CQF
 

I haven’t heard much about how CommutAir implements their CQFs. Do CQFs bid as first officers until they can hold full captain? Or do they bid as the most junior captains? In other words...are CQFs first officers who can fly as captains? Or are they captains who can fly as first officers? Since EWR is junior, are all CQFs at EWR?

A CQF may bid as either Captain reserve or FO line holder. Per the CBA a CQF will be paid as an FO when bidding an FO line and flying as FO. Max period as a CQF is 12 months. There is one CQF in IAD per the most recent seniority list.

PosRate, thanks for the info. If I understand you correctly, as a junior CQF trying to avoid EWR as much as possible, you could bid for a line as an FO at IAD since IAD is easier to hold as an FO? And the option to pick up additional flying as a captain still exists?

Correct. This is what the guy who set the 2 year 10 day record from C5 indoc to UA indoc was very good at. He was able to bid an FO line, offer cash to people who would take his FO trips, and then pick up captain flying. I’m sure QOL sucked for a couple years... but now he’s on a legacy seniority list.