Skybus started flying today, the sky's now falling

[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.

 

[Philerup]

good for you Hpilot, you paid your dues and made it to the show. I am sincere when I say congratulations. I like success stories. If we are to follow that example though, and only hire people who have never done anything that has negatively affected pilto pay or impacted our fellow pilots by giving management ammunition, we will have a small pool to pull from.

First we will have to bar any regioanl pilot that has flown more than a 50 seat jet. After all, the 70's and 90's, not to mention the 170/175's are mainline replacements and have reduced the amount of mainline jobs required.

Next we will have to bar any pilot who signed off on a concessionary contract instead of shutting it down. When management brings up industry standard, those concessionary pay rates certainly affect the bargaining leverage.

Then of course there is Skybus, Virgin, Allegiant, and Spirit, Airtran, Kalitta, Gemini, Arrow. They pay less than the mainline or did in the past and certainly affected pay rates.

I guess that leaves us with military pilots and the pilots who only fly the small turboprop commuters. Snce the military has had nothing to do with pilot pay, and well the small guys haven't replaced mainline routes or aircfaft. This is good news for me as I fly a small turboprop. The more I think of this the more I like it. I am a shoe in at a major with this plan. I like it, lets go for it. Only those that have in no way affected this industry in a negative way get to apply. When is my interview?

 

[BoilerUP]

I don't think even the scummiest of bottom feeders has flown a narrowbody for 65k in recent years...

 

[Monster Buck]

I haven't spoken up in a while, but you cannot equate 65k a year pay at the regionals to fly a 50 seat jet and 65k a year to fly an Airbus. The major you so seek with your new type won't be there long with a virus like this spreading. Apple and orange between regional pay and this.

 

[Fly4hire]

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

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 jump seat 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.

Curious if they will be have concourse concessions taken out of their gate areas so you have less choices to buy food prior to boarding.

Are crew members not allowed to bring food either? :bomb:

 

[RP170]

Curious if they will be have concourse concessions taken out of their gate areas so you have less choices to buy food prior to boarding.

Are crew members not allowed to bring food either? :bomb:

They actually just opened a Quiznos right next to their gate area in CMH. The main food court outside of security is also very close by. I don't think they could legally enforce not bringing food onboard their aircraft. People should have the right to eat what they want when they want.

 

[Fly4hire]

They actually just opened a Quiznos right next to their gate area in CMH. The main food cort outside of security is also very close by. I don't think they could legally enforce not bringing food onboard their aircraft. People should have the right to eat what they want when they want.

Can't wait until they deny a diabetic passenger the right to bring food aboard. One lawsuit will take care of that policy.

I'm placing Skybus on the Titanic watch as of the first flight they flew. I'll also happily push an iceberg in their way.......

 

[TNHillbilly]

I really am asking this. Not because I support SkyBuss, but I was just wondering what Southwest and JetBlue paid their pilots the first year they started??? Was it crappy pay compared to the majors at that time??? Or was it good??

 

[wscrj]

We have only ourselves to blame. The lack of true Professional unity has brought us here.

I liken it to a fight in which you are told you must keep one hand behind your back (RLA). Meanwhile your opponent siezes the opportunity and beats the ever loving cr*p out of you. You entered the fight playing by the "rules," but at some point survival must kick in.

So when do you(we) start hitting, and hitting hard, with BOTH fists?

 

[samballs]

All these people taking this because they are on their as$es at home with a family, what are they gonna do when this company folds? trash talk and say I knew it was bad but I got TYPE.. hope it goes under in 3 months!!

 

[skyaddict]

I personally would be ashamed to go to a place like Skybus, but FWIW the 500 hours and type if they go belly up will get anyone the pick of the litter on many jobs overseas- that is typically the magic number for contract jobs with places like Parc, and there are Airbi jobs galore in Asia especially... so there is a method to the madness even if it is (which it is!) grotesque to be lowering the bar that much. And for those who want to live in CMH, they can rationalize that being home very night is worth its weight in Gold to QOL. Not defending this bar-lowering, just that this is how many will rationalize things.

Saw a Virgin Amercia airbus sitting in MIA the other day... are their rates as rock bottom as Skybus's? For Skybuses sake, at least they don't have their hub in a place with routine 4 hour ground stops due to the SFO Marine layer.