Current jazz pilots

[sg12]

Hi

I have some questions I would like to ask a current Jazz Captain or First Officer. I feel like there is a lot of negativity on this website and I don't know how truthful all the statements are, so I wanted to see if someone who has actually made it to Jazz would be willing to speak with me? I would appreciate it tremendously if someone wouldn't mind. If so please feel free to email me, thanks everyone!

[wtf_over]

so I wanted to see if someone who has actually made it to Jazz would be willing to speak with me?

if you live in TO and have been asked if you would like fries with that. theres about a 20% chance that you were speaking to an actual JAZZ pilot.

[qwert]

or Welcome to Wallmart...

[Valcore]

Or would you like happy ending.

[KAG]

Alot of us who bash Jazz are former Jazz pilots. Take what we say with a grain of salt.
Jazz is a good company, it's not a career job (for me anyway, IMHO) but does have alot of perks - sched, passes, medical coverage, good equipment, ETC.
If your not debt ridden then the money is doable for the first few years. I'm guessing your young with low time, most likely never made good money so this won't be too much a hit. Some of us were pretty comfy flying pop and chips making decent coin, the Jazz paycut hurt (as would any cut when your lifestyle is based on your pay).
Also to consider, if/when the industry does slow down, having multi PIC time is a good insurrance policy if you get laid off. Not having any MAY effect you down the road.
If your going to go the Jazz do it NOW, get your #, and get some guys behind you.

[squawk 7600]

KAG,

Just curious why you would think someone could not make a career out of Jazz. Once you make capt. (I know it takes along time) isn't the money actually pretty decent? Like somewhere in the neighborhood of a $100,000 + ? That sounds like good money to me. I think anyone would be happy to make that kind of coin, with a good schedule, travel perks, pension, etc, all while having 15 days off a month. I don't know, that sounds like a pretty decent quality of life. I work corporate, with not many days off, and don't make close to a $100 but consider it a career job.

Like I said, just curious why people would think that. I don't know where you work so I guess it's all relative.

[KAG]

I'm by no means saying it cannot be a career job for someone, just not me.
Yes 100K sounds great with 15 days off a month, with everything you mentioned, but lets look at it from a new hires point of view.
First to get to that salary is I'm guessing 7-10 years for a YYZ, YUL base forget out west or east.
Then when you do make CPT (and the 100 K ish salary) your bottom of the list again, most likely on reserve. Your schedule will be crap, you will not get a Xmas, new years (or any civic holiday for that matter) off for many years as both a copilot and then again as a junior CPT. Sure your making good money, but with little bidding power making plans outside of vacation is rather hard. So is your lifestyle really that good?

For those that got hired early on in the hiring, they were able to hold a block from almost day 1, and as semi senior copilots life is pretty good. They get what they want in both days off and trips. Aside from the money, it’s a pretty sweet gig.

If you compare Jazz to WJ, there really is no comparison. You get good money by year 2 (60K+ T4, and by year 3 it’s around 100K) and a good schedule from day 1. I had New Years off (worked Xmas), and I’m a newer hire. It’s not perfect and never will be. I cannot pick my pairings, nor am I going to ever get EXACTLY what I want like a senior Jazz FO/CPT. But I would rather have it this way, then the other.
That’s why for me, Jazz was not a career move. I would rather get 75% of what I want most of the time, rather then the feast or famine schedule that a seniority based system evolves. I won’t even get into the differences in working conditions from a satisfaction point of view – I would sound like I drank too much Kool-Aid.

Jazz is a good gig, could be a great job, but comes up short in what I want out of my career in the time frame I’m comfortable with.
To each their own.

[swervin]

I'm by no means saying it cannot be a career job for someone, just not me.
Yes 100K sounds great with 15 days off a month, with everything you mentioned, but lets look at it from a new hires point of view.
First to get to that salary is I'm guessing 7-10 years for a YYZ, YUL base forget out west or east.
Then when you do make CPT (and the 100 K ish salary) your bottom of the list again, most likely on reserve. Your schedule will be crap, you will not get a Xmas, new years (or any civic holiday for that matter) off for many years as both a copilot and then again as a junior CPT. Sure your making good money, but with little bidding power making plans outside of vacation is rather hard. So is your lifestyle really that good?

For those that got hired early on in the hiring, they were able to hold a block from almost day 1, and as semi senior copilots life is pretty good. They get what they want in both days off and trips. Aside from the money, it’s a pretty sweet gig.

If you compare Jazz to WJ, there really is no comparison. You get good money by year 2 (60K+ T4, and by year 3 it’s around 100K) and a good schedule from day 1. I had New Years off (worked Xmas), and I’m a newer hire. It’s not perfect and never will be. I cannot pick my pairings, nor am I going to ever get EXACTLY what I want like a senior Jazz FO/CPT. But I would rather have it this way, then the other.
That’s why for me, Jazz was not a career move. I would rather get 75% of what I want most of the time, rather then the feast or famine schedule that a seniority based system evolves. I won’t even get into the differences in working conditions from a satisfaction point of view – I would sound like I drank too much Kool-Aid.

