Originally Posted by
smooth rides
After reading the latest RSR, I'm trying to figure out how trips are awarded on the CRJ side. I'm one of the trainees that was sent home last March and was expecting to fly the ERJ (for bases, not because it's any "shinier"). I have little working knowledge other than hearsay from other trainees and 3 days of indoc training. I asked a couple CRJ FOs that fly at OO and all I've learned so far is that the CRJ trips are awarded based on seniority just like any other type at any other airline, and better trips are more likely to be more senior therefore the more senior you are the more likely you are to find yourself up front in a 7 or 9 vs a 200. Is there any other way of bidding for the aircraft? And how much truth is there in senior CAs and FOs avoiding the 200?
Senior CA/FO’s don’t necessarily bid avoid the equipment because they’re senior enough to bid for specific trips they want. When I was on the CRJ I’d place a bid on PBS to avoid the 200 specifically for at least 3 layers, but I guess that’s not as common on the FO side with the pay being the same.
When you’re junior the goal is to get off reserve, which sorry man, you’re going to be on reserve for a while most likely. When you’re able to start bidding a line you should expect to be doing mostly 200 flying. It’s not because of the equipment necessarily, but the 200’s tend to have hard working trips for less pay (credit to block). I’d say a normal 4 day 200 trip has 16 legs, where a 7/9 has 8-9 legs and better pay, usually. 200 is more work, less pay per credit hour on the CA side.
Also, I noticed the 200’s had more maintenance issues (that’s an understatement), which can cause delays and turn a 16 hour overnight into minimum rest fairly quickly. That part added stress for no good reason onto a trip. I came to eventually hate the 200. Honestly, I can’t think of one time where a maintenance issue ruined a trip on the 7/9, but oh I can think of many problems with the piece of crap 200’s breaking at an outstation with nobody in a 2 hour radius to fix the issue. You don’t get compensated for any of the extra work/delay/stress/announcements/passengers mean mugging you, it sucks.