I am prior military, flew pax for a couple of years, and freight for over 20. While I enjoyed my pax job when I had it, I realize how much more I like flying freight. FedEx is very mission oriented, it is about the flying and you don't have to deal with the BS involved with pax and flight attendants. I did not consider dealing with flight attendants a positive, it was a hassle and I'm not particularly social with people I don't know. I really like it being all about flying (with a few freight and haz issues), and only having one other person to work with. I appreciate having the flexibility to manage my schedule to work my butt off one month, and have the next month off (my own choice). I don't worry about furloughs or pay cuts, ever, I work for an awesome company, and I personally would not trade the bottom seniority number at FedEx for the #1 seniority number anywhere.

 

90% of your headaches are/will be passenger related.

 

Is there more job security at cargo or pax? It seems like FedEx and UPS aren't going anywhere. How about AMCI vs Fedx/UPS? Would flying a caravan/ATR at the feeder level help move on to to Fedex mainline?

 

FedEx has never furloughed a single pilot. Can't speak to the rest.

 

When you say your own choice to work one month on and one month off, are there different schedules you can choose?

 

I'm going to have a month off too, at Kalitta. It's nice having flexibility. Work the first half of one month, and second half of following month. Or just enjoy your two week vacation you get every month.
I know your asking about Fed Ex, just thought I'd let you know about the others too.

 

The real question in this thread is why? Why do you want to fly? A) For the money? B) For the time off? C) Because you love to do the job and can’t wait to park your ass in some far away place that you may never see again? If you answered C, you are a prime candidate for the freight dog life. I am a single digit seniority holder at Kalitta. Have had amazing fun. Beers in places I would never see without this career. And, thanks to a new CBA, will make as much $ as any of my major airline friends who have much more boring lives. Life is not about the damn dollar. It is about having so much fun that you regret dying. And, the ACMI tribe definitely have the best stories to tell. Just sayin’…

 

What I am referring to is that at FedEx you have the flexibility to work as much or as little as you like, staffing permitted. I could pick up trips constantly, if I want to make more money, or drop all my trips, and not work at all. Most people use the schedule flexibility to work extra, but I prefer to work a lot in the first and last part of the year, and get most of the summer off. I still want a good paycheck, but at different times in your life, you may want to work less, regardless of when your vacation is.

 

POST OF THE YEAR. I have to done both plus fracional and mil. Cargo most fun seeing the world now im older. Mil was cool till the wars broke out. Flt attendents were fun till things in the sexual harrasment pc world changed. Banging anyone in the company u work for can cause u issues and your job.

 

Interesting view points.

I've done both, although mostly pax for the last 30 years. There's a lot to be said for not dealing with passengers and F/As. Boxes have a lot less drama.

ACMI is a tough business, though. Your company is always competing for a contract and the pressure to keep costs down is big. I'm glad to see the money is finally getting better. FEDEX and UPS are the holy grails of freight. A job there is tough to get because they are the best paid with the best contracts. Non sched freight is really tough on the lifestyle and the paycheck, but probably has some of the most diverse flying. I couldn't see myself staying in the non sched world, I bailed for regional then airline flying.

I will say that now that I'm doing more overseas flying that I really enjoy the passenger business again. It's a different world from domestic, as I'm sure all you guys who ride to your cargo pickup points can attest. Food is better and the crew rest pod and extra pilot are welcome treats after years of 8 hour days with 2 man crews. I'm in this for the overnights, I like to do things in different cities. Just had 48 hours in ZRH, went snowboarding in the Alps. I'm sure the cargo guys can do that as well but I just wanted to put it out there that pax ops can have good overseas layovers as well.