Spirit Furloughing

[ASpilot2be]

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/04/08/spirit-airlines-will-defer-airbus-orders-furlough-260-pilots.html

Hoping for the best for the pilots.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

This is the way it's always been in this business. Hire till you furlough, furlough till you hire.

I worry for the young guys whose career has been nothing but a rocket ship to the moon as they experience their first speed bump of adversity in this profession.

 

[roundout]

Sorry to all affected.

 

[Kingairer]

Did they not offer furlough mitigation first like unpaid month off?

 

[CoffeeIcePapers]

This sucks. I wish we could get a preferential interview program setup.

 

[killbilly]

This sucks. I wish we could get a preferential interview program setup.

What would that take?

 

[killbilly]

I hope we can hire as many as want to come here - seems like they'd be ready-made for our operation.

 

[mwflyer]

Article says the furloughs don’t take effect until Sept. Gives them time to find something else before missing a paycheck.

 

[CoffeeIcePapers]

What would that take?

I don’t have a clue.

 

[Boots2Wings]

Damn, saw the news in my group, and came straight here hoping it was only rumor. Pulling for those people.

 

[MikeD]

Is the fact that spirit A319/320s are slowly stacking up in storage at P08, an airport I do training at, related to this? Or are these the planes with the engine issues?

 

[JordanD]

Is the fact that spirit A319/320s are slowly stacking up in storage at P08, an airport I do training at, related to this? Or are these the planes with the engine issues?

319s wouldn’t be since they’re the IAE engines. Maybe the 320s if they’re the NEO variety. If I remember right the 319s are paid off (I think?) so they seem like they’re generally the first to get parked. It seemed like it was rare to touch one during the early COVID days.

 

[CFIT99]

This is what sites like this is for!

Any Spirit pilots feel free to reach out, plenty of us at the big 4 (6) willing to help.

 

[skypilot6]

319s wouldn’t be since they’re the IAE engines. Maybe the 320s if they’re the NEO variety. If I remember right the 319s are paid off (I think?) so they seem like they’re generally the first to get parked. It seemed like it was rare to touch one during the early COVID days.

The 319's are sold, we have 11 left currently, those will be gone within a year, unfortunately the sale of the 319's was planned and happened before the neo issues were a huge problem.

This furlough anouncement stems more from the P&W Neo issues than anything else. The turnaround time from the engines comming off the wing to going back on keeps increasing, around 400 days is the current number I keep hearing.

And Spirit is the largest NEO Operator in the world, 73-A320neos, and 11-A321neos. Current fleet shows 192 total. So we are very exposed to this problem. Currently planning on having 48 airplanes grounded by the end of the year, increasing to 70 next year....

 

[CoffeeIcePapers]

Is the fact that spirit A319/320s are slowly stacking up in storage at P08, an airport I do training at, related to this? Or are these the planes with the engine issues?

They sold the 319s shortly before the neo engine problems started.

 

[Bandit_Driver]

Why aren't they asking the union for VIL's.

 

[Screaming_Emu]

I don’t have a clue.

Well, I’m sure there’s some people you could ask if you care that much.

 

[Box hauler]

Why aren't they asking the union for VIL's.

Because VIL’s cost more than furloughing is my guess. I wish they would though

 

[derg]

This is what sites like this is for!

Any Spirit pilots feel free to reach out, plenty of us at the big 4 (6) willing to help.

No doubt. Just have your sh— together (I mean actually) and magic can happen.

My inbox is always open.

 

[jtrain609]

Why aren't they asking the union for VIL's.

VIL's are a solution when you need to reduce staff, but for a shorter period of time than a furlough. Furloughing is expensive and you probably need to have people on the street for over two years for them to be cost effective.