Life at Frontier

[bluejuice787]

What is QOL at Frontier for a new hire FO? If you live in Denver? What are the typical trips? Is it possible/likely to do day trips?

Juice

 

[starchkr]

Hmmmmm let's see... a day in the life...

newhire FO...
...well, i would bet you would not see day turns for awhile, so no to that one...
...typical trips, not really an easy thing to put into words besides "we have an awesome scheduling system that will allow almost anything to be built if you know how to do it"...but then again, you said a new FO, so don't count on that, reserve is reserve...
...live in Denver, i did, not anymore...
...QOL is really great here...again however you said new FO so...it was actually still pretty good while on reserve, so i have nothing to beotch about...



AND OH YEAH...I'M BACK BEOTCHES!!!!!

 

[climb2slow]

well...whaddya mean by new hire? first year? or first few months? You would be on reserve for probably 6 months or so, which is 12 days off. We have a aggressive bid system for reserve pilots which allows you to choose to pick up trips for the next day that you want rather than wait to be called. This works well for commuters as you can usually avoid nights in denver, and/or get a late start on the first day. You can swap and trade reserve days with yourself and others to make a pretty decent schedule, and callout is 2 hours for short call and then there are medium and long call available as well.
Once you get a line, you have great flexibility to trade, swap, drop, and make your trips and lines both commutable and profitable. I've been here almost 2 years now, and I consistently fly lines with 16-17 days off and 85-88 hours. I commute to Denver and usually only spend 2-3 nites a month at the most.
Living in Denver is obviously ideal if you are in a position to do it, as to your question of Day turns, don't count on day turn lines for a long time. I would anticipate about 4 year seniority to hold decent turn lines.

 

[Shrek]

Hmmmmm let's see... a day in the life...

newhire FO...
...well, i would bet you would not see day turns for awhile, so no to that one...
...typical trips, not really an easy thing to put into words besides "we have an awesome scheduling system that will allow almost anything to be built if you know how to do it"...but then again, you said a new FO, so don't count on that, reserve is reserve...
...live in Denver, i did, not anymore...
...QOL is really great here...again however you said new FO so...it was actually still pretty good while on reserve, so i have nothing to beotch about...



AND OH YEAH...I'M BACK BEOTCHES!!!!!

Where ya been bubba?

 

[starchkr]

Shrek...what's up bud!?

Just been quite awhile since i was on here causing trouble. Moved awhile back and still have yet to get internet service at the house, so i can only get on when in Denver on a layover or before my show time. Also, just kinda forgot about the board here...I know, forget about the one thing that got me a shot at a job after waiting for sooo long? But other things have kept me busy with work and family.

To add to climb2slow's post, i too commute (now) and am doing pretty well with my trips...after about the same timeframe of working here. Averaging 17 days off with ~80 hours per month flying, and i have yet to spend a single night in DEN. I always arrange my trips so i can fly in the same day as my show and fly home the last day of the trip. Easy to do, but then again you need to be off reserve to be able to manipulate your schedule as such. Plus, this trip i get to sit at home for a 20 hour layover and get paid for it...can't beat that.

 

[amt]

Just be ready to be on reserve for awhile...hiring is going to stop next year, so If you get on the last classes you're going to be stuck. Agressive reserve is good when you can find trips on the open time that's worth to bid. It seems like lately all you see are 3 days BDF, JAX, PBI red-eyes...
The growth is going to stop soon since we said NO to the A/C options. We should be getting five A320 in 2008 but not much hiring is going to take place according to training dept.
However, if you live in Denver you can bid long call and sit home getting paid 75 hrs garantee.
Great pilot group and the company actualy treats us well.
Good luck

 

[StaySeated]

The last thing anyone would call me is an optimist, but there has to be more aircraft in the future for F9. If you remember the company's justification for lynx in the first place was feed, feed, feed. If lynx ever gets up and running, what are they going to feed into? We are flying full planes morning noon and night. The airbus options that were passed on were for deliveries in the distant future (ie 2010 and beyond). I never believe a rumor but I wouldn't be surprised to see several used airbus purchased in the next year or so. (NWA and JB are selling airbus' today)If lynx is going to be the "revenue generator" than we need airframes to carry the people that lynx is going to bring to Denver and the new 320's have already been allocated to current markets. Who knows what will really happen in the future, good luck wherever you end up.

 

[Shrek]

All due respect - This is where scope comes into play.

I hope to god I am wrong.......

 

[climb2slow]

Shrek may be right, but in reading some of the business boards, it would apprear that company was right in what they said when they let the options go. They said that they could purchase used aircraft on the open market far cheaper than the deal we had negotiated for the options, with that pipeline easier to come by than our slated delivery dates. Our operations guy has always maintained that there is no way that the 70 aircraft will be the final number. That being said, nothing is for sure until more are purchased, ordered, or show up. And yes, it's still a great place to work.

 

[Shrek]

Good point.........people are always selling their "slots" at Airbus like a commodity and with the used market filling up with relatively new A320 series aircraft I would not be surprised that aquisitions could be made there.