Originally Posted by
proskuneho
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 of with scheduling again.
Yep, you got it right.
I have been a junior FO, then moved up to to the number 2 FO. Then went to upgrade, got downgraded back to the number 2 FO for two years. Got furloughed, went back to being a junior FO, moved up to about the top 10% of base/seat seniority, then upgraded to guess what? A junior CA at the bottom of the base/seat list. Now, getting downgraded AGAIN. The upside? I STILL have a job and am bidding now in about the top 8% for seat/base as FO. The downside, the career stagnation/regression.
As far as the schedule goes, that can vary drastically. But a 4 on 3 off is very typical, especially if you commute. It keeps commuting to 4 times a month, and if you can work it out, no crashpad/hotel. When I commuted to the east coast, it was pretty much standard that NOTHING was front end commutable. Meaning I ALWAYS had to go in the night before, but could always get home on the last day. Usually meant being home about 2 1/2 days a week, 3 nights in my own bed.
If you live in base, you QOL is way better. The reason I never moved to base was I've had 5 of them close on me. Not one of them lasted more than two years.
YMMV
Oh yeah, another thing I dislike about the job;
WAITING OF FREAKING HOTEL VANS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!