Originally Posted by
rickair7777
I'm actually with slaphappy on this one (for the first and probably last time ever).
87 vs. 75 hours does not affect me personally, just so that's clear. I always drop to mins or lower for military and/or QOL anyway.
I do NOT believe that senior pilots (especially CA's with real lives and real bills) should have to live a 75-hour life on the off chance that the company might want to furlough some FOs someday.
You have to understand there is a risk of getting only 75 hours (ie reserve), but I'm not going to ask folks who routinely credit over 100 by creative bidding to drop down to 75 voluntarily. What if your neighbor got layed off from his job...if he knocked on your door and asked for you to sign over 25% of your paycheck to him for the duration, what would you say?
It is probably in the overall best interest of a regional pilot group to furlough rather than make drastic cuts in line credit.
The senior pilots are actually the ones who are in a harder spot...they are WAY past V1 and cannot just quit to go make more money. They have few options, they have to live on what they get handed and may not have a lot of flexibility to work side jobs.
The junior FOs are not really going to be harmed by furlough...they can make as much or more money working at a variety of odd jobs. Nobody works as a regional FO to make money, they do it to hold their place in line for upgrade. And if line reductions or furloughs are being debated, there is no upgrade progression anyway...might as well be home every night as opposed to commuting to domicile to sit reserve and not fly.
If some furloughed FOs make the same money at outside jobs, and the remaining pilots get to keep their income level up, it's a win for everyone.
I only see it this way because regional pay is so pitiful...if the average furloughed FO were going to take a pay cut, I'd be OK with reduced lines.
Rickair,
I have to say thanx for all your support to all of the Junior FOs on the bottom of the seniority lists, I hope you tell this to one or a group of us in person. I mean where can we just go out and find jobs just like that? Maybe you should get a job fair together for us that has all these odd jobs out there so we can do them in our spare time, maybe you might need me to paint your house or mow your lawn.
Some of the part time jobs at the retail stores are not hiring either, or if they are not someone like me with an education and part time schedule that I could work between my flying. Oh wait I could go back to instructing, but my school isnt hiring or like some friends wont let or unable to hire them back. Oh and I forgot that is located on the east coast and I live out west.
Plus, why is it my fault that a senior capt couldn't seem to manage their money deep into their career? Im am not saying I need or want a hand out, or that a capt should reduce their hours to possibly save a job or two down the road (yet there is no guarantee the next day or down the road) but a little respect would be nice, that we all are trying to keep our jobs, while all the rumors about furlough are out there day after day. It's flat out survival from paycheck to paycheck for some. I guess its just simple you forgot or dont care what its like for us on the bottom of the lists for you to say that it would hurt any less.