Originally Posted by Scoop

Anyhow - I am curious to see what the post November bid packages look like.

Scoop

Originally Posted by Bucking Bar

I am curious to see what my wife and children look like.

Your post does get at the meat of my post. I can see bidding out of Atlanta for quality of life. One strategy would be to find a base that has a lot of Atlanta overnights.

The take away for new hires ,if you live in Columbus Ohio, Mexico City, or Bogota; bid Atlanta.

Originally Posted by ghilis101

If its location you're after, then disregard everything and keep pursuing Delta. Our shining star here is Mr. Richard Anderson. What a phenomenal visionary. When he leaves, whoever replaces him will have very big shoes to fill. Keep that in mind as your airline is certainly pursuing a similar leader. Good luck!

Originally Posted by Check Essential

Let's not go overboard. Richard Anderson is clearly an excellent CEO.
But he will only be a phenomenal visionary if he gives me a big raise next year.

Originally Posted by GunshipGuy

Some would consider him a visionary for getting the pilot group to accept C2012 when record profits were being made and soon after even greater profits to the point billions could be spent toward pushing the stock price up, thus increasing his net worth.

Originally Posted by Bucking Bar

Scoop,

By manipulating the carve outs, Delta builds the ATL BOG red eyes as a three day trip that pays < 11:50. (See ATL C705)

That makes a difference in your math and allows coverage awards to unstack to where you don't actually ever need a calendar day off. Potential worst case would be 21 days of flying for around 81 hours. It never gets that bad (and a guy would never survive it without a legit sick call if he ever decided to live anywhere but the Crew Lounge) but the worst case is very close to reality for the August schedules.

If you are on the 737, one option is to marry a girl from Columbus, Ohio (or Mexico City). It's actually my preferred 30 hours once a week overnight these days. I've even been working a side business there and booked my first $1,000 profit (might as well do something while sitting around)

The biggest surprise for many former express pilots is that Deta's schedules are considerably worse than anything in the regional world. I am at 96.5 hours block in 30 for 92 of credit in July and 81 in August & I'm not special, there's a lot of guys in this boat.

Originally Posted by thefoxsays

I agree with the bold. Don't get me wrong, Delta is light years ahead and better then any regional.... But the schedules are horrid.

Every month, "coverage" awards back me into an 11 or 12 day block of days on. ***!!!! Sometimes swapping with the pot helps... But others I'm stuck on the road that long. Total shock.

I hope DAL pilots try to get a max 4 days on, min of 3 days off after a rotation. Which could be waived in PBS if a pilot really wants to load up a schedule. Idk. I'm still not sure how the 747 folks do those 12 day trips! I rather be home.

Originally Posted by ManFlex

12 day work blocks? In a narrowbody? This can't be common?

Originally Posted by ManFlex

12 day work blocks? In a narrowbody? This can't be common?

Originally Posted by thefoxsays

Okay, not a 12 day rotation, but say 3, four day trips stacked.

Maybe only the junior folks get this... But many in my category do see these.

Again.... Like Buck said.... It's the coverage awards which do this.

Originally Posted by Bucking Bar

It is not at all uncommon. Especially for mid seniority types. PBS will fill you up to the limit and as it tries to fit stuff in, the trips become less and less productive. It sees the 30 break and 12 in base as goals, not limitations.

All of this goes on BEFORE your PBS bid requests are even considered.

Again, during indoc, query them all you can about coverage awards. From the months of April, June, July, August, (sometimes September), November, December (and sometimes January) you will have very little influence over your schedule and with short staffing, no real way to change it the result.

Probably the best option is to be in the top 15% where coverage never reaches you, or bottom 10% where your schedule is so inefficient that you get some time off (and are just happy to be a M88 pilot).