Skybus started flying today, the sky's now falling

[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.

 

[temcgrew]

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.

You forgot about Southwest and jetBlue. Those two along with Airtran had descent pay that shouldn't be compared to Skybus.

It's funny, before 911 the industry was putting down those three companies until they were the only ones hiring when the furloughs started. Now we are going back to a pre 911 mentality and bashing the guys that had "lower" pay than the majors but prospered while the big guys struggled. I wonder why they survived? It wasn't because of the industry leading pay!!!!

Now there should be fair pay for flying an airbus and skybus is no where near fair. Virgin is also a startup and Allegiant isn't really an airline although they have gotten healthy pay raises the last few years and should be getting another this summer.

 

[dictatortot]

Why isn't anyone getting down on Spirit, USA3000, or Sun Country pilots? Their Captains make 65-70K a year. Comparing Skybus pay to Northwest or Delta pay is like apples and oranges; two different types of companies. Compared to the other LCCs out there, $65,000 looks to be about standard. Skybus is another low cost carrier trying to get a piece of the LCC market and like it or not, these types of airlines (and their salaries set below the Majors) are going to be a fact of life for the future.

 

[Poahi]

I don't fault anyone for going to Skybus. It's a matter of personal choice and simple supply and demand. In fact, most of the complaining about their pay is going to come from pilots who don't want their much higher paying jobs threatened.

If you're looking for blame - try the RLA, bankruptcy abuse, the turn in the business cycle back in 2000, over capacity, high fuel prices and poor management.

The only thing that's going to chage pay and QOL for the better is a shrinking supply of pilots, and that will take years.

 

[prtyprtyprncss]

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.

I nearly went to jail once in Lexington for ordering a pizza from Domino's to the hotel...seems the hotel owner decided he could ban any outside food from the premises...it was midnight and no hotel food available...security guy came running out yelling "drop that pizza" and actually squared off with me when I refused...I said, "I haven't eaten all day and if you take another step I'll put you in intensive care" and headed for the elevator with him and the owner in pursuit...turned out ok after a half hour of negotiations and my threatening an ALPA thing and the hotel possibly losing the contract with our airline over the "no food available" clause....I think the lawyers would love to hear from a passenger having his or her food taken at the boarding door!

 

[trip]

Just heard a blurb on CNN about how the F/A's will make 9.00$ per hour but will make commission off of the crap they sell onboard!!! Who in their right mind would take a job like this? Yep those big spenders all will be buying crap while flying down to grandmas on the 10$ dollar fare.

 

[SizzleChest]

As it stands now jumpseaters will be able to bring food/drink onboard.... it may change in the future. Ask you jumpseat person for specifics about the jumpseat rules...that is what they are there for. Finding the schedules will be a bitch since there is no phone number to call to list or check loads or anything..... might affect the "reciprocity" part of it all.....?

 

[chperplt]

Yep those big spenders all will be buying crap while flying down to grandmas on the 10$ dollar fare.

Yes, they will buy all the crap on board. The first flight(s) in and out of BUR sold out on all of their food.

 

[Soverytired]

Just heard a blurb on CNN about how the F/A's will make 9.00$ per hour but will make commission off of the crap they sell onboard!!! Who in their right mind would take a job like this? Yep those big spenders all will be buying crap while flying down to grandmas on the 10$ dollar fare.

It's true.

I don't know why anyone would take a flight attendant job at this joint. See glamorous cities like Columbus and make a living by begging for one dollar tips?

If they're ugly, they'll starve. If they're hot, they probably know of a different job that collect $1 bills WAY faster than selling candy bars on a plane . . . .


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky/2007/05/skybus_attendan.html

Skybus attendants to work on commission

"Just what the airline industry needed: Flight attendants on commission." That's from Mark Tatge of Forbes.com, who writes that while Skybus can get to Columbus for as little as $10, "you'll pay in peace and quiet. Skybus flight attendants will be hawking not only food and water but also such sundries as suntan lotion and jewelry to an extremely captive market. And the attendants will have incentives aplenty to tap you on the shoulder. Paid only $9 an hour, or $16,000 a year, they'll get a 10% commission on any merchandise sold in this flying souk. (Pilots, paid $75,000, don't get a cut, but we can only imagine the infomercial-like announcements.)," Tatge adds.
Naturally, Skybus says it does not allow outside food or drink on board –- presumably something meant to help boost in-flight sales. But there's also this take from Ohio passenger Adrian Scott, who was on Skybus' inaugural Columbus-Burbank flight yesterday. "Everything went really smooth, and we landed right on time. I would recommend if you're traveling with children that you carry blankets and bring snacks," she tells The Columbus Dispatch. Despite the no-food policy, "Scott said a flight attendant just encouraged her to buy a snack without giving her a hard time about the children's goodies," the Dispatch writes. "We bought a Twix. It seemed like most people were buying food," Scott tells the paper.

