I wouldn’t say this is entirely accurate. I was able to get every day off I wanted…rolling 3 day blocks, weekends, etc, after about 80% in base. Matter of fact it was so good I continued to bid reserve well into the 50% number. Now up until 80% it wasn’t great but I drove to work so not a big deal for me. This was Airbus in a very senior base. Might be different now.

-vv

 

Was this before or after the new reserve system went into effect in September of 2024? The game has changed for the junior pilots.

 

To the OP. Mid 80% in seat in a junior base. I bid SCR, flew 4 days this month. One of those days was a single First Class DH home. Granted I'm on a short hook, but I have no real daily events outside wrangling small kids. So live in base, and bid Short Call. After about a year you should be doing good. You want to commute, be in a senior base, or both? Be ready for the abuse.

 

Welcome aboard. As with any company, seniority is everything. I’ve been SC reserve in a junior base and only worked a few days, but I’ve also been on the other end and worked everyday but 1. You will get used, that’s just the nature of the beast here. The reserve system here benefits the senior folks so you just have to get through it. Get a group chat going with your classmates and hopefully you all can swap reserve days. It’s doable, but it’s a pain. Welcome to the fAAmily.

 

I ran around at my regional trying to find printers to print the 40+ page release. We did quite well recovering from the Crowdstrike outage. Delta did not. If Skywest is your only view into IT, you have an extremely limited viewpoint. I was a Network Engineer at multiple jobs. There are places that go down for longer than we ever have.

There's a big difference between management not letting us do things like trading trips and the system not allowing it. This is a management problem, not a programming/technology problem, and if someone is telling you it's a technology problem, they are lying.

 

whats it like being junior in a senior base? Like DFW compared to MIA?

 

Exactly. It's massively different and airframe matters too. My experience on the Bus in CLT was 1% upward movement every month when I got hired to complete stagnation (literally 0% relative movement) since the first hiring pause. I was a line holder now I'm back on reserve. Will it be ok in a year or two? Almost certainly. Does it suck ass now? Yes. Just like it does for Suss because of his particular situation.

If the OP wants 'flexibility', (s)he should bid a junior airplane in a junior base and move there, otherwise expect several years of NOT being off needed days at least several times per month. Hopefully a bunch more airplanes will show up and rapid movement will return but it's absurd and frankly terrible advice to suggest that everything will be roses. It's still probably a very good career move to come here but it isn't 2022 and what happened then should not be communicated to new hires.

 

Yeah, I mean joining the bottom of the list during a hiring pause doesn’t lend itself to schedule flexibility, maybe for a long time.

 

Not good movement. At all. Life has choices. I moved to a junior base for this reason. I recommend the same for everyone. Moving isn't easy. Trust me I know, but it was worth it. I enjoy my juniority, and you can to. Even in a senior base, AA is a great place to be--but you're gonna get worked on reserve.

 

As a new hire or junior pilot prioritizing QOL I think it’s either LGA or MIA 737 at this point. Hold your nose and tough it out. It is what it is.

The bus is WAY more senior in every base. MIA for example is at 30%+ difference for same DOH and I think DFW is the same.

Might have some leveling after the current vacancy closes but who knows.