FLL live in base Vs UPS commuting
12-17-2019, 01:36 PM
#21
Banned
Joined APC: Jun 2019
Posts: 442
Originally Posted by ClncClarence
Look man (or woman?), I don’t pretend that my personal experience is the end-all-be-all, but you can’t come here and present this doom-and-gloom scenario as if it’s the norm and then disregard ANY evidence to the contrary just because you hate your life. This job is what you make it. Even as a very junior fellow in a relatively senior base I’ve made it work out pretty well. If you want to wallow in self pity with BD and P3 then by all means go ahead, but I’m gonna call out BS when I see it.
My experience is just as valid as yours...anyone reading this can decide for themselves what they want to believe is the ‘true’ reality.
My experience is just as valid as yours...anyone reading this can decide for themselves what they want to believe is the ‘true’ reality.
You can't sugarcoat schedules here. Even management has admitted they went too far with the pairing optimizer and that our staffing and the reserve grids don't allow enough flexibility. We've had a large uptick in fatigue events, broken pairings with timing out, etc. They are slowly trying to fix it.
But most people know when they come here that we fly a lot of red eyes here and deal with it. That's why we get a red eye override (not enough imo, but still).
It's not doom and gloom. But it's also not near as flexible as it used to be, and flying the line here in a standard month, especially if you are junior on the bus flying at least one redeye almost every trip, wears you out (ditto for the 4 leg days and regional schedules on the 190, those are exhausting, but at least there aren't many redeyes). And those who get "good" reserve schedules (ie live in base and don't get used much on reserve) are not a majority of the company, as obviously a majority of the company holds a line. The senior schedules on the bus are pretty dope. But we are talking about 10% of the company, maybe.
Also of note, you guys in FLL got fat on staffing in the right seat if I'm not mistaken, which is why you guys sent some TDY to JFK. That obviously helps. We have been chronically understaffed in most bases/seats, and reserves don't enjoy all the time off you've had. Especially in the left seat. Enjoy it while it lasts and hope we get adequately staffed at some point so more people can enjoy what you have.
12-17-2019, 06:41 PM
#22
The REAL Bluedriver
Joined APC: Sep 2011
Position: Airbus Capt
Posts: 6,887
Originally Posted by jamesholzhauer
What percentage of a base is on reserve vs holding a line? What percentage of pairings have red eyes? What percentage of junior lines have red eyes? How easy is it to swap/drop trips? What percentage of reserves only fly a few times a month? What's the average block/credit of reserves for the month of Dec (and we haven't even got to the busy part).
You can't sugarcoat schedules here. Even management has admitted they went too far with the pairing optimizer and that our staffing and the reserve grids don't allow enough flexibility. We've had a large uptick in fatigue events, broken pairings with timing out, etc. They are slowly trying to fix it.
But most people know when they come here that we fly a lot of red eyes here and deal with it. That's why we get a red eye override (not enough imo, but still).
It's not doom and gloom. But it's also not near as flexible as it used to be, and flying the line here in a standard month, especially if you are junior on the bus flying at least one redeye almost every trip, wears you out (ditto for the 4 leg days and regional schedules on the 190, those are exhausting, but at least there aren't many redeyes). And those who get "good" reserve schedules (ie live in base and don't get used much on reserve) are not a majority of the company, as obviously a majority of the company holds a line. The senior schedules on the bus are pretty dope. But we are talking about 10% of the company, maybe.
Also of note, you guys in FLL got fat on staffing in the right seat if I'm not mistaken, which is why you guys sent some TDY to JFK. That obviously helps. We have been chronically understaffed in most bases/seats, and reserves don't enjoy all the time off you've had. Especially in the left seat. Enjoy it while it lasts and hope we get adequately staffed at some point so more people can enjoy what you have.
You can't sugarcoat schedules here. Even management has admitted they went too far with the pairing optimizer and that our staffing and the reserve grids don't allow enough flexibility. We've had a large uptick in fatigue events, broken pairings with timing out, etc. They are slowly trying to fix it.
But most people know when they come here that we fly a lot of red eyes here and deal with it. That's why we get a red eye override (not enough imo, but still).
It's not doom and gloom. But it's also not near as flexible as it used to be, and flying the line here in a standard month, especially if you are junior on the bus flying at least one redeye almost every trip, wears you out (ditto for the 4 leg days and regional schedules on the 190, those are exhausting, but at least there aren't many redeyes). And those who get "good" reserve schedules (ie live in base and don't get used much on reserve) are not a majority of the company, as obviously a majority of the company holds a line. The senior schedules on the bus are pretty dope. But we are talking about 10% of the company, maybe.
Also of note, you guys in FLL got fat on staffing in the right seat if I'm not mistaken, which is why you guys sent some TDY to JFK. That obviously helps. We have been chronically understaffed in most bases/seats, and reserves don't enjoy all the time off you've had. Especially in the left seat. Enjoy it while it lasts and hope we get adequately staffed at some point so more people can enjoy what you have.
And everyone "absolutely loves" their JB schedule.
12-17-2019, 06:42 PM
#23
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2012
Position: 190 captain and “Pro-pilot”
Posts: 2,918
Originally Posted by jamesholzhauer
What percentage of a base is on reserve vs holding a line? What percentage of pairings have red eyes? What percentage of junior lines have red eyes? How easy is it to swap/drop trips? What percentage of reserves only fly a few times a month? What's the average block/credit of reserves for the month of Dec (and we haven't even got to the busy part).
