Virgin America's 2015 big Pilot pay raise

[BobDDuck]

I went from 8 leg days to 2 leg three days. Regionals were fun but damn that was a lot of work.

And i wen't from 30 leg 4 days to 8 leg 1 days. I don't think the math worked out for me so well.

 

[SmoothLanderJ]

And i wen't from 30 leg 4 days to 8 leg 1 days. I don't think the math worked out for me so well.

Just was in PHNL a few days ago.....those 717s are busy for sure

 

[CFIscare]

And i wen't from 30 leg 4 days to 8 leg 1 days. I don't think the math worked out for me so well.

vs.

I love your math.

 

[derg]

As of this writing it's fair to say our attrition is minimal.

Must have assessed that after my 320 school because I drank beer with quite a few former-VA new hires at the ALPA pub event about six months ago!

 

[BobDDuck]

vs.

I love your math.

248PS... I had my first uncommanded reverser deploy in that thing.

And yes, while I do miss the snow a bit, I'm happy to not have to push back in it... especially in Akron.

 

[surreal1221]

Must have assessed that after my 320 school because I drank beer with quite a few former-VA new hires at the ALPA pub event about six months ago!

A few does fit minimal, unless of course you have figures to indicate that it was a sizable number of former-VA new hires when compared to VA's overall pilot group size.

Come On Man!

 

[stuckingfk]

A few does fit minimal, unless of course you have figures to indicate that it was a sizable number of former-VA new hires when compared to VA's overall pilot group size.

Come On Man!

Must be more attrition than CC knows about. Seems odd there would be such a huge pay raise when nobody is leaving. Management doesn't pay out of the goodness of their non existent hearts.

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

Pretty sure he knew what that meant. We at the regional level, especially him on the jet he flies, fly 6 leg 3-4 day trips. He was saying he would rather get paid $52/hr instead of our lowly regional pay. Thought that was pretty obvious? Not like Virgin has exclusivity on 6 leg 4 day trips...

Yup. It's a "long" day now if I fly more than 2 legs. @Cherokee_Cruiser

As I told my dad, who was stunned by the fact that I'm going to tank my 'regional' jet up and fly it nonstop from SF to Minneapolis tomorrow, "There have been some changes here at the 'bottom'."

Ah I see, I do apologize I see what you mean now. Sorry I was only on the -200 so I was used to 4-6 legs per day! If we aren't doing the transcon trips then we do get up/down west coast flying. For example, my latest trip was Day 1 JFK-LAX-SFO. Day 2 was SFO-SEA turn and a SFO-SAN turn for 4 legs total in one day. Day 3 is SFO-LAS-JFK finish with redeye which lands early morning of Day 4.

 

[Kingairer]

I am led to believe, based on what I read on Jc, that everyone gets 22 days off a month and flies 1 maybe 2 legs a day.

 

[derg]

I am led to believe, based on what I read on Jc, that everyone gets 22 days off a month and flies 1 maybe 2 legs a day.

And Christmas off, including a good December schedule.

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

Must have assessed that after my 320 school because I drank beer with quite a few former-VA new hires at the ALPA pub event about six months ago!

Yes sir, of the 15 left last year they were basically all to United or Delta. I know one personally from my class date who went to Delta last Summer circa June/July-ish. I have no doubt you met a few of our guys.

Must be more attention than CC knows about. Seems odd there would be such a huge pay raise when nobody is leaving. Management doesn't pay out of the goodness of their non existent hearts.

No. We are only ~ 620 pilots so when someone leaves we pretty much hear about it and where they are going. That's the advantage of a small airline. Everyone gets to know each other.

For 2014 we only had two classes of 6 both in March. That was it for the entire year! With the attrition of ~14 last year, we are now finally starting classes. First class of January had 4 pilots but 1 left so that's 3 newhires. The latest class this week had 4 newhires. We have 4 more scheduled classes of 4 pilots each for a total of 24 newhires from Jan-April of this year. There are more projected newhires required later this year as the planes come but those newhire numbers aren't finalized. The only thing official is the 6 classes of 4 each in Jan-April.

You are correct that companies don't give out payraises out of the goodness of their hearts but then you have to keep in mind the upcoming ALPA drive. The company did IPO successfully and is making money. Before, we got raises even though we were losing money but those raises were only $5-7 per step. This is double that amount and on hourly rates alone, pretty much matches jetBlue A320 rates.

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

I forgot to write the 401K update. Currently for pilots it's 125% company match of the first 6%. So it's effectively 1.25 dollar per dollar to 6 percent, or another words, like a 7.5% match (1.25x6). The new change is in addition to this current plan, the company is putting up 4.5% without us doing anything. So it now basically like a 12% 401K match. 4.5% of that the company puts in free with no employee contribution required, and the remaining is 125% of the first 6% a pilot decides to put in.

 

[skyw82]

Yup. I think LAX-MSP is the longest route we do on the 700 now. Right up there with it is AUS/DFW/SAT-LAX/SFO. And, we do red eyes now...

I think your fleet is getting more of those SFO routes. SFO-STL ouch. And I know they will be starting SEA-MKE in the coming months on it.

Something not right about doing Red eyes in an RJ. Next thing you know they'll have narrow bodies flying to europe.

 

[Cherokee_Cruiser]

Something not right about doing Red eyes in an RJ. Next thing you know they'll have narrow bodies flying to europe.

British Airways does operate an A318 in an all-business class setup from JFK to London City airport.

 

[skyw82]

British Airways does operate an A318 in an all-business class setup from JFK to London City airport.

I saw that in jfk and was blown away.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

Something not right about doing Red eyes in an RJ. Next thing you know they'll have narrow bodies flying to europe.

Here's an evil thought for you, they do make ETOPS-capable E-Jets...

 

[Autothrust Blue]

Ah I see, I do apologize I see what you mean now. Sorry I was only on the -200 so I was used to 4-6 legs per day! If we aren't doing the transcon trips then we do get up/down west coast flying. For example, my latest trip was Day 1 JFK-LAX-SFO. Day 2 was SFO-SEA turn and a SFO-SAN turn for 4 legs total in one day. Day 3 is SFO-LAS-JFK finish with redeye which lands early morning of Day 4.

Yuuuuuup.

The 'regional' jet indeed. If you mean the North American region.

 

[surreal1221]

Must be more attention than CC knows about. Seems odd there would be such a huge pay raise when nobody is leaving. Management doesn't pay out of the goodness of their non existent hearts.

Uh yeah...I guess what you said was directed at me...eh.

I thought I was involved in a discussion regarding minimal and few.

O WAIT A MINUTE!

Did you mean to say attrition? Or did you really mean to say attention? Cause right now, after the day I had, I'm pretty much reading the words that are displayed on my screen instead of correcting what other people wrote into what they might have meant instead...cause this guy ain't got time for that.

 

[stuckingfk]

Uh yeah...I guess what you said was directed at me...eh.

I thought I was involved in a discussion regarding minimal and few.

O WAIT A MINUTE!

Did you mean to say attrition? Or did you really mean to say attention? Cause right now, after the day I had, I'm pretty much reading the words that are displayed on my screen instead of correcting what other people wrote into what they might have meant instead...cause this guy ain't got time for that.

Meant attrition. My phone had it correct then the return button apparently messed it up.

Post wasn't directed at you. You were taking about it so I'd something additional.

 

[wheelsup]

I am led to believe, based on what I read on Jc, that everyone gets 22 days off a month and flies 1 maybe 2 legs a day.

My job is to get paid. Literally. That's all I do. I just get paid. It's a pretty good gig.