Request for the Allegiant guys/gals

[donvag]

Young pilot group, no retirement bubble on the horizon. Upgrades will be the result of growth. If you figure the airline has to roughly double in size for a new hire to upgrade then you'd be looking at a 100-plane airline. I don't think you can necessarily bank on Allegiant to keep adding the 10 planes per year that even a 5-year upgrade would require so upgrades for new hires are probably 5+ years out, much longer if growth slows or stops 'cause of the lack of retirements. The 3-year upgrades are probably a thing of the past.

sound like a New York based airline of a certain colour...

 

[reepicheep]

It appears we are not going to be hiring for Sept. Don't know the details of why or how this rumor got started in the first place. Based on previous plans best guess is for the next class to be sometime early in 2011.

However, this being Allegiant, it's subject to change at short notice.

 

[BEECH-SLAPPED]

It appears we are not going to be hiring for Sept. Don't know the details of why or how this rumor got started in the first place. Based on previous plans best guess is for the next class to be sometime early in 2011.

However, this being Allegiant, it's subject to change at short notice.

It actually wasn't a rumor. The Sept 30th class was a real possibility but it wasn't finalized. It was simply cancelled. If you aren't about to time out, get ready to fly in December!

 

[john cocktosen]

Young pilot group, no retirement bubble on the horizon. Upgrades will be the result of growth. If you figure the airline has to roughly double in size for a new hire to upgrade then you'd be looking at a 100-plane airline. I don't think you can necessarily bank on Allegiant to keep adding the 10 planes per year that even a 5-year upgrade would require so upgrades for new hires are probably 5+ years out, much longer if growth slows or stops 'cause of the lack of retirements. The 3-year upgrades are probably a thing of the past.

Do you think CAs will leave for other airlines if hiring resumes due to retirements? Do most of the CAs seem like career types? Allegiant is a great job right now. but 3 or 5 years from now. Who knows???

 

[BRA]

Do you think CAs will leave for other airlines if hiring resumes due to retirements? Do most of the CAs seem like career types? Allegiant is a great job right now. but 3 or 5 years from now. Who knows???

I think there are about 30 with American numbers at Allegiant. Almost all of those are coming up on 5 years or more seniority with Allegiant. At this point many live in base and do not commute. I would think that every month that goes by it will be that much harder to warrant leaving. Plus they are almost all in the left seat, and in most cases; off reserve. Every captain is making over 100K per year. The company is profitable every single quarter. I don't see many leaving unless something goes very wrong at Allegiant or management gets nasty.

So many variables to consider when asking your question. Now the 757 has been thrown into the mix which opens up very different types of flying for the company. My guess is the first ones to leave when hiring picks up will be junior first officers still on reserve that commute.

 

[Daytonaflyer]

I know a lot of FO's and just a few CA's who plan to leave if SWA ever starts hiring again. I guess they realize there is no way to ever make a lot of money here. Even if we had equal pay rates, a SWA pilot can get paid over 130 hrs/month, and an AAY pilot will max out around 94 hrs/month except for on rare occasions. And that's if we had equal pay rates, which we don't.

 

[BRA]

Thanks for the info! Been doing a lot of research on allegiant this past year as I have become real interested in getting out of corporate flying... A few more questions...

-do u guys have a pretty senior/junior pilot group? Do you see any significant movement once the age 65 rule catches up with us in the next few years?

-what would you guess upgrade times will look like for anyone getting hired during the next 12-24 months?

Also, I have 1 quick question if anyone working at allegiant could PM me, I would appreciate it! Thanks for the intel!

I think the upgrade time will come down a little around the time the age 65 rule catches up. It would appear the economy would have to be better by then, airlines will all be hiring and the amount of applicants for the least wanted jobs will run a little bit dry. We saw it happen in 2007. That was a very good year for hiring. Many regionals were letting pilots in with bare minimums. The most attractive parts of Allegiant are the out and back schedule and the consistent profitablity. The one year upgrade used to be attractive but it no longer exists. As of now it is not a place you brag to your friends about working at. There is no prestige at all.

The one year upgrades that existed up to early 2008 were due to a small airline growing a lot, some pilots retiring, and many pilots quitting to go elsewhere. Allegiant's pay has caught up to many of it's peers, but how will it compare in 2013?

If they pay rates continue going forward......people will stay and upgrade will remain 3 years +

If pay rates stagnate......people will quit and the upgrade will shorten.

 

[Daytonaflyer]

Well, honestly, the pay rates have caught up to our peers for now, but every single pilot here will still make a lot less than their counterparts at other airlines. But that's mostly because we spend less time on-duty.

Every time you go to work here, it cuts into your 100hrs/month flight time. And since management usually limits you to 94 hours/month, it's almost impossible to make much more than that, except for the 30% overrride over 81 hours.
Other airlines have frequent deadheading which doesn't cut into your maximum flight time, profit sharing, and a higher override. I expect to make about $80k this year flying 1000 hours and I expect my Jet Blue, Southwest, and Air Tran counterparts to make $110K-$160K.

It's still a pretty good job, but if making a lot of money is your top priority, look elsewhere.

 

[john cocktosen]

Well, honestly, the pay rates have caught up to our peers for now, but every single pilot here will still make a lot less than their counterparts at other airlines. But that's mostly because we spend less time on-duty.

Every time you go to work here, it cuts into your 100hrs/month flight time. And since management usually limits you to 94 hours/month, it's almost impossible to make much more than that, except for the 30% overrride over 81 hours.
Other airlines have frequent deadheading which doesn't cut into your maximum flight time, profit sharing, and a higher override. I expect to make about $80k this year flying 1000 hours and I expect my Jet Blue, Southwest, and Air Tran counterparts to make $110K-$160K.

It's still a pretty good job, but if making a lot of money is your top priority, look elsewhere.

I'm thinking Quality of life at Allegiant might be worth the pay cut right now. I'd like to keep living in the Southwest. And refuse to commute to the east coast.

It's not gonna happen at US Air in my lifetime. Southwest could maybe work, but I'd be in line with 10000 other resumes, and be an FO for 10 years. Delta and Alaska are good prospects, but alot like southwest, and I'd have to suck it up and go to anchorage, MSP or ATL for a while before I could back to the Southwestern US.

Money is great. But having time to enjoy it is better.

 

[hate2bL8]

how does a pilot in a 121 operation fly 130 hours in amonth