SiShane

I dont know if this has been asked but can someone explain how unions work in the airlines....experiences, suggestions, etc Also what is Bidding, i notice it was in the pay comparisons but could not figure it out...thanx

Ottopilot

Unions take about 2.5% of your income and give you a tie-tac to wear on your tie. Most of the airline jobs are union and you have no say in joining. You join or quit the airline. Hopefully, you get good pilot volunteers to work for you and represent you. I got greedy pilots who volunteered for the union and who steal from the working pilots. We did get rid of them, so hopefully things will get better. Airline unions do not have the power they used to.

Bidding: There are two types of bids. 1. Monthly line bidding: you bid a "line" of flying or a schedule of flights on your current airplane. It is in seniority order, so the senior guys get the best flying, money, and days off.
2. System bidding: you bid the aircraft that you want to fly and the position in that aircraft: 737 first officer or captain, 777 first officer or captain, etc. It is also in seniority order, so the big planes (with big paychecks) and the Captain positions go senior. 777 Captain would be senior while 737 first officer would be junior. You bid what you want and get what your seniority can get you. Your seniority is when you were hired. All pilots hired before you are senior to you according to their "date-of-hire", while all the pilots hired after you are junior in the same way.

davidpa28140

Nearly my feelings exactly on the unions although places that have them most likely did something to deserve them. A small add on with the seniority thing is that pilots in the same class will be normally given numbers based on age.

rickair7777

USUALLY, but not always. I made that assumption once, figured I'd be pretty senior in the class, but it turned out to be based on SSNs...oops