av8sean

Just saw a picture of the new Southern Air 777 out of ANC for Thai Cargo..

Photos: Boeing 777-FZB Aircraft Pictures | Airliners.net

Few questions -
Are these American, Southern Air crews operating the flights?
Bases?
Any other updates?

ASpilot2be

So thats the plane I saw on the ramp yesterday.

savannahceltic

Southern Air Plane, Southern Air Flight Crews, Thai Customer Paint Job...

Home Basing.

Hiring into the Classic for now. Might change down the line as additional 777's arrive.

Skimmology

Where can I find Jumpseat information about Southern?

dojetdriver

If I'm not mistaken, they're not CASS and don't plan on getting it anytime soon. So it might make JS'ing on them difficult. Even though the ACMI's do comply with a certain directive that allows offline JS'ers on their aircraft. But I'm not sure if CASS is a requirement for that.

av8sean

I'm guessing home basing negates the need (and added expense) of doing CASS..

atr42flyer

20 days on 10 off is that the max you can be out at one time? are you always gone for 20?

Spongebob

Not CASS though DOD carriers are supposed to be. They have some work-around on the requirement. Schedules are pretty fluid on a daily basis so reliability is on par with AMC to get where you're going and back.

That said, union hasn't pushed it due to an implicit threat to end home basing if CASS was implemented.

Speaking 2 years time-late (I left in 2008 and there's a new CEO) you are "available" for 20 days a month. Normally was one trip since it's cheaper to stick you in a hotel for a week than to fly you home and back if you have a big break in your schedule.

Actual TAFB varied widely for me. Sat at home for a month + on reserve and never got called. I was sked for a couple trips the but the flight time hogs bounced me from them....wasn't going to break guarantee anyway so I didn't care. In the other extreme, I left for a planned 2 weeks one month and got home 43 days later. I got held on the road and then rolled into next months schedule. Unless you're flying a lot there's really no penalty to the company for holding you out (no overtime unless you break guarantee). Just plan being an indentured servant and expect the company to do whatever is cheaper (1st) an easiest for them (2nd).

Great, great 95% percentile of folks there. The other 5% have skeds on their speed dial and fly anytime/anywhere regardless of the contract to support the company.

Spongebob

savannahceltic

Pretty much. I don't miss jumpseating at all. If I want to travel somewhere on my own, I just cash in some of the miles that I have collected on the various airlines. Instead of begging for a ride to get to work, I can usually count on a upgrade into first class because of my FF status.

Are we always gone for 20...? No. usually it ends up being 16-17, because they will have to pay over the 60 hour guarantee due to trip rig if you are out past that. I have only been out 20 when there is a lot of flying to be accomplished, and I would be over 60 hours anyways. It varies so much from month to month that it is hard to give a solid answer, but the general rule is that if things are quiet, you can count on being out for 16, if things are busy, you should expect 20-25 days on the road.

fandango

I see alot of conflicting things about QOL at Southern. I know there are some that can be happy anywhere and some that cant be happy anywhere. I have searched here and FI, and it seems that in the last year it has improved. Am I way off base here? The new payscale is the high 60's per hour, right? Thanks for the replies, I am going to try and make heads or tails of the info, and decide if I want to leave fish, to go find fish..... Thanks again.