Jazz is a good gig, could be a great job, but comes up short in what I want out of my career in the time frame I’m comfortable with.
To each their own.

Good Points Kag. You also have to remember it takes 16-17 years to start making $100k, it used to be only 8 years to get to that level, big difference. And a 100K today is not nearly what is what a few years ago with the massive amount of deductions we take. Back in 2000 making a $100k a year, take home was around $6000 plus a month. Now it's around $4800-5000. Plus your cost of living has gone up by around 30% in the same time frame.

[bcflyer]

Not really fair to compare the salaries at Westjet to Jazz. The biggest plane at Jazz seats 75, the SMALLEST at Westjet seats 119! If you aren't making more flying a 737 you best find another place to work.

Getting back to the original topic, sg12 check your pms...

[pitot-tube]

Things in Yvr aren't as bad as everyone makes it out to be, I was hired under a year ago, and my base senority on the F/O side is already just under half way up the list. I would say that is pretty good!!

[georgejetson]

I was hired in Sep 2005, I am #11 on the YYZ dash roster, another bid or two i should be able to hold a left seat in YYZ or YUL, that means 3 not 7 to 10 years for an upgrade. I work about 14 days a month on average, and I like my job just fine.

[twinpratts]

How long has the most junior Capt been at the company? (at YVR, and YYC?)
That's the Question you should be asking... Along with where do i want to be in 10 yrs from now.

[Hey You There]

I was hired in Sep 2005, I am #11 on the YYZ dash roster, another bid or two i should be able to hold a left seat in YYZ or YUL, that means 3 not 7 to 10 years for an upgrade. I work about 14 days a month on average, and I like my job just fine.

If you are no. 11 in YYZ you were NOT hired in 05. The first guy hired in Sep. 05 is No. 14 in Toronto on the Dash and still does 16 days a month. I smell BS.

[joe to go]

I dont think it will be as easy as you think to get the upgrade in 3 years. What about all the senior RJ FO's that most likely have Capt, Dash 8 on their bids. Or some of the YHZ FOs looking for the upgrade. Or maybe the 15 year Calgary or Vancouver FOs that are looking for the upgrade. Just cause you are number 11, don't think that there are only 10 people ahead of you that want that position!!!

JOE

[Treetopflyer]

I think GeorgeJetson means #11 on the new bid position list that came out with the award. (effective maybe in a month or 2??) Not today's list.
TTF

[Bede]

There are a few hundred FO's who would prefer to be wherever (YYC, YVR, YYZ) and get the flying they want rather than being a YUL DH8 skipper flying 18 days a month to Baie-Comeau. On the new bid, the spread between the bottom capt (DH8, YUL) and the most senior new hire (2005) is 30 numbers. Thats one big bid away.

[Dark Helmet]

How long has the most junior Capt been at the company? (at YVR, and YYC?)
That's the Question you should be asking... Along with where do i want to be in 10 yrs from now.

Hi Twins,

I'll answer it for ya, 16-17 years. Yeah its must suck to be that senior Capt and have a crappy schedule. However, like sg12 said let those Jazz Capts say that.

A lot of these junior Capts and Senior FOs out west can hold a Capt spot out East and have a awesome sched. The caveat is they would have to commute (or move). People commute at WJ and AC too don't they. Or even moved. Thats an airline job for ya.

They are not stuck with a shitty schedule. Maybe being home after a pairing is probably more important to them than having to commute for a good sched.

[whiteguy]

If you get YYZ or YUL as an intitial base, how long would it take to try and get a transfer to YYC or YVR bases?? Thanks

[TopperHarley]

If you get YYZ or YUL as an intitial base, how long would it take to try and get a transfer to YYC or YVR bases?? Thanks

In our g/s they told us it doesn't take long to hold the base you want. YYC and YVR are senior, but you can put a standing bid in as soon as you are hired, and probably end up holding it within a few months. Some people have even gotten a base switch before they finished their line indoc.

Our class had 2 YVR spots too, so you could end up with a western base right out of g/s.

If you get a base you don't want, don't worry about it. It won't be long before you get what you want.

[Dark Helmet]

I' d say for a new hire you can probably expect Either YYZ CRJ, YYZ Dash, or YVR Dash. Those were the bulk of the spots left from the last bid. There were a few YUL and YYC spots too, but not many, and one YHZ Dash

C-HRIS is pretty bang on, everyone eventually gets the base they want within months.

[whiteguy]

If you get YYZ or YUL as an intitial base, how long would it take to try and get a transfer to YYC or YVR bases?? Thanks

In our g/s they told us it doesn't take long to hold the base you want. YYC and YVR are senior, but you can put a standing bid in as soon as you are hired, and probably end up holding it within a few months. Some people have even gotten a base switch before they finished their line indoc.

Our class had 2 YVR spots too, so you could end up with a western base right out of g/s.

If you get a base you don't want, don't worry about it. It won't be long before you get what you want.

Thanks C-HRIS! What did you get??

[TopperHarley]

RJ out of YUL.