Avoiding red eyes/int'l at FDX/UPS
 

Yeah, I know, an oxymoron. ;)

Still, just wondering: how long does it take to hold a regular domestic daytime schedule? For example, daytime hub turns. No night flying and no crossing int'l time zones?

Thx,
73

I've been at FedEx for 25 years, I'll let you know. I don't have the seniority quite yet.

What seat?

I did after 2 months in 2002. I suspect it will take a little longer now.

But let me say that no where does being senior in your seat have as great an impact on your schedule than at FDX. If you choose to live in Mem that is particularly true.

Not exactly "domestic", but to give you an idea -- for the Europe (CGN) base, the 25-28 year captains and 7-9 year FO's regularly hold the few day-time flying lines on the 757. Good question for the other fleets in MEM though...

As LAG said, living in domicile has a huge impact on your QOL and schedule, as it does at most airlines...

Not trying to sound like a smart a$$, but avoiding the int'l time zone crossings is easy at FedEx. As long as you don't bid the MD11 or 777, or volunteer for HKG or CGN, you won't ever have to go to Asia or Europe. Now the daytime hub turns, that's another story. Just stay senior in your seat.

AA,
At purple, unfortunately, that is very much dependent on our hiring and retirements. Hiring is in a state of flux right now. It also depends on which airframe you are flying and where you choose to live. And of course the current what if with the postal contract. If you want to sit and stay senior in a seat, so you can hold out for your niche, you can do that. Each aircraft schedule is somewhat unique in it's own way and is pretty much like a different airline. the two aircraft that I think has the most daytime flying domestic is the airbus and the MD11. Both wide bodies so might take a while to get to them. Probably safe to say top 60% might get you a full day flying schedule, maybe at the higher percentages to EWRs and JFKs. I think it has taken maybe 7-8 yrs to get there in the past. If you are aggressive with trip trading, you can minimize it also, but, if you choose to live in domicile and do afternoon reserve, it will help it. I would say it is virtually impossible to not do a little night flying at some point considering we are a night freight company. I'm on the 11 and I will say that a friend of mine is flying capt for you co. and he flies more back side of the clock than I do. As a pilot, I have a lot of complaints but for me, I very much enjoy my schedule and an am departure to start a trip is nothing like night hub turning all week. Sorry it is so vague but YMMV.

Thanks for all the replies... I think that answers my questions. So it's possible but depends on the base and a/c. Wasn't sure whether you guys had a strictly "domestic only" aircraft, sounds like you don't.

And it's true that many folks here at AA fly more all nighters than their FDX/UPS counterparts! The reason being, INTL goes senior here and much of the INTL is night flying. The one exception is Caribbean flying, which is classified under INTL but is all daytime and goes relatively junior.

The FO bid at UPS closed today. A line very much like what you asked about was available to pretty junior right seaters on the 75 domestic. It was available because it worked every week of the 8 week bid period; i.e., it was a "weekends off" type thing.

Little/no night flying but they made the line suck enough to go super junior.

WW

Int'l is a much better gig. I have a 12 day trip (5 legs) with 44/31/72/41 hr layovers. ONT/HNL/SYD/SZX.

Takeoffs are (lcl) 1500/2100/0900/1800/1900. Things are also a lot easier flying a plane with bunks. YMMV