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Old 01-21-2021, 01:59 PM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by FXLAX View Post
If your friend has been at FedEx for 19 years and didn’t get Christmas Eve and Christmas off, then he either valued something else more in his schedule, didn’t bid well at all, or lied to you.
This! I have never missed a Christmas in 17 years!
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Old 01-21-2021, 02:05 PM
  #22  
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Originally Posted by C17B74 View Post
Once again, 76 Capt, a few 77 flyers, not 75... mentioned not a great bidder possibly, but this specific friend also indicated he was fairly low seniority wise and unable to hold international (2019), definitely not a liar and has had my back for 25 years thru thick or thin. No issue taken as many folks lie I get it, but my best friends are the best for good reason. I raised the question as a spoiled pilot complaining about not being able to hang out with my pals anymore overseas. Most have upgraded to WB Capt or simply WB. 2020 took care of any meet and chill sessions so there’s that.

Definitely just an observer with Great friends in most areas of the industry and no expert by any means, just read your fellow Purple postings (MeIT) and many others hit other tough spots: “The pure lines are on the day side and can be pretty grueling especially when the day sort is consistently late.“-whataclub. Not everything is easy, but you do get compensated I can say. Hub turns exist as we taxi in/out of your domiciles and those of you who avoid them-well done but someone is doing them. Some folks like them as it fits their lifestyles and that’s what it’s all about. Others despise long haul which I totally get, while I enjoy a change of scenery only due to seniority mind you. We all know you have a great company and during these times it’s even more accentuated. What drives greatness is the priorities of the individual and how their met. Your company has led the way for most of us - keep on keeping on so thank you.
19 years on property, 76 Captain is not fairly junior... He failed bidding or was trying to get specific flying that included Christmas.
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Old 01-21-2021, 02:13 PM
  #23  
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Originally Posted by FrankTheTank View Post
19 years on property, 76 Captain is not fairly junior... He failed bidding or was trying to get specific flying that included Christmas.
Well, I am about the same seniority as his friend based on the info. In 2019, there were only 4 commutable lines that I could hold that had Christmas off. If he is junior to me, maybe he couldn’t hold one of those lines. I was watching because I was considering going to the left of the 76. Now, I didn’t look at reserve lines or what I could have gotten on a secondary because I am a commuter. No, I don’t want to play the open time game or have 7 commutes in a 5 week month. Just not worth it to me. YMMV.
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Old 01-21-2021, 03:09 PM
  #24  
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Originally Posted by pinseeker View Post
Well, I am about the same seniority as his friend based on the info. In 2019, there were only 4 commutable lines that I could hold that had Christmas off. If he is junior to me, maybe he couldn’t hold one of those lines. I was watching because I was considering going to the left of the 76. Now, I didn’t look at reserve lines or what I could have gotten on a secondary because I am a commuter. No, I don’t want to play the open time game or have 7 commutes in a 5 week month. Just not worth it to me. YMMV.
I totally get what your saying but “not being able to hold Christmas off” is misleading.
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Old 01-21-2021, 03:12 PM
  #25  
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Reading Pinseeker, MeIT and others is great “insider” information and we “outsiders” really do appreciate your candor and honesty. It parallels my friend(s) information and really gives the seniority aspect and equipment differences only y’all can truly provide. Specifics do matter. I could blast all day long I never do hub turns, nor do I only fly late PM/early AM runs and sleep when the sun is up - In reality I have seniority and choose not to fly any other companies hub turns any more during peak, your overnights HNL were quite appealing though, CGN runs were fun for a couple of runs, but after 4 I was done (the line had 8).

Captains constantly see my line number when we fly and ask: “Did you bypass upgrade?” (seems obvious)
Seeing my classmates from a decade ago as Captains for 5 years now, I watch their schedules at the domiciles I prefer like a hawk. They're still at the bottom 10% and I won’t budge until they maintain 50% and have some choice. (Y’all have more control it seems and that is awesome.
My reply to inquisitive Capts or FOs: “Have you ever been number #1 anywhere?” They have no further questions.
Granted my base closed recently so now I be #2..... great for as long as we’re around.

Maybe my friend was the only one not to be able to get Christmas off... Maybe just an anomaly, it was what it was. I never miss anything, but seniority is everything as I don’t need the cash (want is different) - those left seat and senior rule the day everywhere. Hint: Always thought I had a great schedule til I saw the top guy(s), but there are more clever folks out there.

Last edited by C17B74; 01-21-2021 at 03:44 PM.
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Old 01-21-2021, 05:45 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by pinseeker View Post
OP, tell your "friend" that if they are happy at their current job, maybe they should stay there. Why go to another airline if you are happy where you are? It's not like a SWA pilot doesn't make a good living.

Those on here that tell you that a 3 year wide body FO can make over $300K in a year aren't telling you that that FO is also working a lot of extra. Same thing for the 75 captain whose username would imply that they don't work. If that captain is making over $350k, he is working a lot of extra. That same captain also claims that they will only fly their line when we enter contract negotiation, so I guess he is looking forward to a $60k pay cut. It will be even more for that 3 year FO if they just fly their line.

