Originally Posted by
capt_zman
As a mem 11 fo who is getting ready to go north, I've been looking at anc for well over a year now, and I can't see how you can break even as a n/b fo in mem. Here's how I am thinking, let me know where my mistake(s) are:
Year 4 WB FO at 134.49 vs. 114.76, so basically $20 more an hour. Add the $7 international and you're at $27 more an hour. In Nov this goes to $138.52 vs. $118.21, so it still stays at ~$27 more an hour.
Even after the excess bid closes, I'll be a line holder. Considering I'd have to make 1 or 2 trips TO ANC a month and 1 or 2 FROM ANC, I can't see how the extra costs in ANC make up a ~27k difference per year. Most guys around my seniority have a crashpad for ~200 per month, and I'm assuming I'd have to either go to a hotel or a bed & breakfast in ANC once or twice a month, which equates to ~$150 per month.
As for commuting, I go to and from MEM probably 3-4 times a month, which is not fun. Granted, it sounds easier than ANC, but it still stinks. Also, you do not have jumpseat protection for reserve in MEM, only 13.5 hour protection for trips. As for the nb trips (per my seniority), they really stink compared to the 11 trips.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't see anything close to a 27k difference.
I'll try to explain what happened to me. Your figures sound OK and that's what I was thinking as well. And the first year I was there I made more. But then the lines changed. The one and two commutes became more rare. There were more and more lines with one and two days between trips. (you pay, but also they count as days off---this is huge... in MEM I was able to get at least 6 if not 12 CR for this time off and it doesn't count as days off).
In my experience the gross pay was more like 19K vs. 27 K. Just looking at the W-2s. A third of that was eaten up in taxes. A bit more union dues, insurance, and alaska unemployment. Higher SS taxes and medicare. The 7 dollars international pay was eaten up with a falling dollar (unrelated to AK vs MEM, but you go overseas more often).
Looking back, commutes were more like 3 per month. Usually had to drop one trip to make it reasonable. I could only hold the junk lines. Many more commutes. Bought 14 airline tickets last year due to no seats or no planes getting there the day I needed to be there. Total I spent for tickets was 4155. Crash Pad/Hotel/Car/transpo/parking (non-dev)/ and cab expenses totaled 7233. (Actual figures--I keep records). Add that to extra taxes, what I had to drop, a letter in my file (causes you to make sure you get there thereby spending more) extra SS, a falling dollar, and days off I could have been flying a NB in MEM adds up to less take home pay and a lot more headaches.
Even the first year where I made 6500 takehome more than in MEM, the headaches of the ugly commute did not make it worth it.
If you live there/move there/or are single.... go for it. I'm just throwing this out here to let people know what happened to me there (in great detail... but the nickel and dimes add up). So they can make an informed call.
My commute to MEM is much less expensive and stressful. That's why I bid to relieve from ANC to MEM NB. Of course, your mileage may vary. Maybe you can swing it with the $$$ and the stress. You can have my spot!!!!