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13 minutes ago, hindsight2020 said:

At AA? I may be misunderstanding what they mean, but speaking with my AA "associates" at the sqdrn, coverage rules at American are supposedly horrible (the whole red/redder thing), which would make that airline a terrible one to be a low-credit/trip-dropper guy. I remember asking that specifically as someone who'd be in the trip dropper category as a junior guy without the MLOA crutch non-retirees still have at their disposal.

Your anecdote runs completely counter to everything I've been told about the schedule-germane work rules at AA. I'm completely open to stand corrected since you work there of course, but is this a 'Rona specific nuance? 

At any rate, agreed driving to work is the cat's meow, but like everything in life, everyone has different flex/priorities/circumstances. No right/wrong answer on that one.

I have been dropping my schedule to zero (I'm LGA based) for about 2 years now. I've been here for three. Like all airlines, the more time you are willing to invest into learning the system and the contract, the better able you are to make it work for you.

 

I can't even count how many guys I've explained my system to, guys who claim they want to be able to drop more of their schedule, and after walking them through it they tell me it sounds like too much work. And it's true, it's certainly more work than just filling out your preferences for the month, and getting a schedule to fly. But as I said, on an okay month I fly 50 hours and get paid for 90. To do that I spend about 20 minutes on my monthly bid, and about 15 minutes a day from the 18th to the 28th working the trading systems to dump my schedule. Then let's say 10 minutes a day during the month keeping an eye out for trips to fit. I'm no mathematician, but I think I'm still ahead doing that. 

 

There's a joke here, American Airlines pilots only hate two things. The wAAy things have always been, and change.

 

The airline is never going to make it easy for guys to have an empty schedule. In their mind that's exactly what reserve is for, and the trade-off is that you don't get to pick what you fly. Ultimately I'm glad that more people aren't willing to take the time to learn to do what I do. Most of them are much more senior than me if they were all running the same hustle, I wouldn't be able to.

 

There's no right or wrong answer on commuting, but it is a simple discussion. You don't get to do any of the things I'm talking about as a commuter. The best you can hope for is to drop your schedule to zero at your assigned base, and pick up regular trips at the base you live closer to. That's an improvement, but it's still a grind. 

 

Often it seems like the conversation comes down to a military spouse wanting to live by his or her family after a decade or two of following the member around the world. I try to explain that they're making a choice between who they're going to see more, their family or their spouse. I guess if you're only going to do it for 11 or so years before you have to retire maybe the numbers balance out. It's often hard to convey to someone just how different the job is between commuting and not commuting. It's way more than just driving to work. It's more nights at home. Less stress. Exponentially more opportunities for easy money. Flexibility for how you balance work and family life. I was always able to conceptually understand that before I was a commuter, but after even just a year of finishing a trip and immediately transitioning into "how the hell am I going to get home" mode, hoping someone else didn't have the jump seat, hoping that a passenger wouldn't show up, watching my commuter flights get canceled due to weather, it wears on you. 

 

But anyways, yes it's possible, and no it's not a pandemic thing. 

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On 2/12/2021 at 6:01 AM, SocialD said:

I wasn't NQ, just a Guard fighter guy not getting enough hours and ended up at regional.  I actually had a good time, but then again I was home based, flew with Captains my age (mid-late 20s) and the FAs were mostly in the early 20s....good times.  Pay sucked, but I had lots of fun and learned a lot about the airline world.  That airline (Compass) is now no more..

I did a stint at CPZ, too, after I retired non-current and had a great time yanking gear and hanging out with the 20-something Capts and FAs as an ol' 40-something dude.

I enjoyed every day except payday; made under $17,000 my first year.

Most importantly, learned a ton about 121 operations that made the leap to the majors much easier than it would have been directly from Big Blue's loving arms.

Edited by Hacker
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4 hours ago, Lord Ratner said:

Counterpoint, there are *lots* of hustles depending on how much you are willing to learn. 

I dump my whole schedule before the month starts. Zero hours, zero pay. I then pick up day-of or next day trips as they come up due to sick calls, weather diverts, maintenance, etc.

The more you put into it, the more you get.

 

Well true, there are hustles to be had everywhere...but I'm speaking strictly QOL without having to "hustle," especially for commuters.  There is a reason guys get on a WB and don't upgrade until they can move to the left seat.  Same reason we see guys bid off NB Capt back to WB FO.  It's truly like working for an entirely different airline, and it's also a great place for commuters.  Even reserve (at DAL anyway), is a great deal...so much so that often times even the plug gets (sometimes forced into) a line because so many senior guys bid reserve.  Even on short call on a WB, I'd go fly my cub around...can still get cell signal at 500 ft lol.  

