Originally Posted by
usmc-sgt
As far as being gone from home alot that will depend almost entirely on whether or not you commute.
For an example I work at a regional and have not gotten lower than my 3rd pick bidding and yet I typically leave my house at 4:00am on day one to catch a 6am to commute and then I am gone for day two and three and then I walk in my door on the 4th day anywhere between 4:00pm and 5:00am the next day if I miss all commute and am lucky enough for it to be a night that Fedex is running. For the most part though I typically am gone 4 days and 3 nights of every week.
You are gone 4 days and 3 nights commuting? Has your schedule always been like that, or was it much worse when you started? What about being on reserve? Would I not have to start at the bottom of the pecking order again with bidding schedules whenever I earn an upgrade? Even if I get lucky enough to be hired by an airline that stays strong, I am still looking at 4 times (at least) to be the rookie and junior man in scheduling (FO regional, captain regional, FO major, captain major)? Right? Then what happens if my company folds and I need to move elsewhere? I start again at the bottom with scheduling again. I'm not against paying my dues, I just would like to hear from those did it while having young kids at home.
Would any captains for majors care to chime in on what it is like to pay dues so many times?