Originally Posted by
Normal Pilot
There are good and bad things about both airlines, its personal choice which one works best for you. I am also finding that a lot of ex-FR pilots are looking to return, I think its mainly for the standard of life that FR offer, the fixed roster offers stability if you are based where you want to be.
I'm ex-FR but have no interest in returning at the moment, I do miss the 5/4 very much and I definitely had a better home life in FR than I do now, but Jet2 is a much nicer company to work for, they have a decent and improving annual leave system, transparent basing system and you can actually pick the phone up and talk to people if needed, i.e. crewing. Its just a shame they don't have a decent roster! if they did, very few would leave. If the roster situation hasn't improved within the next year or two, then I probably would look at returning to FR too.
I feel more exhausted doing 500 hrs per year than I did doing 897 hrs per year in FR, that would indicate there is something wrong with the roster, a lot of ex-FR guys say the same, thats why they are leaving, I think! but I do think things will change at Jet2.
Lots of people say that in Jet2 you have the winters to look forward to, it means nothing, you still get very few days off, instead of flights your roster is full of standby days, which you can't do anything on nor relax because you're always checking your phone, so you are confined to your house (or hotel room if you don't live within 90 minutes).
If you decide not to live near your base then that's your problem. I'm sure Jet2 Pilots that live within 90 minutes see standbys as semi days off.
I doubt the Jet 2 model suits a fixed pattern roster as unlike FR if there is any sign of trouble at least Jet 2 will give it a go as its not just a flight it's a package holiday involved. FR just cancel and leave their pax (customers to Jet2) in the lurch.