But since you brought it up, on months I bid a line, I'd do the same thing.  I'd drop my entire schedule to zero, then pick up more efficient trips.  Generally for me that meant a 4-day trip that was actually 3 days of work due to being able to deviate DH on the front or back end.  Most months I'd just do 9 days of actual work, while being paid for an additional 4 days (~63 hours total).  I'm more of a days off type of guy...63 hours is more than enough for me.  At DAL, due to staffing, it's generally MUCH harder to drop your entire schedule on a NB fleet.  

Edited by SocialD
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  • 1 month later...

United announced today they are starting to hire immediately.  Once all the majors start the train the USAF is going to see the pain that they are causing themselves.  I just hope I bail before any type of stop loss is implemented.  

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1 hour ago, Ryder1587 said:

Once all the majors start the train the USAF is going to see the pain that they are causing themselves.  

At least the 11R retention rate will be fantabulous. 
But The Air Staff apparently knew that already. 

Edited by HuggyU2
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5 hours ago, Ryder1587 said:

United announced today they are starting to hire immediately.  Once all the majors start the train the USAF is going to see the pain that they are causing themselves.  I just hope I bail before any type of stop loss is implemented.  

Can’t wait for the Air Force to fall flat on its face. Again. 

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1 hour ago, Gazmo said:

Riiiiiight.... and how will they recruit this 50%?

Take everyone with the right DNA from the regionals and give everyone that applies to Purdue, ERAU, NDSU, MGA, every HBCU, with the right DNA a scholarship and a CJO into your ab initio program.  Pay for their 1500 hours and put them in indoc.  There will be way more non-white males than females, but it won't be hard to meet that PR target.

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It's ok, just identify as both a male and a female when you fill out your app.  Now you're in on both sides of the 50% quota.

Actual race and sex discrimination in an attempt to fix perceived race and sex discrimination...

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22 hours ago, tac airlifter said:

What are destination jobs?  I’m trying to get smart on all things airline.  I’m currently ignorant.

 

Which ever one allows you to live in base.  

 

20 hours ago, Royal said:

Anyone have intel on the latest contract proposals from the Big 3?

 

DAL was only about half way through the contract when the ronas started.  So far it had some nice little add-ons here and there (pay above guarantee for unused SC, etc...), but they really hadn't gotten to the meat of the contract.   I'd guess you'll see more stuff happening later this year or early next.  Possibly early if it's something that will help the recovery efforts.  Honestly, I'm hoping it will be mostly work rule related (more than pay rates), which will be mostly boring from outsiders looking in.  

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've been keeping up my disability insurance just in case something happened that would prevent me from passing an FAA physical.  Fairly expensive, but airline pilot income for life in the event I get in a car accident or something seems worth it to me.

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On 4/19/2021 at 10:45 PM, isuguy1234 said:

Anybody have loss of license insurance?

 

Had it for a hot minute, but dropped it because of our LTD at DAL.  50% of my current earnings is plenty for me for now. 

 

13 minutes ago, 08Dawg said:

I love how the AF thought the Rona had put the airlines down for 3-5 years and short changed the bonus....only for most airlines to rebound in a year and open up hiring again. Bold strategy, Cotton...

 

 

Right!  In reference to the bonus, you even had a few who smugly proclaimed on a few FB groups that "airlines won't be hiring for years."  Meanwhile, guys who were recently on a "no-fly" status just got awarded Captain and  guys with 5 years on property were awarded 75/76 Captain.  I'd expect for us (DAL) to announce hiring soon as well.  What a whacky time in this business.  Bottom line, big miscalculation by the AF and .gov.  

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2 hours ago, SocialD said:

Right!  In reference to the bonus, you even had a few who smugly proclaimed on a few FB groups that "airlines won't be hiring for years."  Meanwhile, guys who were recently on a "no-fly" status just got awarded Captain and  guys with 5 years on property were awarded 75/76 Captain.  I'd expect for us (DAL) to announce hiring soon as well.  What a whacky time in this business.  Bottom line, big miscalculation by the AF and .gov.  

I don't know a single pilot that stayed in, took another assignment, took the bonus etc. because of the pandemic. Maybe five guys in my squadron retired or separated during the pandemic, all are gainfully and happily employed now, to include those who wanted airline work. UPS and FedEx never slowed down. Maybe it was different in the heavy world, but in the fighter world, the pandemic did virtually nothing for retention. 

Anyone who stuck around because of it was likely a tire-kicker and not ever serious about getting out anyway. 

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