BigZ
Well-Known Member
So... have you actually ever flown on Spirit? Allegiant? BahamasAir 737 between Nassau and Freeport? Ozbekiston Havo Yollari?
Moxy and 60 A220s
- Thread starter bp
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BobDDuck
Island Bus Driver
He used to pay to fly on a Gulfstream 1900 from Palm Beach to Nassau. Does that count?
(too soon @ATN_Pilot ?)
BigZ
Well-Known Member
Oh. Really?
SlumTodd_Millionaire
Most Hated Member
The “big” Embraers are nice planes. But when I’ve got a choice of mainline crews flying me, or some guy named Swayne who YouTubes his entire life, I’ll stick with mainline.
Been on Spirit many times. Used to commute on them occasionally when I was based in DTW. Thought it was horribly uncomfortable then, and their product was actually better at that time before they went full ULCC and started charging for everything imaginable a la carte.
That said, it’s a good business, and probably a great place to work (just so long as you can avoid deadheads). So I’d gladly be a pilot there if I was still flying for a living. I’d just never be a customer.
BigZ
Well-Known Member
Again - it all depends on the product you need. Spirit was my go to plan B for a couple of years when I lived in FL and the kids were up north. I either got a free economy plus on United, or bought Spirit ticket at the airport. United seat was more comfortable, but either company got me and a small duffle bag where I needed to go in about the same time.
What's bad is when there is a mismatch between the product and the mission - like apparently a large travel company here up north buys blocks of Frontier seats to fly vacationers to their destination. I laugh about the "evil Frontier charged us for everything" comments and try to explain that the vibes should be sent towards the travel agency that chose to include the negotiated low Frontier rates in the package, forwarding the fees for checked bags (which these people bring plenty of) to them.
Bandit_Driver
Gold Member
I prefer ridding on mainline. DL, NK, AA when I have my choice. I also take a fair amount of flights on regionals. Some of the stuff I have seen in the jumpseat make you scratch your head and wonder what is going on in the training department. Some of the stage lengths for the RJ's are getting nuts and those long routes need to be taken back to mainline and flown on mainline equipment, IMO....
I've had good luck with commuting. I usually get comfort + or a row to myself on DL, Big Comfy seat or exit row on NK, and AA usually get bumped up to FC when it is open (happens a lot oddly enough).
@BigZ I hear on pax complaining about being charged for XYZ. People do not read or research at all what they are actually buying. I see it daily with NK. Some that buy tix on F9 and NK but actually expect a delta first class experience. Just isn't going to happen and no matter what is done they are going to leave pissed off. Due to their own unrealistic expectations....
I've had good luck with commuting. I usually get comfort + or a row to myself on DL, Big Comfy seat or exit row on NK, and AA usually get bumped up to FC when it is open (happens a lot oddly enough).
@BigZ I hear on pax complaining about being charged for XYZ. People do not read or research at all what they are actually buying. I see it daily with NK. Some that buy tix on F9 and NK but actually expect a delta first class experience. Just isn't going to happen and no matter what is done they are going to leave pissed off. Due to their own unrealistic expectations....
BigZ
Well-Known Member
That too, but I was referencing a travel agency that packages Frontier into pretty much all of their vacations, providing hence the introduction to the LCC experience to unsuspecting public. The point was that the people complaining about the airline should, in this case, be actually complaining about their travel agency.
Bandit_Driver
Gold Member
agreed, but it is still caveat emptor out there. Sadly the airline is the last visible piece that user interacts with and they take out their frustrations on the airline....
Autothrust Blue
Welcome aboard the Washington State Ferries
<- See over there.
mrivc211
Well-Known Member
I'm curious how guys like Neeleman get their first big break? I understand that they're all from the same circles but still. And even then, how the heck do they get a new airline started from the ground up. Theres so much work to be done from an administrative standpoint. I guess lots of money and manpower helps.
Cptnchia
Dissatisfied Customer
I did some moonlight work with Maxjet helping to compile their OpSpecs manual. It was mind numbing work. Watched those guys waste ungodly amounts of money standing that airline up.
BobDDuck
Island Bus Driver
If 2008 hadn't happened, them and EOS might have made it. That was the best jumpseat deal ever.
Butch Palmore
Just happy to be here.
Ok help me out here. So if the regionals go away, and the mainlines fill that vacuum with big planes, the salaries would go up?
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Cptnchia
Dissatisfied Customer
The bottom rates at a mainline is tied to the top rates at a regional. If that point doesn’t exist, it’s easier to negotiate upwards. There’s no threat from management to “Just outsource that flying to the regional partner.”
killbilly
Vocals, Lyrics, Triangle, Washboard, Kittens
Unrestricted or non-refundable fares?
My company's "preferred" airline is SWA. I'd prefer to fly DL because I have better status on them, but just like you guys fly the jets the way the boss wants em flown, I gotta fly on the tickets someone else is paying for. I don't mind that much, honestly - I get where I wanna go, and the restricted fare prices are usually pretty close to each other.
Now...refundable fares? Whole different ball o' wax....
SlumTodd_Millionaire
Most Hated Member
Come work for me. Our policy manual straight up prohibits travel on Southwest. 
killbilly
Vocals, Lyrics, Triangle, Washboard, Kittens
Come work for me. Our policy manual straight up prohibits travel on Southwest.
Meh. I don't mind them so much. The full-fare pricing isn't bad in a pinch, and I'm a pretty low-maintenance customer anyway. I've gotten a lot less....dogmatic, I guess...because I don't have to get on airplanes to travel for business as much as I used to. Helps when your company makes really badass collaboration and conferencing systems.
Maximilian_Jenius
Super User
Come work for me. Our policy manual straight up prohibits travel on Southwest.
Lol, damn, that some serious hate there!
Butch Palmore
Just happy to be here.
Admittedly I am quite the neophyte. But I am am trying to resolve the economics beyond salaries. Either those routes are covered by larger less profitable aircraft or smaller more profitable planes are added to the fleet and staffed accordingly. I’m totally guessing pay scales for the smaller jets might see a slight if any increase from regional scales. Not quite sure how removal of the regional “threat” would provide any leverage in negotiations. Again, this side of aviation is new for me. Thanks for your patience.
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