath you instead of old guys retiring off the top. That means even though they grow at the same number each year (as projected) its a smaller percentage. I'm afraid that means if we get hired now, we risk hitting a "glass cockpit ceiling" where there is very limited upward mobility (they have all the captains and are just hiring forever FO's).

My thoughts are that if you are jumping into the blue pool, you need to jump in with both feet and trust the management. 15 years ago SWA was not a place most wanted to go because they had relatively low pay, limited opportunity (only 737s), no pension, etc. But the SWA model worked over the last 15 years and their profitability has led to great salaries and benefits. Taking the jetBlue job is betting that their model will work over the next 15 years. It is a definite risk, but its not really different than any other job out there.

 

[Dogwood]

Interview went OK, but I never know how to judge these things.

I don't get the impression that things are going all that great at B6. I'm hearing some of the same things I've heard before from borderline profitable airlines.

Upgrade will be 2+ years no matter how y ou slice it. Aircraft locked, but not seat locked for 2 years. Selling 2-5 Airbi, and slowing deliveries. Fence for the Emb. goes away in Oct. '07, and those that want to upgrade on the Airbi will probably go to the EMB for the most part.

Cost cutting measures only illuded to eliminating Blackberries for managers, and finally setting up SE taxi procedures. Elec. flight kits are coming, but is that really a cost saving expense? Nice to have, but do you need it to save money? Cat II certification. Don't really know if that will save them that much money until everyone is certified. "Time of day" routing sounded like the smartest option. Pulling back from some trans-cons due to lack of profitability, but not closing the west. Stated they may concentrate on the east coast.

Revenue enhancements are pretty weak. Starting some charter ops. Bragged about doing a couple of military charters. Not much of an enhancement if you don't have the fleet available to do ad hoc military. There's not that much domestic flying and there are many carriers doing it. That was the extent of the revenue enhancement talk. Scares me.

I can't accept a job offer if it takes me to the EMB. Can't do that to my family. It's another 50% paycut. I'm questioning whether I can take an Airbus offer. I'm afraid I might be jumping from the frying pan into the fire. If B6 is losing money now, and their solution is to sell off assets that also generate revenue, then I have to wonder. Slowing deliveries might be smart at this time, but labor and lease payments are only going to get more expensive. I don't buy the statement made in the "Welcome room" that the airplanes they are giving up are "used up." Many carriers fly their planes similar amounts with greater cycles, e.g. SWA, and are not giving them up at 5-6 years of age.

B6 has a novel product, no doubt about it. Their on-board service is pretty good. I've only flown one flight. MSY-JFK for the interview. It was over an hour late and I sat in the only seat where the video didn't work. They are setting themselves up to concentrate out of a well-worn market. BOS, NYC and Fla. Lots of competition, lots of customer traffic and air traffic, low yeilds. Video and XM is great, but pax are fickle. They want on-time, reliable service. They have lots of carriers to chose from and $5 difference in fair can be determinant. Giving away amenities that someone has to pay for may not last.

The industry is still in great turmoil even though loads across the industry are improving. NWA and DAL are restructuring. This is the great unknown, but for certain, they'll probably be in BK protection for another year, and still be operating. LCC is stable and might actually eventually be a threat again in the east coast. SWA is very cash positive and aggressive.

No carrier is safe.

Interesting interview process.
__________________
I don't care anymore, I don't care anymore, I don't care anymore......
.

HalinTexas,

Reading your tagline, you might be better off looking elsewhere. You won't be happy at JetBlue.

("I don't care anymore" ... ??????????)

 

[Kayman]

Pilotodd2

All may be correct except for the part about 50 March Interviews in the pool.

To this date, a majority of the March interviewees have still not heard results of phase 2 & 3 and therefore not in a pool.

 

[Indy refugee]

Hal, please just say no!!

My class, two months ago, had a couple of guys like you. Lots of hours, heavy time, been stomped on by the industry, etc. To a man, they were not happy once there was any indication that the growth was slowing at all. As has already been said, if you're gonna come to JetBlue you gotta do it with both feet. It really is a different kind of place, but if you don't 'believe' you'll just be bitter.

So unless you really want to go to JetBlue, come what may, then just say NO!

 

[Truckdriver]

Pilotodd2

All may be correct except for the part about 50 March Interviews in the pool.

To this date, a majority of the March interviewees have still not heard results of phase 2 & 3 and therefore not in a pool.

Verna said that there would be about 55 guys in the pool from the March intervew that would be ahead of the May interviewees. They may not have received a call yet, but she said there would be 55 in the pool from the March interviews.

 

[Pilottodd2]

Did anyone get a chance to ask the following questions in the "Safe Room"?

- MCO base...When? Will it be EMB or A320 base? Or both?

- 5-year contract. What does the company guarantee? What is required of the employee?

- What is 1st year FO pay on A320/EMB?
- 2nd year CA pay on EMB?
- 4th year CA pay on A320? 12 year CA pay on A320?

 

[54fighting]

For Dogwood and Indy

Hey why you coming down so hard on hal. He has some very legitimate questions and concerns. I thought his post was well written and thought out. He is looking reality in the eyes.......

 

[Indy refugee]

Hey why you coming down so hard on hal. He has some very legitimate questions and concerns. I thought his post was well written and thought out. He is looking reality in the eyes.......

