Skybus started flying today, the sky's now falling

[relief tube]

This week's sign that the apocalypse is upon us..skybus started.

According 2 airline pilot pay, airbus captains get a whopping 65k salary, less than many regionals. $10 fares too, fun. It litterally is a sky-bus.

You have to pay for everything extra, and they DO NOT LET PAX bring their own food on board. So not that anyone wants to set up jumpseat agreements with these pukes, but if we do, I can't wait to try and bring a big mac on board and see what happens.

There's too many airlines out there, these guys need to keel over and croak.

 

[strega7]

and they DO NOT LET PAX bring their own food on board.

True! From their website;

No food or drinks, please. In most cases, Skybus offers these items for sale during your flight, so we ask that you not bring anything on board. The only exception is for passengers who will need food that we're unable to provide, for example baby formula or baby food, special food for those with a medical condition such as diabetes or severe food allergies, or those with dietary restrictions (Kosher, Muslim, etc).

Are they going to be like the movie theater and confiscate your stuff?

 

[Hovernut]

Ygtbsm!!!

 

[regionalcap]

They were bragging at the AIR INC seminar about how many tickets they have sold.

 

[siucavflight]

Does anyone know how many pilots they have working there? And why would anyone want to fly for them?

 

[CoAlpha]

sluts

 

[MarineGrunt]

8 months.

 

[suupah]

6 months

 

[wms]

You got one of those chocolate lattes in your pants!

 

[Philerup]

Does anyone know how many pilots they have working there? And why would anyone want to fly for them?

Why would someone want to fly for them? Why not? You have a large segment of our industry that sucks. Ask some guy flying a shorts or metro at 3 AM if 65,000 in a modern airliner sounds like a good job. If you went from flight instructing right into a nice RJ you may not have an appreciation for how bad it can suck in other segments of our industry.

So you take the guy flying the sewer pipe and tell him that he can get on and upgrade in an Airbus in 6 months. Witin 6 months he has doubled his salary and I guarantee you, no matter how bad the work rules at Skybus, he has a better QOL. The worst case scenario is that Skybus goes tits up and he is on the street in 6 months. Well he can always go back to the crappy freight operator, they always need pilots. So he is back where he started but now he has an Airbus type and 500 hours in the right seat. Either way he comes out ahead. If it works out he is now a Captain with better pay, better equipment, and a better quality of life....no more loading a Metro at 3 AM when it is raining and 40 degrees outside.

Wash, rinse, and repeat for every guy out there schlepping freight in some trapped out beater. They have the times and the experience to get a rapid upgrade in the Airbus. A lot of them will never see Delta, United, American, or Continental and they know it. This is a chance for them to do something a better than what they are doing now.

 

[pgcfii2002]

I give them 6 months.

 

[WSurf]

Well, for that wage that there making............ Can you say 'Jumpseating on my flight is not an Option'! I don't care what people say about making a living, is making a living! This kinda crap is taking food out of our families mouth!!!
Jeez, the lines has to drawn soon!!!

 

[Philerup]

This kinda crap is taking food out of our families mouth

No, the airlines have been doing that to their employees succesfully for the last 5 years with no help from Skybus or VA. How convenient for everyone to have a target to vent your anger. Too bad no one was this hard line with their own management when they were forcing you to eat a crap sandwich.

 

[samballs]

Why would someone want to fly for them? Why not? You have a large segment of our industry that sucks. Ask some guy flying a shorts or metro at 3 AM if 65,000 in a modern airliner sounds like a good job. If you went from flight instructing right into a nice RJ you may not have an appreciation for how bad it can suck in other segments of our industry.

So you take the guy flying the sewer pipe and tell him that he can get on and upgrade in an Airbus in 6 months. Witin 6 months he has doubled his salary and I guarantee you, no matter how bad the work rules at Skybus, he has a better QOL. The worst case scenario is that Skybus goes tits up and he is on the street in 6 months. Well he can always go back to the crappy freight operator, they always need pilots. So he is back where he started but now he has an Airbus type and 500 hours in the right seat. Either way he comes out ahead. If it works out he is now a Captain with better pay, better equipment, and a better quality of life....no more loading a Metro at 3 AM when it is raining and 40 degrees outside.

