Weekends home during Seattle training?
 

For those of you recently or currently in training in Seattle, how often are you able to get home to family if you're outside of base on weekends? I'd want to get back to SFO, so plenty of flights, I'm just wondering how much free time you really have on weekends with needing to study, etc.?

I went home every weekend

Depends. First part i remember getting the weekends off, especially if you’re up to speed and feel comfortable you could go home. Once you get into sims and OE weekends are only a maybe.

I live local but everyone in my class that wasn't went home virtually every time they had more than two days off (most of the blocks of days off were at least three days). Also, you will have commuter status which will give you a higher priority over other jumpseaters on Alaska metal (not sure how this works with Airbus flights at this point) so that can make the commute easier depending how many other commuters from SFO.

Not so sure commuters have priority in the jumpseat....

The jumpseat is not any part of the commuter program. True for pilots and FA’s. In initial training you are allowed to book the actual jumpseat as a pilot. Commuter status is only for seats in the back. Other than new hires in initial training, the jumpseat is first come first serve and seniority is only used as a tie- breaker if 2 pilots request it at the same time.

I think you can still apply for D8Y status which will give you priority over all non-revs except executives.

That status does not apply to the Jumpseats. It only applies to seats in the back.

Edit: so if you’re a registered commuter and commuting, you have priority over other non-revers but not other Jumpseaters. (I think the jump is first come first served.)

True, however, the pecking order for the jumpseat is AS pilots, QX pilots then everyone else.

I went home nearly every weekend. I sometimes had to JS on other carriers due to AS loads, but it wasn't a problem. The other airlines I jumped on took great care of me.

I know you know this but the highest priority pilot (setting aside FAA, etc.) is an AS pilot on company business (i.e. new hire on observation flight) and pilots agreeing to give up their deadheading seats in the back. Apparently this is the culture at Horizon and some have carried it to Alaska.

As far as commuting, you have priority on AS but not Horizon flights. Priority is year of hire within other commuters. JS is first-come based on who checked in as a JS, so make sure you check in as a JS even if you think you’ll get a seat in the back.

Where do VX pilots fit? I got bumped by an AS pilot on QX, even though I was there first.

Since you flew on 04/24 you were still bumped by AS Pilot, starting today 04/25 you have the same priority as any AS Pilot since you are officially one now.
It was in one of the Company updates..
No more ‘VX Pilot’, get used to it...

Probably a agent training issue. Were you using your new Alaska ID? If you were using VX id you probably were boarded as an OAL.