Willy

At my seniority I can hold good single departure lines in ANC, but in MEM I could only hold the #95 VTO or reserve. My pay out of ANC would be about 3K more a month based on my ability to bid appropriately. The commute for me will be a 6 hr nap from EWR.

I called HR about the move package and they verified I could move anywhere in the lower 48, but they would only pay the cost of moving to within 100 mi of my new domicile. I would have to cover the rest. To get the move package I would have to be awarded a new domicile and stay there for 18 months. For me that would equate to a 50K pay cut over 18 months, so paying for my own move should pay off.

Unknown Rider

Wow, calling HR and getting accurate verifiable info instead of bag gouge from a poster on APC. What a concept!

USMCFDX

Read the LOA A$$ Clown that is where you are wrong. Next time don't be such a tool.


Contract Administration
Special Provisions Related to Anchorage Domicile Moves for Pilots (2006)

The parties believe it is in their mutual best interests to allow an eligible pilot the opportunity to receive a relocation package to ANC in conjunction with bidding and subsequently relocating to the Anchorage domicile. Upon being awarded a vacancy in Anchorage, and subject to the reimbursement schedule provided in Section 6.B.9, those same pilots shall be allowed to relocate from and to the United States mainland. The relocation benefits provided under this side letter vary depending on how long the pilot remains in Anchorage. In order to enjoy the full array of benefits under this side letter, a pilot (and family, where applicable as provided by Section 6.F) must live in Anchorage and be domiciled there after activation for 36 months and must subsequently be awarded a bid to another Federal Express pilot domicile/FDA. The cost of a relocation back to the United States mainland shall be limited to the cost of the actual move or the cost of a move to Memphis, Tennessee, whichever is less. Unless the returning pilot is otherwise eligible for a different relocation package, the terms and conditions of the return relocation package shall be the same as the terms and conditions of his move to Anchorage as outlined below. Pilots assigned to FDAs who are not otherwise eligible for a fully paid return relocation package shall not be eligible for a relocation package to Anchorage under this Letter of Agreement but may become eligible for a “return” relocation package under this Letter of Agreement provided the pilot resides in ANC and has otherwise spent three years from activation in ANC. In no event shall any pilot covered by this agreement be entitled to multiple relocation packages from or to ANC as a result of this side-letter.



D. Leaving the Anchorage Domicile – “Return Moves” for those already in the ANC domicile and residing there

A pilot (and family, as applicable) who has previously relocated at his own expense to the ANC domicile as a result of his current crew position and who would not otherwise be entitled to a relocation move package from ANC to another Federal Express domicile/FDA shall be entitled to a return move relocation consistent with the relocation package described above provided the return relocation in the result of a bid award (or incident to the pilot’s retirement) and further provided the pilot has otherwise spent three years from activation in the ANC domicile and at least 18 months permanently relocated in the ANC domicile. Those pilots who relocated to ANC and are to be provided a move package back to the U.S. via the Interoffice Memorandum dated may 6, 1992, from Clive Seal addressed to All Flight Crewmembers as included in the Letter of Agreement titled “Anchorage and Subic Return Moves” executed as part of the existing collective bargaining agreement shall continue to be governed by that agreement.

MaxKts

Not sure if you are referring to me (the bad gouge part).

2 years ago when I was excessed from ANC, HR told me I had to move to within 100 miles of MEM or no move package. Just like the contract reads.

USMCFDX

Yes you are the bad gouge guy.

Excess move package is another part of the contract.
You quoted a contract section that applies to very few people.
LOA is another move package.

Three sets of rules.

Read the contract next time and follow your own advice.

Fly FDX

I can't understand how pilots in HKG could be confused or have different interpretations of the LOA...

2dogs

No kidding! What's this guy's problem? Seems a little bitter.