I didn't mean to come down on him, just give some 'reality'. I was in class when the return to profitability and Q1 result were announced. There were the guys who were just happy to be there. Mostly regional guys and some military. Then there were the guys who were immediately 'popping smoke'!!! They for the most part were the furloughed guys, or guy who left places like ATA.

I just don't want to see him come to JB, and half way through training get the feeling he made a big mistake. It's not good for him or JB.

 

[54fighting]

Couldn't agree with you more about being halfway through and realizing you made a big mistake. Not good for either side. I had an interview scheduled recently and after some "soul searching" realized it just wasn't the right time to make the jump. I cancelled in hopes that someone else could take my slot and make the most of it.

 

[Indy refugee]

Did anyone get a chance to ask the following questions in the "Safe Room"?

- MCO base...When? Will it be EMB or A320 base? Or both?

- 5-year contract. What does the company guarantee? What is required of the employee?

- What is 1st year FO pay on A320/EMB?
- 2nd year CA pay on EMB?
- 4th year CA pay on A320? 12 year CA pay on A320?

The contract is relatively insignificant. It is very much constructed like any union contract you've seen. Compensation, per-diem rates, scheduling practices, reasons for discharge, PTO policy, 401k, insurance etc. The significant parts are the non-compete and the five years. They won't fire/furlough you for the duration of the 5 years. For your part, you promise not to return to your most recent part 121 carrier for 2 years.

Pay rates are available on www.airlinepilotcentral.com, but here's the ones you ask for.

1yr FO 50.96 37.10
2yr EMB CA 72.32
4 yr CA A320 118.07
12 yr CA 138.62

Those are the base rates. Remember anything over 70 is paid at 1.5 times, including 5 hours of the 75 hours RSV guarantee.

 

[Indy refugee]

Couldn't agree with you more about being halfway through and realizing you made a big mistake. Not good for either side. I had an interview scheduled recently and after some "soul searching" realized it just wasn't the right time to make the jump. I cancelled in hopes that someone else could take my slot and make the most of it.

I think we are on the same page now. It was really disappointing to see guys in training at JB that didn't want to be there. Meanwhile, I've got buddies from Indy calling me who would kill a close blood relative for a chance to be there.

 

[Dogwood]

Hey why you coming down so hard on hal. He has some very legitimate questions and concerns. I thought his post was well written and thought out. He is looking reality in the eyes.......

54F,

I just referred to his tagline. "I don't care anymore".

Yes he has some valid concerns, but those are the same at about any airline. When I go back and read his post, it appears he didn't listen very well or just heard what he wanted to hear.

We are not selling planes to return to profitability, just slowing growth a bit.

Cat II certification may be for the 190s, as the bus is already Cat II/IIIB.

The revenue picture is much more than picking up a few charters. That is the biggest issue on our plate right now. We've spent 6 years giving tickets away. Our new guy from US Airways is working on that. They (LCC) have the second best revenue picture in the industry just under, as usual, SWA. Maybe he can help, maybe not, but revenue and fuel savings are both on the front burner right now.

He can't take a 190 position, and maybe not even a 320 position. Sorry pal, those are your only 2 choices here.

EFBs may happen, but I doubt you'll see it for a while.

Overall, when I read his post and read between the lines it appears by his tone that this is a person who went to the interview, but really doesn't want to work here.

I wonder if we had hedged fuel as much as Southwest, and shown a profit, would his post had been the same.

But, like I said, my reply was in reference to his tagline. Why would anyone who is interviewing at an airline, have that included in every post?

DW

 

[HalinTexas]

54F,

I just referred to his tagline. "I don't care anymore".

Yes he has some valid concerns, but those are the same at about any airline. When I go back and read his post, it appears he didn't listen very well or just heard what he wanted to hear.

We are not selling planes to return to profitability, just slowing growth a bit.

Cat II certification may be for the 190s, as the bus is already Cat II/IIIB.

The revenue picture is much more than picking up a few charters. That is the biggest issue on our plate right now. We've spent 6 years giving tickets away. Our new guy from US Airways is working on that. They (LCC) have the second best revenue picture in the industry just under, as usual, SWA. Maybe he can help, maybe not, but revenue and fuel savings are both on the front burner right now.

He can't take a 190 position, and maybe not even a 320 position. Sorry pal, those are your only 2 choices here.

EFBs may happen, but I doubt you'll see it for a while.

Overall, when I read his post and read between the lines it appears by his tone that this is a person who went to the interview, but really doesn't want to work here.

I wonder if we had hedged fuel as much as Southwest, and shown a profit, would his post had been the same.

But, like I said, my reply was in reference to his tagline. Why would anyone who is interviewing at an airline, have that included in every post?

DW

You judge me by my tagline, but then tell me that I've not "listened very well." That somehow I've made a snap judgement. Hmmmmm.....pot meet kettle.

I stand by my conclusion that doing a couple of military charters a month is not "huge." It's a pittance. ATA does over $300M per year in military flights. I've done quite a few. It's saved our a$$ a couple of times. And I don't see how you can call it profitable to sell an airplane that's 5 years old. It probably has 10 - 15 years worth of payments and depreciation to take advantage of. Sound a little like "shrinking to profitability."

All I said was "it's scary to hear the same things."