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.

 

[starchkr]

amt...I know they said no to the options, but like has already been said, those were distant options for after our deliveries through 2010. I know we were still supposed to get the 5 320's next year, then a couple more 318's as well, plus some 319's and more 320's all on firm order. Does anyone remember thelist of a/c orders they sent out about a year ago detailing the delivery schedule for the orders? I thought it was supposed to be something like 12 a/c through 2010 or something like that.

Anyway, growth is coming, but i don't think it will be what we had expected when Potter was here. From what i have heard, the company will be moving in a whole new direction in the future with Menke. I also see hiring to continue for the foreseable future, maybe not 1 or 2 classes per month, but there will be some movement...especially for the FO's...from what i understand...which is fine by me, as long as i move up the list everything's good.

 

[Shrek]

From what I see on Airbus.com it looks like you have 10 A320s on order. This does not include the used ones on the street that I eluded to before.

 

[StaySeated]

The 2007 Annual Report states that we have 10 aircraft remaining on firm order, all 320's. We are currently in fiscal year 2008, our fiscal year runs April to March.

 

[amt]

That's true, we have a total of 10 more, with 5 to be delivered during calendar year of 2008. As far as adding aircraft to current fleet, I'd really like to see it coming since up-grade comes faster for me. but I don't think that it'll come in the near future (prior 2010). The company wants to focus the growth on Lynx and can easily shift flying to JetExpress (whoever that maybe) to cover the growth...remember, it's a lot cheaper!. Plus, with such a high demand for the A320 a/c family, why do you think we can get a better deal than what we had 5 years ago? FYI... NWA has sold a few A319 to a Russian Airline.

NOT TRYING TO BE PESSIMIST HERE, just been realistic and trying to understand managements position/strategy...

 

[On Your Six]

How many E170s will be operated for Frontier? What's their delivery schedule - how many in 08?

I agree that the E170 and A318 are a bit too close for comfort in terms of seating.

 

[Larcifer]

As Lynx gets up and running what your going to find is they will replace low yield pax with the higher yielding commuter pax. That combined with a bunch of 70-86 seat RJs there won't be a need for much mainline growth. They will just reallocate the existing seats to more profitable pax.
Thankfully we gave up scope.......#@%$

 

[Eagle757shark]

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.

Perhaps there may be a merger in the works as well. After this weeks statement that Frontier is looking for a partner, perhaps they may have already found one and the deal is being worked. I think we all tend to look in our own little circle and not see the overall big picture outside the ranks of us PILOTS. There many be scenarios that may play out in the world of consolidation and Frontier may be a player in it all. Perhaps no more orders right now for the current Frontier, but the dynamics may change if a merger is waiting in the wings.

 

[StaySeated]

I fully expect some sort of merger or acquisition. Who knows when, but it is probably inevitable with an airline our size.

 

[Eagle757shark]

I fully expect some sort of merger or acquisition. Who knows when, but it is probably inevitable with an airline our size.

I hear you. Here at AirTran we just named a new CEO, Bob Fornaro. Many of us expect a merger of some sort in the near future. There is a good possibility it could be with Frontier. The next 12 months shall be interesting. Good luck to you guys.

 

[btrthn5n5]

Considering all the rumors, talks, etc... Would you guys "on the inside" start at Frontier tomorrow if you had the option to move up from a good regional?

If you had to bet...
Would the guy hired tomorrow have a job at Frontier in Denver in 15 years?

Thanks for the insight!
Just trying to figure some things out.

 

[USMC319]

If you have the option to come to F9 from a regional, I wouldn't hesitate for a second. Frontier even draws pilots from other National and Major Airlines because of the domicile, QOL and corporate culture, and I believe the 3rd highest narrowbody pay in the industry at the moment.

Now for the 15 year bet.....I say 45% chance they will grow and remain autonomous, 50% chance they will merge, acquire or be acquired, and 5% chance of going away alltogether. Good luck.

 

[btrthn5n5]

Thanks for the info! It helps me a ton in this decision.

 

[FBN0223]

A move from a regional job to Frontier is an excellent decision. Frontier is probably the best airline among the ranks of the "discounters" and Denver is decent domicile.