New Virgin Pay Rates

[NEDude]

Announced less than 30 minutes ago:

Captain
yr
1 $105
2 $110
3 $118
4 $123
5 $127
6 $130
7 $132
8 $135
9 $139
10 $141
11 $145
12 $150

FO
yr
1 $44
2 $65
3 $75
4 $80
5 $82
6 $85
7 $88
8 $90
9 $91
10 $92
11 $93
12 $95

Not where we want to be, but moving in the right direction.

 

[Lake Alice]

Wow. This does not help.

 

[NEDude]

Wow. This does not help.

Like I said, not where we want to be. But this puts us well above USAirways east, and close to on par (and at times better) than USAirways west and United. Also on par with the rates Spirit had to strike for.

Again, I am not claiming these are great rates. Nor am I claiming VX is on par with regards to work rules and other benefits when compared to legacy carriers. But this is a tangible pay raise that puts our hourly rates on par with most A320 carriers.

And here you said I'd "never make more than $133/hr..."

 

[doylehargraves]

How many hours does a new-hire (first 1-3 years) typically get paid for?? I know the min is 70 but I assume more is available??

 

[Flyer1015]

Excellent news! Perfect timing!

 

[crxpilot]

When you upgrade, do you start over at year 1 rate?

 

[mxer]

When you upgrade, do you start over at year 1 rate?

No, longevity counts.

 

[mxer]

How many hours does a new-hire (first 1-3 years) typically get paid for?? I know the min is 70 but I assume more is available??

While on reserve, 70 will be all you see. Holding a line, pretty typical of every place. Some guys stay in the 70's while others push for the 90 hour plus range.

 

[Fubijaakr]

NICE! Top CA still making 60% of what Legacy CAs make. You're the anchor on the industry. That's something to crow about.

 

[Chairman]

NICE! Top CA still making 60% of what Legacy CAs make. You're the anchor on the industry. That's something to crow about.

Not to worry when I take my Recall based on retirements at UAL/CAL I should upgrade about 2026. Then nice to know I will be making the big bucks... Keep throwing pies at the clowns, we are trending in the right direction each and every year....Or maybe I should take my job opportunity at CAL pay my dues and make 32 bucks after 12+ months at UAL and then a kicked to the curb....There is nothing to see here, as just weeks ago you said there would be no raise. and each and every year we are going out of business....Again, no one says perfect but moving forward yes not as fast as we would like but much quicker that you being correct on predicting our future.

Chairman

 

[Fubijaakr]

So the bottom line is you made a mistake choosing UAL and you compounded it going to VX. Is that your defense?

 

[Chairman]

So the bottom line is you made a mistake choosing UAL and you compounded it going to VX. Is that your defense?

Will only know the day I walk away from this profession that is the only time you will know if your choices were a mistake. But I am not going to worry about what you think your industry knowledge and future foreshadowing speak for them self in your posts....

 

[mxer]

NICE! Top CA still making 60% of what Legacy CAs make. You're the anchor on the industry. That's something to crow about.

Both 5 year and 12 year rates for captains are 80%+ of Alaska, according to APC. Still not where we want to be and need work rules as well. However, thats a lot better than 60%. Even with a union, you have to go forward a bit at a time. Nobody ever got industry leading on the first contract. It's always a work in progress.

 

[NEDude]

Both 5 year and 12 year rates for captains are 80%+ of Alaska, according to APC. Still not where we want to be and need work rules as well. However, thats a lot better than 60%. Even with a union, you have to go forward a bit at a time. Nobody ever got industry leading on the first contract. It's always a work in progress.

Our 12 year captain rates are 105% of the average of the four legacy airline A320 pay rates - Delta, United, USAirways East and USAirways West.

Wondering where the 60% number came from?

Oh yeah, fubiland....

 

[ackattacker]

Our 12 year captain rates are 105% of the average of the four legacy airline A320 pay rates - Delta, United, USAirways East and USAirways West.

Wondering where the 60% number came from?

Oh yeah, fubiland....

You don't have any 12 year captains, nor any contract guaranteeing that pay when you get there, so that pay rate is fantasy.

 

[ASADFW7]

There is a difference between not actualized and fantasy. But those pay rates being on paper makes them more of a reality than not. Every new company starts lower and works up.

 

[tzskipper]

You don't have any 12 year captains, nor any contract guaranteeing that pay when you get there, so that pay rate is fantasy.

Seriously. When did an airline CBA truly guarantee anything (at least post de-regulation)? There is no integrity in this profession anymore. On the other hand, to date I don't recall reading anything about VA taking away improvements that had been promised.

S

 

[labbats]

Congrats on the new payrates.

Does anyone else notice that without COLA you are just treading water and making the same money year after year when you factor inflation?

Not a jab at VA as we have the same issue at our company. Just seems to me that most other careers get you a bump in pay for longevity.

 

[ackattacker]

Seriously. When did an airline CBA truly guarantee anything (at least post de-regulation)? There is no integrity in this profession anymore. On the other hand, to date I don't recall reading anything about VA taking away improvements that had been promised.

S

Point being they can promise the moon and the stars now, it's so many years away everything will be changed for better or worse. Might as well say year 12 pay is $1 million per hour. When another airline says their year 12 pay is $xxx per hour they mean it, there are guys actually getting that money.

Realistically the top guy at VA is year 5, and this pay raise takes him from $123 to $127 an hour. It is tough to make too many direct comparisons, because at most other airlines a year 5 guy is not an Airbus Captain. But at JetBlue, a year 5 Airbus Captain makes $145 an hour with better work rules to boot. At Delta, a hypothetical year 5 Airbus Captain makes $166 an hour. United $141, American $157, Alaska $159, Hawaiian $160, Southwest $200 (!!!) Frontier $133, US Air West $127, US Air East $116, Spirit $116.

When you factor that many of the airlines above have better pay in other ways (profit sharing, B funds, higher guarantees, etc) you can see VA is still on or near the bottom.

 

[Busdriver320]

Wow. This does not help.

Actually, it does. The word that comes to mind is "galvanize".