Originally Posted by robthree

The great thing about SAI for a new hire is seniority doesn't matter for bidding, in the sense that all the schedules are basically the same. You get the contractually minimum days off, and they own you for the rest of the month. The company has never felt an obligation to honor the schedule you bid, if their interests were better served otherwise. And sometimes, in the not so distant past, schedulers would muck up schedules just to have the appearance of being busy for their bosses. Not so much on the DHL contract, and not as much in years past, but there is nothing in the contract to prevent them form doing so should they decide it would be fun.

If you live in CVG and fly the 737, obviously things will suck far less than for those who would have to commute.

On the other hand, your schedule will never, ever get any better.
That's one of the magic things about Southern, things never change that much. There is churn, pilots and managers come and go, new directions are proposed, new policies implemented or ignored, a steady stream of new types are added and removed from the fleet, but Southern Air today looks and acts a lot like Southern Air from 5, 10 or 15 years ago. The current contract is essentially unmodified from the first one signed by the Southern Air Crew Group, before the Teamsters were even on property. With the Worldwide Holding company cooking the books I'm sure when the current contract negotiations get underway there won't be a dime for Southern's pilot group, but McHugh and Soaper will continue to get massive bonuses, just like they did when they drove the company through bankruptcy.

Originally Posted by JustAsapIt

If a 777 pilot were to live near CVG or LAX, would it still be 20/10 or would it be 18/12?

Originally Posted by Birdstrikes

Lines this month have pilots starting/ending in CVG, LAX, HKG, and ANC. Most of the lines have a few days of reserve at the beginning or end. Most pilots average two laps around the planet in about 14-16 days and then they either travel home immediately, or they sit reserve at whatever station the last flew into. Scheduling may or may not use the days at the beginning of your line. If unused, those are extra days at home. I only worked 198 days last year. But I am fairly senior and use all of my vacation and pick up some open time. Usually, you will be gone less than 20. However, there are months you could be gone more.

Living at one of the stations will allow you to sneak home in the middle of your trip or avoid travel to/from but you'll also lose the 50% pay credit for the deadhead.

Hopefully a recent 777 hire will chime in and give you their experience so far.

Originally Posted by gringo

Technically, you're correct; here are just a few that come to mind:

Gitmo
Lahore
Hillary's waxing room (go ahead, try to erase that image from your mind)
The Sudan
Hialeah
Iraq
Satan's outhouse (never mind; already mentioned Hillary)

But as far as airlines go? When you have an exodus of mid-level seniority guys leaving Southern Air to go work for Western Global, you know you've not only hit rock bottom, you've done gone and smashed right through it.

Originally Posted by JustAsapIt

Interesting. I figured all the lines started in either CVG or LAX. Sounds like living in/near those areas would only occasionally be of any benefit. Thanks for the info!