Are there pilots that get their home town, yes. Same for weekend layovers near their home and double deadheads. But less than half of the lines have weekend layovers, and around 30% of the lines or less are double deadheads. Someone is flying the remainder of the lines. Unless you want to stay attached to a device, constantly checking open time in order to improve your flying, chances are, you will hub turn at night at some point, if not frequently.

There are certain holidays that you can not drop if they are awarded to you. Those included Christmas, New Years, and Thanksgiving. If you get a line that has one of those trips, unless you are lucky enough to be able to trade out of it, you are stuck with it. Again, someone is flying those trips, so don't let your "friend" think that everyone has those holidays off.

We have over 5000 pilots. A little less than 1500 of those pilots are either 777, HKG, CGN, or ANC based. That leaves the majority of 3500+ pilots competing for those coveted weekend layovers or domestic double deadheads. Can your friend get that if that is what they want? Possibly, but the math shows that it isn't a guarantee.

So, back to my original statement. If your "friend" is happy where they are, why leave? If they are unhappy, then maybe a change of scenery is in order.
I’m on 3rd year WB FO pay, made more than the number you posted, had Thanksgiving and Xmas off, also had most of Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, and Dec off. I blocked 360 hours. I did work pretty hard the other months, but it’s not like I was never home during those months either.

Anyway, my opinion is that I’m not here to convince anyone to do anything. I turned UAL down to come here, despite being from Denver. I’m extremely glad I made that decision. If this is such a tough decision for someone to make, just stay where you’re at. Plenty of other folks that are very motivated to be here, and that’s who I want to work with.
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Old 01-21-2021, 07:25 PM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by FrankTheTank View Post
This! I have never missed a Christmas in 17 years!
Shhhhhh. Don’t give up the secret that what you bid and what you fly are two different things.... haha We need these types so we can enhance our own schedules. Don’t give up all the secrets.
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Old 01-21-2021, 08:14 PM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by wrxpilot View Post
I’m on 3rd year WB FO pay, made more than the number you posted, had Thanksgiving and Xmas off, also had most of Feb, Mar, Oct, Nov, and Dec off. I blocked 360 hours. I did work pretty hard the other months, but it’s not like I was never home during those months either.
Yes, you did work pretty hard those other months. At your pay rate with international override included, you had to earn over 1500 credit hours. Even if all of that extra was earned at 200%, that means you worked an extra 25 or more days that year. That’s almost two extra months worth of work days.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t do it or that it can’t be done, only that you can’t do it by just working 10-13 days in a 4 week month and 15-17 days in a 5 week month. You can’t make over $300k as a second or third year wide body FO if you just fly your line and don’t fly extra.

Some people get the holidays off. I have never worked Christmas either. However, we have trips that work over those holidays and there are pilots that fly them that don’t want to but couldn’t get rid of them. I’m just trying to make sure that some one doesn’t get the impression that they are guaranteed to have weekends and holidays off, have as much time off as they want, and still make over $300k their second or third year here. That is the impression I see in some of the posts. Just trying to keep it real.
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Old 01-21-2021, 10:12 PM
  #29  
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Originally Posted by pinseeker View Post
Yes, you did work pretty hard those other months. At your pay rate with international override included, you had to earn over 1500 credit hours. Even if all of that extra was earned at 200%, that means you worked an extra 25 or more days that year. That’s almost two extra months worth of work days.

I’m not saying you shouldn’t do it or that it can’t be done, only that you can’t do it by just working 10-13 days in a 4 week month and 15-17 days in a 5 week month. You can’t make over $300k as a second or third year wide body FO if you just fly your line and don’t fly extra.

Some people get the holidays off. I have never worked Christmas either. However, we have trips that work over those holidays and there are pilots that fly them that don’t want to but couldn’t get rid of them. I’m just trying to make sure that some one doesn’t get the impression that they are guaranteed to have weekends and holidays off, have as much time off as they want, and still make over $300k their second or third year here. That is the impression I see in some of the posts. Just trying to keep it real.
Yes you can. I've done it consistently. It's called REVISIONS. EXTENSIONS. They add up. Or DRAFT after you've cleared your schedule with a vacation block. I can't count how many times I was on 125% for Substitution. It adds up.
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Old 01-22-2021, 02:48 AM
  #30  
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Originally Posted by KC10 FATboy View Post
Yes you can. I've done it consistently. It's called REVISIONS. EXTENSIONS. They add up. Or DRAFT after you've cleared your schedule with a vacation block. I can't count how many times I was on 125% for Substitution. It adds up.
Extensions beyond 3.5 days are voluntary. Wouldn’t that draft trip you picked up in your vacation month be extra flying? Even if every month paid 125% it would be hard to get 1500 credit hours without extra flying or selling back vacation. IMO, selling back vacation is working extra, those are days you would get paid for not working. You can think of it how you want.
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