That COLA affects only your housing allowance buying power, not the rest of your income. It certainly doesn't cover the 24,000 Euro cost to send the two kids to school as was asked in the prior thread.

Clearly the point being made is that a benefit that can't be practically used is really no benefit at all. But that didn't keep the pro-TA ideologues from letting the facts get in the way of promoting their agenda.

 

The new housing allowance benefits (floor + future adjustments) are a big improvement --- for HOUSING.

It's a big step in trying to bring our highly experienced pilots near equity with military pilots serving abroad in Europe in Asia (...though still below those govt rates).

But given all that, there is still NO COLA for the rest of your paycheck.

While housing may be your biggest monthly payment, you most likely spend plenty of your paycheck in other areas (...and remember, there is no FEDEX BX to keep you spending at US rates for your household goods).

An additional COLA is standard with all military packages and many other foreign expat packages.

The company will earn/spend Euro's in Europe to run their operation --- they only have a "currency risk" when the repatriate their profits or budget long term capital expenditures.

Those pilots living in the FDA will have to develop strategies to offset their own person currency risk.

The new TA has made steps to do this for housing --- but certainly not the rest (...or at least a portion) of the rest of your paycheck.

 

A COLA is a Tax free adjustment in wages to offset a change (usually a loss) in purchasing power

Since you get the entire allowance regardless of what your lease is (not use it or lose it) the "housing allowance" is actually a COLA. Sort of like retro pay V signing bonus.

You can get a nice place well under the allowance BTW.

10K is still usable in my world. Not going to argue that it should have been higher, but it is what it is. Some schools will run that high, but many do not. You can spend 30K in Mempho for 2 kids easily as well. There are other options besides the 24K Euro places (already mentioned ISD in Dusseldorf). Look for schools with Ersatzschulstatus (conform to German edu standards).

If you really really wanted to go to St Georges (32K), my math would go something like this. Get a place for $2500 a month. that gives you 12K extra plus the 10K edu allowance, so you have to come up with 10K on your own. Not to hard.

 

Before the vote you guys were all worked up about how it was a slam dunk for FDA'ers, and everyone else is getting shafted. Now it is about what a crap deal the LOA is? Make up your mind.

 

As for the rest of us, NON-FDAers, we are being shafted. None of the significant issues mentioned ad nauseum have been adequately addressed if at all. It is now becoming a bit more clear that even the so called "good deals" for the FDAers might have already lost their new car smell.

As has been said before, "the devil is in the details." We should as a group be very familiar with the devil, almost on a first name basis by now.

 

Options for saving money while living in Germany for retired/reserve/guard military members; Kaiserslautern is within the 100 mile radius of CGN. There are numerous military bases (Army and AF) in the K-town area which you would be able to use (with restrictions). The commissary and BX would probably be off limits, but all the other base facilities would be available (MWR facilities like the gym, O’Club, etc). There’s also some excellent social clubs you would be able to join (example, 2 ski clubs). Plus, with the huge American population in the area, it should be easier to get around dealing with the locals since they’re use to speaking English.
As far as commuting from K-town, the train would be your best option to travel to CDG, FRA and/or CGN (FRA for a commercial flight).
If your spouse wanted to work, the DoDDS (military) schools need substitute teachers . There may be some restrictions on FedEx family members being able to work in Germany.
One of the biggest expenses over in Europe will be gas….it can be 2-3 times more expensive than here in the US. And we’re pushing $4/gal right now, not good!! Plus, buying at car will not be cheap, but again, there’s a huge re-sell lot on the military bases…may be the best deal for us. We will be required to pay some type of tax on the purchase of a car. And, getting a German driving license will be not be easy. A French license cost about $1500 so Germany may be in the same ballpark.

 

I think you are revising history just a tiny bit. Some said it was a slam dunk yes because it was free money for FDAers already there. I think you will find that most fedex pilots still dont think the deal is good enough to get them to commit. For my part I dont care what is in the FDA package, I do care that ALPA does not have the gonads to address issues like accepted fares. My QOL took a hit at a very cheap price to the company.

 

I'm holding out until we open a domicile in Albania. I'm not going until I'm making more than 99% of the population there!!

 

We sent our kids to the Independent Bonn International School for two years.
( About IBIS : [ on Independent Bonn International School ] )
We also sent them to the local "Grundschule" for a year. They were in 1st and 2nd grades when they went to the local school, and they were fluent in German in about two months. There are advantages to both the international and the local school.
57Hauler, PM me if you want to know more about IBIS. It is a great school, it costs Euro 10,050 per kid (USAF paid for our kids while we were there), and they have an outstanding staff and headmaster.

 

57Hauler,
Check your PMs.