Wash, rinse, and repeat for every guy out there schlepping freight in some trapped out beater. They have the times and the experience to get a rapid upgrade in the Airbus. A lot of them will never see Delta, United, American, or Continental and they know it. This is a chance for them to do something a better than what they are doing now.

Well than why when asked who the pilots are, most people reply former INDY pilots, who by now could have taken jobs else where and upgraded, but instead waited for the right job, instead they got this one.

 

[Philerup]

I have no idea Samballs. I was just throwing out a possible answer to a question. As far as ex-Indy, I guess you will have to ask them.

 

[rogerwilcoout]

Why would someone want to fly for them? Why not? You have a large segment of our industry that sucks. Ask some guy flying a shorts or metro at 3 AM if 65,000 in a modern airliner sounds like a good job. If you went from flight instructing right into a nice RJ you may not have an appreciation for how bad it can suck in other segments of our industry.

So you take the guy flying the sewer pipe and tell him that he can get on and upgrade in an Airbus in 6 months. Witin 6 months he has doubled his salary and I guarantee you, no matter how bad the work rules at Skybus, he has a better QOL. The worst case scenario is that Skybus goes tits up and he is on the street in 6 months. Well he can always go back to the crappy freight operator, they always need pilots. So he is back where he started but now he has an Airbus type and 500 hours in the right seat. Either way he comes out ahead. If it works out he is now a Captain with better pay, better equipment, and a better quality of life....no more loading a Metro at 3 AM when it is raining and 40 degrees outside.

Wash, rinse, and repeat for every guy out there schlepping freight in some trapped out beater. They have the times and the experience to get a rapid upgrade in the Airbus. A lot of them will never see Delta, United, American, or Continental and they know it. This is a chance for them to do something a better than what they are doing now.

Is this guy for real?

 

[Philerup]

It was an answer to a question....why? Why would someone work for Skybus? I gave an answer as to why someone would consider it. You have alot of freight dogs in the Columbus/Cleveland area who would probably prefer an Airbus to a Shorts or a Metro. I know it is hard to believe, but there are a lot worse jobs than working for a regional. A regional Captain with leads for a major, it makes no sense. For a lot of people it looks like a golden opportunity, and I promise you all the vitriol that this website is cabable of producing isn't going to stop them. You would be amazed how many pilots I know who never read or care about what is on these boards....thay are living in their own world. Furthermore, if you think flying for a bottom feeder airline is bad, try flying for a bottom feeder cargo company. Night and Day.

 

[Soverytired]

Having recently bought tickets on both USAir and Southwest, I can tell you that I'd have no problem paying 1/3rd the ticket cost if it meant I'd have to pack light and sneak in my own coke to drink when the FA isn't looking.

As to working there . . . . 6 month upgrade, and A320 PIC time will get you a VERY lucrative contract job all over the world.

So yeah, it sucks for US pilots, but even US airlines would rather hire a 2000 PIC A320 pilot than an 8000 hr CRJ wonder.


(I give them 2 years)

 

[Soverytired]

Well than why when asked who the pilots are, most people reply former INDY pilots, who by now could have taken jobs else where and upgraded, but instead waited for the right job, instead they got this one.

I know a couple of Mesa CRJ captains who were hired direct-entry captains.

There will always be more pilots than there are pilot jobs out there. Aviation isn't so much a career as a disease.

 

[Mickey]

Skybus is just SJS

Is their callsign, "Butterfly?" It should be.

 

[relief tube]

so we already have 2 sad folks that are defending the rational of those that would get a job there. Even if 65k is a pay increase for you, you should F-ing know that a bus-captain deserves at least twice that. Have some self-respect for yourself and everyone else that has come before you.

If they called me right now and said we'll pay you 65K to be number 1 on the list, home every night, and, oh my brother is a psychic and he says we're going to be around for a long time", I still wouldn't take the job.....because pride should be taken in what a certain job deserves.

Speaking of how long, unfortunately I read they have a lot of start-up capital. They might be around hoaring for a while.

 

[Philerup]

Look relief you can call me sad if you want to. I am not at Skybus, but I do not see the sense in continually bashing people decision to go there. There are so many things over the last decade that have contributed to the decay in this industry that it is absolutely absurd to lay it at the feet of Skybus and Virgin pilots. Further, i am not defending Skybus. I am playing devils advocate. Not to mention, as far as defending the rationale for going there. I was answering a question.....Why would anyone work for Skybus. I can think of a multitude of reasons. While it may be low for an A320, that is relative. If you are making 35,000/year flying a Shorts and you can make 65,000 flying an Airbus, you are looking at doubling your pay.

