Originally Posted by
OnCenterline
The legacies may have pilots working more hours, but they still don't come close to the average line of a regional pilot, where line values start at 82-84 hours per month, while the min line value at a major may be 70-75, even when taking into account seasonal spikes in the summer. Throw in differences in vacation and sick accrual, along with the ability adjust schedules, and regional pilots still work harder.
Disclaimer, this is NOT a 117 vs. pre-117 debate..........
Pre 117, what you're saying was almost ALWAYS true. But 117 has changed some what how a regional pilot flies now.
Due to the fact that mostly (AGAIN MOSTLY) regional flights are "shorter", a regional pilot has to put in more segments to get the daily productivity up in a day. This means a longer day naturally. Combine with this a bank system where a regional pilot would often fly to hub, sit, fly turn, sit, then to go overnight makes for a long duty day. Pre 117, it could be done in a 13-14 hour day no problem to get 5-8 hours out of the pilot. NOW, it puts them right at an FDP limit, with NO margin for more unless an extension is involved. So although regional pilots are still working more, it's not as much as it used to be. The actual affect is working MORE days to get the same pay as pre 117.
Is the type of day or pairing I outlined universal and ALWAYS apply? Of course not. But it's very much a norm. Regional pilots are experiencing more lost weekends and 12-14-16 hour flight time trips/pairings/patterns/rotations/sequences/ID's, NOT ALWAYS CREDIT TIME depending on the specific CBA.
So, AGAIN, a regional pilot STILL "works" more. But it's translating/shifting to more days worked for the company to get the productivity out of the pilot. If we lived in a fantasy land and ALL regionals had daily/trip rigs, some regional pilots could be crediting 100+ hours a month if they were on a min day off line with maybe 80 actual flying. I'm talking on an ORIGINALLY AWARDED LINE, NOT after trading/manipulating/picking up, whatever. But we can't have pilots crediting that that ya know, it means the regionals cost would go up, the next lowest bidder would take over, and cycle would repeat.
Wait, what the heck did I just say? There's a "pilot shortage" coming, for one of the few times in the "dark decade", labor (pilots) has some leverage to exert...............