You can't sugarcoat schedules here. Even management has admitted they went too far with the pairing optimizer and that our staffing and the reserve grids don't allow enough flexibility. We've had a large uptick in fatigue events, broken pairings with timing out, etc. They are slowly trying to fix it.
But most people know when they come here that we fly a lot of red eyes here and deal with it. That's why we get a red eye override (not enough imo, but still).
It's not doom and gloom. But it's also not near as flexible as it used to be, and flying the line here in a standard month, especially if you are junior on the bus flying at least one redeye almost every trip, wears you out (ditto for the 4 leg days and regional schedules on the 190, those are exhausting, but at least there aren't many redeyes). And those who get "good" reserve schedules (ie live in base and don't get used much on reserve) are not a majority of the company, as obviously a majority of the company holds a line. The senior schedules on the bus are pretty dope. But we are talking about 10% of the company, maybe.
Also of note, you guys in FLL got fat on staffing in the right seat if I'm not mistaken, which is why you guys sent some TDY to JFK. That obviously helps. We have been chronically understaffed in most bases/seats, and reserves don't enjoy all the time off you've had. Especially in the left seat. Enjoy it while it lasts and hope we get adequately staffed at some point so more people can enjoy what you have.
You can't sugarcoat schedules here. Even management has admitted they went too far with the pairing optimizer and that our staffing and the reserve grids don't allow enough flexibility. We've had a large uptick in fatigue events, broken pairings with timing out, etc. They are slowly trying to fix it.
But most people know when they come here that we fly a lot of red eyes here and deal with it. That's why we get a red eye override (not enough imo, but still).
It's not doom and gloom. But it's also not near as flexible as it used to be, and flying the line here in a standard month, especially if you are junior on the bus flying at least one redeye almost every trip, wears you out (ditto for the 4 leg days and regional schedules on the 190, those are exhausting, but at least there aren't many redeyes). And those who get "good" reserve schedules (ie live in base and don't get used much on reserve) are not a majority of the company, as obviously a majority of the company holds a line. The senior schedules on the bus are pretty dope. But we are talking about 10% of the company, maybe.
Also of note, you guys in FLL got fat on staffing in the right seat if I'm not mistaken, which is why you guys sent some TDY to JFK. That obviously helps. We have been chronically understaffed in most bases/seats, and reserves don't enjoy all the time off you've had. Especially in the left seat. Enjoy it while it lasts and hope we get adequately staffed at some point so more people can enjoy what you have.
And there is the problem they broke it fast but are slowly “trying” to fix it.
I have no clue how they will fix staffing. From what I understand attrition is a concern but if they will do anything is the question. We are seeing TDYs and the AVL is not allowing to just shift staffing. The contract for all its flaws is definitely impacting their ability to BS the schedules. We should be taking a bunch of planes next year for growth they said they need but can we do that staff for vacation and the contract and have this level of attrition? Oh yeah and the big guys plan to hire a bunch. IMHO JetBlue has themselves in a pickle of their own doing.
As for jr flying it’s jr for a reason. It’s no different at any other airline. We can argue the upside at other airlines all day but everywhere has jr flying.
12-17-2019, 07:04 PM
#24
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2016
Posts: 2,559
Originally Posted by Bluedriver
Obviously most JB pilots don't fly red-eyes, you know, because those two haven't flown many...
And everyone "absolutely loves" their JB schedule.
And everyone "absolutely loves" their JB schedule.
12-18-2019, 12:15 AM
#26
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2007
Position: B757F CA
Posts: 408
Originally Posted by Trippleseven
Sorry guys didn’t want this to turn to a ****ing contest . Was just asking honest opinions FLL not commuting vs UPS commuting as I heard these days not many pilots leave JB for the Majors.
12-18-2019, 03:17 AM
#27
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2008
Position: Left,Right, Left, Right,Right,Left, Right, Left
Posts: 3,150
Originally Posted by Trippleseven
Sorry guys didn’t want this to turn to a ****ing contest . Was just asking honest opinions FLL not commuting vs UPS commuting as I heard these days not many pilots leave JB for the Majors.
The data pretty much shows that between 0-2yrs you’re primed to jump ship. After the 2yr mark that number drops dramatically.
BlueDude tracks the data pretty close. He’s probably got very accurate numbers somewhere.
12-18-2019, 04:38 AM
#28
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2012
Position: 190 captain and “Pro-pilot”
Posts: 2,918
Originally Posted by CaptCoolHand
The last few years the average attrition has been right around 100/yr. that number also includes retirements and deaths and those who involuntarily separate from the company.
The data pretty much shows that between 0-2yrs you’re primed to jump ship. After the 2yr mark that number drops dramatically.
BlueDude tracks the data pretty close. He’s probably got very accurate numbers somewhere.
The data pretty much shows that between 0-2yrs you’re primed to jump ship. After the 2yr mark that number drops dramatically.
BlueDude tracks the data pretty close. He’s probably got very accurate numbers somewhere.
12-18-2019, 05:51 AM
#30
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2012
Position: 190 captain and “Pro-pilot”
Posts: 2,918
Originally Posted by CaptCoolHand
I have feelings about your post joe... but I’ll refrain. 
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