Wild Bill

Great job keeping mama happy because two moves with less than half the assets aren’t covered in the contract either. Some things to consider:

- There is no protection like in MEM if the FedEx EWR-ANC flight cancels or goes to ORD for 24. Luckily both are extremely rare.
- The UPS flight from EWR-ANC is a nice backup, but try it once before you need to use it. There is a reason all the UPS guys jump on FedEx.
- The jump seats do fill up occasionally. Lots of FedEx and offline guys jump on the EWR-ANC, ANC-EWR legs. (UPS guys, AA JFK or UAL EWR guys living in ANC, young pilots building hours flying in AK but regulars to lower 48) I wouldn't count on good sleep in a crowded plane.
- $50 a month for EWR parking every month if you use it or not. Tell the girl in Newark what month you need the pass to start. Getting the pass may take a bit, but usually not.
- When your eyes start shooting laser death rays at the back of the F lot bus driver while he does his mandatory 10-20 minutes wait before departing the FedEx ramp, stop. Deactivate the death ray and use the time to figure out where you parked. (You may realize you forgot to book the back end car service you used on the front end deviation.)
- The jump up lands about 6 hours before the afternoon push so every F/O I know gets in 30+ hours before each trip.
- Trips that finish coming from Asia will turn the quickest to jump seat out. Trips that finish from the lower 48 mean a 7 hour wait in ANC before jumping. A day rate at a hotel in ANC will do wonders in resetting your clock. (No sleep room up north.) You'll still probably be worthless for a day after each trip.
- The commute aircraft varies between the 777 and Mad Dog. Look at the positive. If it's a 777 you probably will get better sleep. If it's a Mad Dog chances are better for bidding a layover at home. (Building FANS hours for the new 777s appears to be one factor.)
- The ANC F/O bid packs are crazy for commuters. For instance, there were 82% less lines for June (91) versus May (110). That's 19 fewer lines to omit. Big swings like this are the norm. One month will have 17 double dead trips then you won't see a single one for months. While you may have moved up 1% in seniority on paper having 18% less lines to choose in a subsequent month can be painful.
- Prepare to become the expert on the inadequacies of the accepted fares. They usually come out Monday night after the bid packs. Don't blindly bid deadhead trips or find out you'll be operating in the red on most expense reports. Even dead heads to the same city are vastly different. One Paris deadhead (thru ORD) will cost you $682 out of pocket, while the ones thru SEA or MSP will have surplus bank.

Some of this stuff was obviously intended for non-ANC guys. Hope the info helps.

TallFlyer

From my own experience, I rode FedEx from ANC to EWR once when I was a 208 FO out in the bush. I believe there were 4 of us altogether plus the crew. The Capt was gracious enough to have me on the flight deck the whole time, and since I was a 300 hour pilot at the time I was happy as a clam. The few times I made a trip to the head there was pretty much no open floor space in back.

YMMV.

Jetjok

For what it's worth, I commuted from EWR to ANC for over a year and had absolutely no problem with doing so. Left home in Connecticut about 10PM and arrived in EWR shortly after midnight. Parked in the Employee lot, and never, not once, had to pay that "monthly charge" for parking. Always entered my parking slot in my cell phone, so that two weeks later, when I arrived back in EWR, at 2AM, I'd "remember" where I had put the damn thing.

The AM EWR-ANC flight gets into ANC about 7AM, and I'd have called my B&B the day before to let them know my arrival time. Once out of the building, they'd be waiting and wisk me off to the B&B, where I'd get perhaps 5 more hours of sleep, having slept for 5 or 6 hours on the flight up. Woke up around 1PM, just in time for lunch, then some racquetball and dinner with friends, then a good night's sleep. A great breakfast at the B&B, before they drove me to the airport in time for check-in. Then Asia/Europe for the next week and a half, and then back to ANC, usually arriving in time for a quick snack and the jumpseat back to EWR. In a year and a half, I missed the EWR J/S one time when we had gotten delayed in Japan and pulled into the ANC ramp as the EWR flight was leaving its slot. Took the next J/S going to Memphis and got home around 11AM, instead of the usual 5AM. I always managed to sleep most of the flight, so I'd arrive fairly rested for the drive home. All in all, it was as pleasurable as it could have been, especially considering the jump in seniority in Anchorage as opposed to being based in Memphis. For me, the only real "pressure" was always the drive from home to Newark, because there is no way of knowing if I'd make it in time. The New York area is crazy that way.

JJ