I know I am taking a risk of getting bashed here, and that is fine. I just don't understand how a regional pilot can talk crap to someone about flying an Airbus cheap. The regionals are flying mainline replacement aircraft for less than Skybus. The regionals are flying mainline routes. Skybus is the reason for our decline? The decline is ongoing and has been happening for a while, Skybus took their first flight today. Just how much are they responsibe for? I am not defending Skybus pilots as much as I am arguing against blatent hypocrasy.

 

[texarkana]

Guys he has a point. Right or wrong this is reality. The cargo/135 world is full of guys who can't move to majors for whatever reason (age, no college, etc) who want to fly big equipment. Would you fly metroliners for your entire career knowing you could move on to an airbus? Startup carriers offer that opportunity for many. And most of those guys don't know what is said about skybus on FI and don't care. Skybus probably isn't going to be staffed by cargo dogs but what is so hard to understand about this?

 

[lear24]

I just don't understand how a regional pilot can talk crap to someone about flying an Airbus cheap. The regionals are flying mainline replacement aircraft for less than Skybus. The regionals are flying mainline routes. Skybus is the reason for our decline? The decline is ongoing and has been happening for a while, Skybus took their first flight today. Just how much are they responsibe for? I am not defending Skybus pilots as much as I am arguing against blatent hypocrasy.

I'm with Phil. The overwhelming majority of regional pilots have no room to talk about lowering the bar.

I give 'em 2.5 years, but maybe by then the industry will need all these extra seats everyone is trying to fly around.

 

[walshsfly]

If your sitting on your ass at home making nothing, 65K is a very good 1st year pay. What is 2nd year pay? That is the question you should asking.

 

[Poahi]

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?video=337536274&play=1

According to their CEO, he says cryptically that his weak healthcare plan is offset by stock options.

 

[lowery21]

Yeah, there is a lot of blatant hypocrisy/self righteousness going on around here.


I'd like to see many of you in the same situation. "Honey, and children...I would really like to take the 150% increase in pay, but I don't agree with the pay structure."

 

[capt. megadeth]

No, the airlines have been doing that to their employees succesfully for the last 5 years with no help from Skybus or VA. How convenient for everyone to have a target to vent your anger. Too bad no one was this hard line with their own management when they were forcing you to eat a crap sandwich.

Ya got a point there Sparky!

 

[relief tube]

well then you few can all go ahead and sellout then. If everyone thought as you can rationalize about so easily, then enjoy your 11 days off and 55k a year, because if there's guys like you say respectfully willig to fly mainline jets for regional pay, then there's easily then enough willing to do what we do for half the pay and 5 days off a month.

Playing devils advocate is for talking about stuff like which car to buy, not about condoning flying an airbus for less than a CRJ.

 

[Hpilot]

Why would someone want to fly for them? Why not? You have a large segment of our industry that sucks. Ask some guy flying a shorts or metro at 3 AM if 65,000 in a modern airliner sounds like a good job. If you went from flight instructing right into a nice RJ you may not have an appreciation for how bad it can suck in other segments of our industry.

So you take the guy flying the sewer pipe and tell him that he can get on and upgrade in an Airbus in 6 months. Witin 6 months he has doubled his salary and I guarantee you, no matter how bad the work rules at Skybus, he has a better QOL. The worst case scenario is that Skybus goes tits up and he is on the street in 6 months. Well he can always go back to the crappy freight operator, they always need pilots. So he is back where he started but now he has an Airbus type and 500 hours in the right seat. Either way he comes out ahead. If it works out he is now a Captain with better pay, better equipment, and a better quality of life....no more loading a Metro at 3 AM when it is raining and 40 degrees outside.

Wash, rinse, and repeat for every guy out there schlepping freight in some trapped out beater. They have the times and the experience to get a rapid upgrade in the Airbus. A lot of them will never see Delta, United, American, or Continental and they know it. This is a chance for them to do something a better than what they are doing now.

I schlepped freight and flew a sewer pipe for years. If some one offered that kind of pay to fly that kind of equipment I'd laugh in their face.
500 hrs and a type. Yeah, that's great until they go to interview at their next job and look across the table at someone like me. Sorry, no job for you.