Originally Posted by
Lobaeux
Great point, and could be a big deal.
BUT, it's not even worth worrying about until an offer of employment is given.
Guys that are getting themselves wrapped up over whether seniority within a class is determined by age, reverse social security number, height or whatever are needlessly thinking about things that don't matter, until at least someone gets a class date.
Still, I guess it fills the time during the day to speculate.
Understand ALL you points, but to echo what the other guys have said;
1) When I took my FIRST displacement from the CA's seat back to FO, I was the most senior pilot to be displaced. ALL that separated me from the other guy was ONE number. Not even a class date difference.
2) When I took my FIRST furlough, I was the second most senior (second from the top) to be let go. AGAIN, not even a class date difference, just where the line fell.
3) The SECOND time I was displaced from the CA's seat back to FO, I was fourth down the list. AGAIN, guys more senior to me in class got to stay in the seat, not even a class difference.
4) The first time I bid for upgrade, I put off by ONE class date. It had to do with a contractual issue as far as whether or not a hotel would be provided and per diem would be paid. The way things shook out, waiting on ONE class I would have gotten the hotel/per diem, taking the previous class I wouldn't. Being on RJ FO pay, it would have been pricey to put myself up for a 3 month training cycle, on min grnty pay, with NO perdiem. That decision was based on at that time, my company had upgrade classes planned for the next six months.
Well, things changed. Going back to point #1, the guys that went the class before mine got to stay in the CA's seat due to a withholding issue, multiple fleet types, not being able to spare pilots and transition to other fleet types, seat locks, etc etc etc.
So, again to echo what other have said, seniority does matter. And unless it's some serious circumstances, NEVER EVER EVER turn down an class date. Whether it's a new hire, OR an upgrade class.