The new airline thread

[Hacker]

6 hours ago, HossHarris said:

I would also plan and budget for at least 12 months from hitting publish on a 90% app to getting your first (meager) paycheck. 

And have a backup plan if you don't get "the call" you want during the timeframe you want.  Regionals, contractors, lower-tier national/LCC/freight airlines, etc.

[dream big]

On 2/13/2018 at 2:24 AM, tunes said:

If you are talking about an O-4 board isn’t it a 100% promotion now for AD?

Allegedly..but who knows any more with AF leadership? 

[di1630]

Question: how little could you realistically work for an airline if you wanted to maximize time off?

Say 50-60 hours credit time or is there a min and rules in place to ensure it?

[RTB]

27 minutes ago, di1630 said:

Question: how little could you realistically work for an airline if you wanted to maximize time off?

Say 50-60 hours credit time or is there a min and rules in place to ensure it?

At least at Delta, it all depends on the month.  In winter months, when flying is light, you would still have to bid a min schedule but can pretty much guarantee you can drop as many trips as you want.  Flying is so thin that dudes looking to pick up extra time will scarf them up within minutes of you posting them.  Last winter I bid reserve to avoid flying in February and flew 2.5 hours total but got paid for 72.  Had a week of vacation in there too but I probably wouldn't have been used even if I was available all 4 weeks.  Summertime is a different matter.  That's the all hands on deck time for the airlines so you'll usually have a pretty full schedule and it's harder to drop trips.  Generally speaking, we have a 'line construction window' that defines the upper and lower limits of what the computer can assign you and that is based on the average line value for the month.  So if the average is 72 hours, the LCW ranges from a low of around 64 hours to a high of around 80 hours.  You can bid to be on the low end but it's not always honored, depending on your relative seniority in category.  But again, there are ways to try to drop trips both through the company computer runs and through a pilot to pilot swap board.  

[nunya]

Right now, at my airline, in my seat, in my base, I regularly drop to 0.  I don't have a trust fund so I gotta fill it back in, but if I wanted to go RVing for a month I could.

Caveat: 22 months ago I couldn't drop ANYTHING.  Those were lucrative times, but definitely short on flexibility.

[Buddy Spike]

1 hour ago, di1630 said:

Question: how little could you realistically work for an airline if you wanted to maximize time off?

Say 50-60 hours credit time or is there a min and rules in place to ensure it?

AA has no min.  It used to be easier until the Christmas fiasco. Now it seems like all trips are red (can't be dropped).  40-50 hrs is my target when I have a line.

You could also sit reserve and fly that much in a typical month while getting paid 73-76 hrs.

[Toro]

1 hour ago, Buddy Spike said:

AA has no min.  It used to be easier until the Christmas fiasco. Now it seems like all trips are red (can't be dropped).  40-50 hrs is my target when I have a line.

You could also sit reserve and fly that much in a typical month while getting paid 73-76 hrs.

When I sat reserve in MIA, I was usually close to or over the min guarantee on hours (73-76).  In the past four months since I switched to DFW, I have averaged around 50 hours.  I'm told it's even better sitting reserve on widebodies.

[Bergman]

23 minutes ago, Toro said:

'm told it's even better sitting reserve on widebodies.

I think that's my next adventure when I can hold widebody in Atlanta.  Talked with a 777 FO who flew 6 4-day trips IN A YEAR sitting reserve.  At $232/hour.  The trips were all one leg out, 48 hour layover, 1 leg back.  Oh, with two crews...so in crew rest half of the two flights also.

Although I have to say, my regular schedule has been pretty awesome lately.  A full 81 hour schedule for March has 3 4-days and a 3-day, and all but one of those trips has a 33+ hour layover (entire day off) so not really working that hard.  I bid specific layovers and usually have enough going on they don't even feel like work.

 

[Buddy Spike]

1 hour ago, Toro said:

When I sat reserve in MIA, I was usually close to or over the min guarantee on hours (73-76).  In the past four months since I switched to DFW, I have averaged around 50 hours.  I'm told it's even better sitting reserve on widebodies.

Were you Domestic or International?

I had the same issue on Domestic, but so far this month on International I'm at 5 hrs and I shouldn't have even flown that.  I have a buddy on the Bus MIA international and he's averaging 40 hours per month.  I'm curious to see how that will change when Domestic and International merge for them in April. 

Edited February 16, 2018 by Buddy Spike

[TreeA10]

6 hours ago, Toro said:

When I sat reserve in MIA, I was usually close to or over the min guarantee on hours (73-76).  In the past four months since I switched to DFW, I have averaged around 50 hours.  I'm told it's even better sitting reserve on widebodies.

Widebody flying depends on Short Call vs Long Call.  As I've successfully clawed my way to a relatively more junior position, despite wanting and bidding Short Call, I've been stuck with Long Call for the last two months.  I did 3 trips in January and I've done 2 so far this month.  Compare and contrast that with Short Call where I might fly once per month.  My personal "they don't need me so my phone didn't ring" best was 95 days last year and 105 the year before.  I was wondering if I could find the airport again.