 

[Flybet3]

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.

OHHHH PLEASE!! What about people selling out to 19,000 a year to sit in a 70 seat RJ?! Or paying 80K to go through a "special program" to get a job at 400 hours?! The same way gulfstreamers have made it to CAL so will Skybus guys/gals.
This industry has gone to sh*t ever since pilots agreed to fly passengers in Jetstreams, Beech 1900s, and rjs for 12 grand a year.
Do me a favor and look at the pay for a captain and even FO pay at Great lakes, Mesa and so on. Hell look at some of the cargo carriers that fly heavy equipment. Hypocrits!!

 

[Flybet3]

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

Wanna bet?

 

[Flybet3]

It's true.

I don't know why anyone would take a flight attendant job at this joint. See glamorous cities like Columbus and make a living by begging for one dollar tips?

If they're ugly, they'll starve. If they're hot, they probably know of a different job that collect $1 bills WAY faster than selling candy bars on a plane . . . .

Muuuuuahahahahahaha! that's good.... I agree with all of you who think 65K is low for a PIC position with Skybus. Pay is low, and future is uncertain. But at the same time i am not gonna be acting like a d**k against anyone who does take a job with them, wether it's for PIC turbine or b/c they have to pay bills. Being a complete di** to anyone that works there wont help or change our industry, it's like being a di** to anyone that voted for bush! Everyone has the right to choose, everyone has their own "motivations" for what they do.
I do remember how things were pre-911 like someone said. Everyone talked about Southwest pilots, and even said that they would never work for a company that paid those wages on a B737 and even worst, a company that expected you to pay for your own 737 type. HAHAHA! I wonder where all these hypocrits are? I bet a bunch have been to soooo many AIRINC job fairs just to get a face to face with they recruiters.

 

[BoilerUP]

Wanna bet?

Who then? Its entirely possible...but I'm just not aware of any.

And let's not count supplemental carriers like Casino Express and the like...I'm talking scheduled carriers.

 

[Flybet3]

Who then? Its entirely possible...but I'm just not aware of any.

And let's not count supplemental carriers like Casino Express and the like...I'm talking scheduled carriers.

Allegiant $61/hr X 70/hr= $51, 247/yr
Sun Country $31/hr X 70/hr= $26,040 (WOW)
$77/hr X 70/hr= 64,680 (2nd year)
You should also look at Spirit and a couple of the other LCCs.

So lets go ahead and deny jumpseat to all of these people that are just "DESTROYING" our industry and "TAKING FOOD" out of our families mouth!

What a fu**ing joke some of you are.

 

[Flybet3]

Who then? Its entirely possible...but I'm just not aware of any.

And let's not count supplemental carriers like Casino Express and the like...I'm talking scheduled carriers.

Dude schedules or no schedules, everyone is complaning about people flying the airplane, not the schedules or operations type.

 

[Philerup]

Who then? Its entirely possible...but I'm just not aware of any

As per APC. First year Captain scale.

Allegiant: 61/hr X 70 hour guarantee

Spirit: A319: 65/hr X 72 hour guarantee

The only two I could find. Everyone else is higher.

 

[chperplt]

As per APC. First year Captain scale.

Allegiant: 61/hr X 70 hour guarantee

Spirit: A319: 65/hr X 72 hour guarantee

The only two I could find. Everyone else is higher.

I'm a second year AAY Captain and I'll be very near or slightly above 100K this year... before our anticipated raise.

 

[Flybet3]

I'm a second year AAY Captain and I'll be very near or slightly above 100K this year... before our anticipated raise.

With how much over time and perdiem exactly?

 

[chperplt]

With how much over time and perdiem exactly?

I've been picking up 2 or 3 day off trips a month. Per diem is not included as it doesn't amount to anything.

 

[Gnarloooo]

Take my word for it....SKYBUS will be huge....like Southwest huge. And it will be the final nail in the coffin of a once proud and respected profession. If any of you had any brains you would get the hell out of this farking job.

 

[relief tube]

Allegiant $61/hr X 70/hr= $51, 247/yr
Sun Country $31/hr X 70/hr= $26,040 (WOW)
$77/hr X 70/hr= 64,680 (2nd year)
You should also look at Spirit and a couple of the other LCCs.

So lets go ahead and deny jumpseat to all of these people that are just "DESTROYING" our industry and "TAKING FOOD" out of our families mouth!

What a fu**ing joke some of you are.

So...just because there's a bunch of stooges out there means we should accept it? Come on ass-hole, I'd like to see how cool you'd sound if your dad was undercut his whole life at work, you wouldn't have had all that money to be where you are now.