JetBlue Quality of life compared to regional?

[Caveman]

I am TELLING you reality.

My prescription costs have REALLY gone up TENFOLD since coming to JetBlue from a crappy regional.

My out of pocket expenses have REALLY tripled.

Our health insurance REALLY sucks...


DEAL WITH IT!

It sounds like you and your family may have some health issues that are different from mine. My wife and I are healthy and our health care expenses have not tripled since coming to JetBlue. The insurance premiums are slightly higher than where I came from and I attribute most of the increase to a nationwide increase in health care expenses and not to a conspiracy by JetBlue to screw me.

If my prescription costs were to increase tenfold I'd be paying a $70 copay per prescription. I don't pay anywhere near that much.

If my out of pocket expenses were to triple my monthly premium would be in excess of $500 and my annual deductable would be in excess of $1800. Neither one are anywhere near that much.

If you and your family have special needs you should consider a supplemental medical insurance to help defray the costs. Dspite your unique circumstances our health car plan does not suck. It's an average plan and is similar to the plans offered to millions of other employees at many, many companies.

 

[coogebeachhotel]

One thing to consider. A new hire now will never make 320 captain. FWIW.

If a captain on a RJ, pay will be almost the same as at B6. 190 rates not much higher than the quality regional outfits.

 

[StarChecker]

It sounds like you and your family may have some health issues that are different from mine. My wife and I are healthy and our health care expenses have not tripled since coming to JetBlue.

I had the same "health issues" at Chautauqua and I still incurred a TENFOLD increase in prescription costs when I came to JetBlue.

I paid $10-$15 a month at CHQ for my prescriptions...now I pay $350 every 3 months for the SAME DRUGS.

So spare me the "we're in a health care crisis in this country" speech, David Neeleman, because it didn't seem to affect the crappy regional I just came from.

 

[Lake Alice]

There is a serious health care issue in the country and the insurance at most regionals is better than at B6. This is an unfortunate fact that the PCRB should bring up this time around.

And back to the original topic your QOL will be better at Jetblue than at a regional.

 

[w17cfii]

QOL could be better, if you're not based at JFK or live in base. Let's face it, commuting to NY sucks. Reserve sucks. Having no contract to fall back on sucks. Crashpads and everything else in NY is expensive. You've already read about the crappy health insurance. Personally, I'm paying about 3 times what insurance cost at my regional job.

The crews here are great to work with, and some of the overnights are fun. I would take all the bluejuicers here with a grain of salt. You'll fly a lot of redeyes on the bus, and the other plane...those are rj schedules.

You'll be crammed through 5 weeks of training with only a 3 day break where you can come home. Reserve is running 4-6 months, once you get a line life improves. The PTO is great. Just come in here realistically knowing it will take you probably 3+ years to get to what you were earning as a regional captain. The stability here is questionable. Look at last year's annual report, we barely made a profit, we're selling airplanes, fuel costs are going up like everyone else's...

Good luck on your decision

 

[johnsonrod]

QOL could be better, if you're not based at JFK or live in base. Let's face it, commuting to NY sucks. Reserve sucks. Having no contract to fall back on sucks. Crashpads and everything else in NY is expensive. You've already read about the crappy health insurance. Personally, I'm paying about 3 times what insurance cost at my regional job.

The crews here are great to work with, and some of the overnights are fun. I would take all the bluejuicers here with a grain of salt. You'll fly a lot of redeyes on the bus, and the other plane...those are rj schedules.

You'll be crammed through 5 weeks of training with only a 3 day break where you can come home. Reserve is running 4-6 months, once you get a line life improves. The PTO is great. Just come in here realistically knowing it will take you probably 3+ years to get to what you were earning as a regional captain. The stability here is questionable. Look at last year's annual report, we barely made a profit, we're selling airplanes, fuel costs are going up like everyone else's...

Good luck on your decision

Finally a reality check - a rare thing on Flightinfo.

 

[Fubijaakr]

Be careful about going to B6 now. The best they can hope for is a White Knight to take them in a merger.

 

[Bavarian Chef]

I have flown maybe 5 redeyes since I got off of reserve back in April of 2006. You can avoid redeyes at JB -- if you have some decent seniority. And you are an FO.

I ain't got no crashpad -- probably paid for 13-15 hotel rooms last year at $83-115 a pop, far cheaper than a pad. But then I do miss out on some more productive trips. Oh, and some of those hotel rooms were because I came up the day before a trip and went to a Mets or Yankees game.

 

[aerobato]

Be careful about going to B6 now. The best they can hope for is a White Knight to take them in a merger.

When did you get the rejection letter from JetBlue?

 

[Caveman]

Just come in here realistically knowing it will take you probably 3+ years to get to what you were earning as a regional captain.

I disagree. On 2nd year pay I was making the same as what I made at Comair as a 6 year CA. I lived in domicile at CMR. I commuted to reserve in JFK with JetBlue. My QOL at B6 was infinitely better than it ever was at CMR and I generally liked working for CMR.

I don't gulp the Blue Kool-Aid any more (I just sip it it nowadays). I am a realist. JetBlue is not perfect. There are several areas we need to improve including (Gasp!) health care. Overall though it's a very good flying job. I like it here and it's a huge improvement over any regional.