So I have seen several threads but nothing specifically related to this question. When beginning at an airline, how are first officers assigned to an aircraft? For example, if starting at Delta, is it possible for one F/O to start in the 737 while another begins with the 747? Or do all first officers have to work their way up from the smaller aircraft and move up on seniority?

 

Seniority Rules

New hires bid on open slots in seniority order.

Those openings may be on several different aircraft though. Just depends on what is left over after the current pilots bid.

 

It is completely dependent on the airline, the openings, the economy, your social security number (for class seniority purposes), etc. Yes, you start from the as a total newbee and work your way up from the smaller equipment and the less desirable bases based completely on seniority. If you're looking at Delta, I think the best you could hope for is the MD-88 as a new hire. The 737 in NY, maybe, the 747, absolutely no way, not even for guys that have been around for 15 years or so.

 

And do bases work in a similar manner?

 

Ummm yeah. I hate to break it to yah but if you are really new to the industry it ALL works that way. Vacation, equipment,bases you name it. Not to be a smart butt but i thought everyone knew that

 

Bases work similarly. Although it's not always black and white. NYC, for all airlines based there, tends to go junior. It's expensive to live there and so you end up with a majority of commuters. Because many folks don't want to commute, especially to NY with all the weather and congestion delays, you end up having people hold equipment that they wouldn't normally be able to hold.

As an example, when we hired here at Delta back in 2007-2008, new hires were getting 767 international in NY. Now many of those same new hires are line holders on that. Not great lines, but lines none the less. But it's really base specific. Those same pilots probably can't touch the 767 in ATL, or if they can, you're talking bottom reserve.

I would imagine CAL has a similar dynamic with respect to Newark & Houston. AMR with NY and Dallas, etc...

 

You don't have to be "really" new to get treated like a new hire (read abused) in the airline industry. At UAL you can be treated like a new hire with 14 even 15 years of senority and if you are sitting in the left seat make that 20 or even 25 years seniority.

It's all about seniority and if you don't have any for whatever reason you will be treated like a red headed step child riding a circus goat.

 

So I guess what you're saying is that it kind of depends on what base you end up with to determine what A/C you can start with?

 

Each base and equip are a seperate catagory. You could select 767/757 in NYC or you could select DC9 in MEM. The only good thing is that everyone has a reason for why this or that is a better deal for them. Obviously the pay is higher on bigger equip, but if you can bid a better schedule or off of reserve, you may be better off taking the smaller equip for more seniority in catagory.
There is overall seniority in the company that decides each base and equip. Inside each catagory, there is relative seniority to decide who gets what flying either on a line or on reserve.
One mans poison is another pleasure

 

What everyone says above is right on. I'll add a little tidbit to expand on the importance of seniority:

In new hire classes at AA back in '00 timeframe, most folks ended up getting 727 F/E. A few got 727 F/O. It was all based on age. There were cases where a senior guy in class who got 727 F/O could "trade" seniority #s with a junior 727 F/E to get the base he got.

So in essence, this senior dude who got assigned MIA 727 F/O could trade his seniority # with a junior guy who got DFW 727 F/E, just so he could get DFW right off the bat. Bad, bad decision - we started furloughing right after 9/11 and as anyone will tell you - your seniority # dictates everything in your career.

Like Delta, there was a time when we were hiring right into JFK 767 Int'l. All depends on the needs of the airline. Today we currently have AE Flow throughs who are getting JFK and MIA 767 Int'l right off the bat. In my new hire class back in early '00, it was ALL MIA 727 F/Es.

AA does it by age.. some do it by SSN.