[Toro]

17 hours ago, TreeA10 said:

Widebody flying depends on Short Call vs Long Call.  As I've successfully clawed my way to a relatively more junior position, despite wanting and bidding Short Call, I've been stuck with Long Call for the last two months.  I did 3 trips in January and I've done 2 so far this month.  Compare and contrast that with Short Call where I might fly once per month.  My personal "they don't need me so my phone didn't ring" best was 95 days last year and 105 the year before.  I was wondering if I could find the airport again.

Correct, I should have clarified short call.  Widebody reserve on short call living in domicile is the objective for the guy who wants to maximize the pay to flying ration (that's me).

23 hours ago, Buddy Spike said:

Were you Domestic or International?

I had the same issue on Domestic, but so far this month on International I'm at 5 hrs and I shouldn't have even flown that.  I have a buddy on the Bus MIA international and he's averaging 40 hours per month.  I'm curious to see how that will change when Domestic and International merge for them in April. 

I was international in Miami, now I'm domestic in DFW.  I'm a 737 guy - I heard that while we were driving up to and over guarantee in MIA, the Bus guys were sitting around bored out of their minds in a crash pad.

[nunya]

54 minutes ago, Toro said:

I heard that while we were driving up to and over guarantee in MIA, the Bus guys were sitting around bored out of their minds in a crash pad.

But guaranteed as soon as you bid to the Bus, it would reverse and the 73 guys would be sporting the Fu Manchu.

[Tank]

When I sat reserve in DC, I was never called; not once in 4 months!

Now I’m sitting in Houston, I’ve broke guarantee almost every month.  

I’m on the Airbus (319/320), so it all depends on airframe & base.  

Edited February 17, 2018 by Tank

[SocialD]

20 hours ago, TreeA10 said:

Widebody flying depends on Short Call vs Long Call.  

For all the non-airline guys still learning/looking at the airlines, not all airlines have separate short call and long call lines, like AAL.  At DAL, we are all long call unless specifically converted to short call (max of 6 or 7 a month).  We also don't get paid extra (yet) for short calls, here's hoping it changes in the next contract.  Dedicated short call lines sucked donkey balls as a commuter, but would be pretty awesome if you can sit short call from home and get paid extra. 

But yes sitting reserve on a WB is pretty awesome, especially during the winter.  I generally bid a line because I enjoy the layovers, but the last time I bid reserve, I didn't turn a wheel.

Edited February 17, 2018 by SocialD

[HossHarris]

4 hours ago, SocialD said:

I didn't turn a wheel.

But you still get paid. 

Its a beautiful thing when it comes together

[disgruntledemployee]

So?

[Hacker]

Yay!  Virtue signaling!

I wonder if those airlines are going to be making the same changes to their relationship with the FBI and the Broward County S.D.?

[SurelySerious]

1 hour ago, Hacker said:

Yay!  Virtue signaling!

Unfortunately it makes up 96% of social media activity. 

[Tank]

5 hours ago, torqued said:

So they've alienated 5,000,000 potential customers to appease the online "boycott of the day" crowd. How many people would you estimate 1. Knew about their discount agreement with the NRA and 2. Had plans and money for air travel and 3. Were willing to skip Delta/United when searching for the lowest fares on Expedia to the next social justice rally?

I'd personally have doubts about my company's ability to make smart business decisions when they start dipping their toe in this level of hashtag social activism.

It really doesn’t matter in the long run.  The left and the right are going to be pissed about something all the time and “boycott” something.  

When it comes down to it with air travel, the person will buy the cheapest and most advantageous ticket with no regard to the airline they’re flying on.  

[pawnman]

4 hours ago, Tank said:

It really doesn’t matter in the long run.  The left and the right are going to be pissed about something all the time and “boycott” something.  

When it comes down to it with air travel, the person will buy the cheapest and most advantageous ticket with no regard to the airline they’re flying on.  

Not only that, if you don't live in or near a major hub, you probably only have one or two choices for airlines anyway.  See: Abilene, TX - the only way out is to fly American or drive 3.5 hours to Dallas.

[SocialD]

This will have little, if any impact on the airlines.  Just wait for the next political "flavor of the week" to sweep the nation and most of America will have forgotten about it.  The only thing I don't like is the fact that this is purely a decision based on social media pressure...when does this type of shit stop?  I was actually surprised we they had a discount program with the NRA.  Signed, long time NRA member (for now...LaPierre has gone off his rocker).

 

[Bergman]

This is 100% accurate.  Worth the read.

 

https://www.aviationbull.com/2018/feb/26/airline-pilot-second-year-review

[nsplayr]

Emet is a good dude, I second the recommendation.

[FourFans]

...solidifying my decision to separate early...

[brickhistory]

21 hours ago, SocialD said:

This will have little, if any impact on the airlines.  Just wait for the next political "flavor of the week" to sweep the nation and most of America will have forgotten about it.  The only thing I don't like is the fact that this is purely a decision based on social media pressure...when does this type of shit stop?  I was actually surprised we they had a discount program with the NRA.  Signed, long time NRA member (for now...LaPierre has gone off his rocker).

 

Georgia State Senate and Lt Gov threatening to hold up $40 million in fuel tax offsets to Delta over this.

Delta yesterday put out a "What the PR department meant to say" statement yesterday.

Decisions can have consequences.

FEDEX appears to be saying "we don't care one way or the other" and ignoring the SJWs.