Thread: FedEx Schedules
View Single Post
Old 12-06-2017, 03:08 AM
  #38  
Adlerdriver
Gets Weekends Off
 
Adlerdriver's Avatar
 
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: 767 Captain
Posts: 3,987
Default

Originally Posted by Sike View Post
After looking at some of the domestic schedules at FedEx, there are a lot of back to back trips with only a weekend off in between. How do commuters cope with this and how easy is it to drop trips, if one is more interested in days off than money?
Dropping trips depends on manning and reserve coverage. It can be very easy or impossible at times. But, if your time at home is a higher priority than pay, then that would be your best bet. Of course trip trading to make your schedule more commuter friendly without the pay hit might be a good compromise.

If the back to back trips you describe end with a deadhead out and then start with another deadhead back to the same city there’s another option. You cancel the DHs and use the money from both tickets to stay in the hotel for the weekend as well as collect per diem for the time you’re there. Not really in line with your time at home over pay priority since neither is happening for the weekend but it can be a commuter friendly option to minimize the hassle.

Originally Posted by Sike View Post
I'm looking at commuting from the west coast. If a trip were to start with a deadhead on AA to MIA, would the travel bank funds still cover a commute across the country?
First, it’s unlikely you would find yourself forced to commute (via head head trip) cross-country every month. If you are doing that on occasion, how the fares play out is impossible to say for certain. It depends on where you live (your home airport) and where the trip starts. MEM to MIA might be booked on AA non-stop (or through CLT or DFW) or DL through ATL or UA via IAH. Routing can change (therefore prices) from month to month. You might find buying a ticket from one of the big west coast airline hubs direct MIA ends up cheaper than the fares available from MEM. I live near a major legacy hub and it’s rare I can’t beat the fares to the same destination as the scheduled DH out of MEM (which is usually 2 legs). If you are also coming out of a non-hub that’s less likely but impossible to say for sure. Perhaps one month you get a DH to DSM and can get there from home with $ to spare. Next month you get a MIA DH and go over on the cost. You apply the extra from the prior month and it’s a wash. Generally speaking, I think it’s unlikely you will take a huge pay hit making the deadheads work. If you can hold them consistently, I’m sure you’d find the occasional cost overrun is still far cheaper than maintain a crash pad and car in MEM.
Adlerdriver is offline