I can't imagine Louisville is the sh!thole Memphis is, but I've never been there. Anybody lived in both want to chime in?

 

A normal house in a nice neighborhood, not in Kentucky.

 

Tony's points on the cost of living are valid. I would be concerned about missing a trip in an FDA and the ramifications. Tony commuted, and I was wiling to do so, but both of us were/are 10 year plus employees when we made that choice.

His point on the cost has proven to be somewhat academic. Why? I know of no single poolie that has said "yes" to an FDA class. I haven't gotten many calls from clients saying "I got called for an interview 'cause I said I'd go to Hong Kong..." Instead, it appears most of the pilots waiting for jobs are smart enough to pass the general knowledge test in use at FedEx and Delta. Those math skills seem to be indicating that going over to those locations--about 60 bucks an hour--isn't quite in their budget when AA, DAL, UAL, and others are hiring.

I get the "do what it takes to get a seniority number" mindset. The bigger issue seems to be is getting that number now at FedEx going to pay off down the road? With a company hellbent on fighting the pilots by proposing PBS scheduling and a defined contribution retirement, it appears many pilots are saying "it is NOT worth it". That may not seem earth-shaking to some, but I can tell you it is 180 degrees out from the environment and desire to work here that I saw 2005-2011. The improvement at the legacies and the decline of morale here has not gone unnoticed by the pilot hopefuls out there. As a guy who will be a captain very soon over there, I wonder who will be filling those right seats. Its not just an academic question--some of those guys are going to sharing a cockpit with me soon. What kind of guy will they get for 60k? Will that be the same type of pilot FedEx has been able to attract the last decade? I'm not saying you have to be an ex-F-16 squadron commander or an LCA at your regional to work here, but its going to be harder to attract those who have typically made FedEx high on their list in the past.

 

Regardless of what The Company may be hellbent on doing, 50%+1 of the members voting have to approve a CBA with those changes before they can ever take effect. I don't believe we're anywhere near that threshold, and I can't see that changing very much any time soon.

Moreover, The Company already knows that.






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I don't think MIA is that hard to get into on the FO side. Last mock bid someone left and no one came in. So, that should be a new hire spot. The official bid closes today. See if that holds true.
I think it has been hard to get anywhere because the movement is slow.
If they hire as the rumors go things will get easier.

 

True. The Left seat in MIA is much more difficult to get with so few vacancies a year. I think only 2 the last 24 months. And both openings went very senior.

 

Most guys who live in Louisville, enjoy the hell out of it. It's not a dump, great place to raise your kids, and your money goes a hell of a lot farther than ANYWHERE on the east or west coast. Just like any other city, there are crappy places to live or maybe you have only seen the ****holes most of the crashpads are in. Who knows, but to each his own. You could not pay me enough to live on the east coast or in the land of fruits and nuts.

 

I'm surprised this point hasn't been mentioned...about commuting. Now I work for neither company so I don't know about new hire schedules. But I do know that both airports are RJ meccas. Many of the posters here are senior enough to bid double deadheads and they use their airfare banks to avoid commuting. A new hire will not see that, I suspect, for a long time. A buddy of mine, new hire, uses his own plane to get to MEM. Prob not doable from BOI. You are looking at a double commute at either company. Not good! If you fly on company acft you'll have to travel a day prior since they would probably arrive too late for your show time. Depending on reserve show times. A quick sample from my trusty app shows all RJs on UA from IAH and ORD to SDF. One RJ cnxs and the day is shot. DL has mainline to SDF out of ATL. MEM that's another story, its the rapidly shrinking airport. Just my $0.02. Good luck!

 

BOI to MEM is very commutable on FDX there is an Day and Night flight Tue-Fri, day flights on Sat-Sun and a Monday night flight. A lot of the time you will have to go in a day early if you are on reserve. But if you have a trip you should be able to commute in that night and be protected from punishment should the jump seat crump.

 

Many valid points here..
Can anyone offer advise for commuting to SDF from NW Arkansas and back?
Better to drive to SGF or TUL to ride company vrs pax ride out of XNA?
Have been advised most of those run through ORD.
SGF (1hr drive), TUL (2.5), XNA (:20mins).
Appreciate any insight and thanks in advance.

FMI