Sorry, back to the above arguement, however as I’ve worked for both airlines I feel qualified to add my tuppance worth. I left FR close to 4 years ago and joined LS as a DEC. I’ll attempt to add my perspective to both when addressing similar areas/issues.
1. I left FR primarily because I was based at a location that I didn’t want to be in and there was no clear end in sight. As publicised, there is no seniority list in FR (similar to Jet2). This is all well and good when it comes down to opportunities as each airline states that positions are available based upon merit and qualification. Relating to bases, Jet2 do have a list which pilots are selected from i.a.w the date that they request transfer (alongside their rank). This is visible for all to see at any one time.
In opposition, the only ‘list’ that FR had was one that management had access to. Base transfers were applied in a random manner and, from my experience, didn’t apply one iota of fairness. There was no time frame given and the only opportunity available to check your status was to phone some office in Stansted in the off chance that you could actually speak to someone who were responsible for transfers. Quite often, again with my experience, you were fobbed off and told to call back in a few months - that’s if you actually managed to speak to anyone in the first place. I will add that as a FO and as a Captain I never operated from my first choice base when in FR.
The process may have changed since I left however the base transfer policy is much more transparent in Jet2. I have yet to meet someone who has not been based where they need to be within their first 6-12 months. I’m not saying this is the universal rule however the airline seem very aware that it is a pointless exercise having people based away from their homelife for a prolonged period of time. In FR, they didn’t seem to care too much and only put emphasis upon it when attrition rates soared or when the requirement for DECs became priority.
2. Rosters. The fixed roster pattern in FR remains their golden goose. If you’re at your base of choice then they’re excellent. Week by week, they rotated early to lates and they were (again my experience from 4 years ago) exceptionally well managed with little to no changes. I flew 900 hours a year and even with ‘commuting’ I never felt fatigued. On that point, should you chose to ‘commute’ (in a lot of cases pilots have zero choice in this matter) then the roster definitely isn’t 5/4 regardless of what the airline states. That being said, roster management was excellent in FR.
Unfortunately I wouldn’t claim the same with regards to Jet2. As known, the pattern isn’t fixed. No big deal really (if you are based where you want to be) however there are too many issues that need addressing in this area to mention here alone. Fatigue can become an issue however in my opinion the airline does have quite a grown up approach to this through their FMS. There’s still quite a way to go here (roster management) especially as the majority of flying is compressed over a 5 to 6 month period. The winter’s remain quiet/quieter however the flying program is definitely getting busier in the low season. That being said, it’s nowhere close to FR’s overall winter schedule. With rostering, I do feel it is an area that Jet2 wish to address however the company’s success & expansion has blocked progress imo. I don’t foresee fixed rostering being an option in Jet2, certainly not in the summer. Again, my own outlook here.
3. Leave - in my time in FR this was atrocious however, reading from the above posts, it appears to have improved which is obviously fantastic. In Jet2 it is managed fairly and reasonably transparently. The problem is that summer or ‘peak season’ leave is restricted for line pilots (being a holiday airline). That being said careful manipulation of the leave system at the opportune time can allow for 10-14 consecutive leave days in summer for those that fly the line (i’m including LTC in this bracket as I understand they receive slightly greater entitlement). I can’t comment on FR now however when I was there the process was laughable. Has it consistently changed for the better? I genuinely hope so.
Package - in my experience, it’s superior in Jet2. Proper contracts, no pseudo employment bs, no paying tax here, paying NI there, no offsetting this and that because some guy in an accountancy firm in Dublin says it’s fine, no looking over your shoulder for the Revenue or HMRC at any time. Additionally Jet2 pay for everything, within reason, without excuse. Sounds silly but hotels, transport, uniform, medicals, sim sessions, airside passes, parking, pension, income protection cover and most recently medical care are all added universally. When I say ‘silly’ FR pilots will know exactly what I’m on about! I will add that staff travel (only available to ‘permanent’ staff) was much better in Ryanair. BTW I’m not talking about the FR ‘jump-seating’ policy here. Nuff said ;-)
Culture - both very safe outfits with very open training and reporting systems in my experience. Operationally, both are extremely ‘just’ & fair on the basis that you are both honest & forthcoming (as an employer should rightfully expect you to be). Overall Jet2 are much much easier to deal with, so to speak. There’s a lot more openness. In FR I always had the sense of intrepidation. Not with every department, but a general opinion that things could change with the stroke of a pen, and with very short notice! I observed some horrendous horror stories. The term ‘divide & conquer’ was also something that I heard a lot within my peers at FR.
With union recognition, maybe things will change for the better? I really hope so. However with the current upper management structure remaining in place, unfortunately I feel that this is unlikely.
In conclusion, I hope I’ve provided a fair & balanced synopsis. Both airlines have their strengths. For me, Jet2 wins it - but that’s me. They aren’t without their faults and they’d be first to admit this, however I haven’t regretted the move. I have friends in FR that would say the same there.