About how long until a newhire can get a Christmas or Thansgiving off? 1, 2, 5, 10, ... ? I know the recent fleet deferrals may have an impact on this


Does JB throttle back the schedule in the winter months like most airlines do with the summers being the peak? I'm sure they do, so about how many days off a month are typical for a 1yr FO on reserve during the winter? How about a junior FO lineholder during the winter?

 

Of course the answer depends on equipment and base. I had or could have had Christmas and thanksgiving off my first year, either from the award or by swapping stuff. Couldnt get that many days around it though. The airbus guys with my seniority weren't so lucky.

When I was bidding reserve during the slow months on the 190 I would get 12-13 off from the award, 2 additional pre release days (PRLs), and would usually get 2 more days where I was released early, so 16/17 off, plus some long call. At that time we were fat on e190 FOs (except during irops). That's all dependent on manning and I wouldn't count on it, but there still are usually 2 PRLs awarded to E190 FOs, giving 14-15 days off. My awarded line schedules were usually 16-18 days off with 70-75 hours of credit my first year. JB adjusts bid divisors for each month. So E190 FOs in JFK get awarded between 70-80 hours because we have been the fattest category. For some reason the airbus is run thinner, as is the captain side, so their divisors are higher, so more credit hours which can mean fewer days off. Just my experience, a lot of that is contingent upon base and equipment as well as staffing and what the E190 to 320 transition is looking like, which dictates movement/relative seniority the first 2 years. There will be another large amount jumping 190 to bus in the next 6-12 months I think, so there will be a lot FO movement in the 190 again. Hopefully a bus guy will chime in and give you insight from their perspective.

 

I was hired in 2013 into the JFK 320 and did 2 months on reserve while the Bos 190 guys were on reserve 9 months.
Heres the rub; This is variable and changes with the tide. Plenty of guys who bid the 190 speak of quick seniority as well, depending on hire date.
I worked my first Thanksgiving but havent had to work a Christmas.
Im bidding ~top 33% in base now and hold weekends/holidays off. Commutability isnt important to me so take that into consideration (quality of trips)
Lately the divisors (min/max) have been high in JFK. This means that your bid award is cluttered with trips to get you to an award of 86-90 hours with 14 off.
These are very general descriptions.
Pm me for more info if ya like.
Good luck

 

Bid min credit those months with high divisors and get yourself an extra day off... lately jfk 320 FO min has been 81hrs.

 

Looks like the April 19 class all got JFK 320. Are they putting new hires into the 190 anymore?

 

Very few... It'll probably be fall/winter when we see an increase again in E190 slots.

 

Doesnt always work that way unless you do crap day trips (5hours). Usually the last trip bleeds into the mid 80s.

 

Talked to someone credible who said after the next system bid the hiring will move mostly into the 190.

 

Thanks for the answers!

Another thing I'd like to verify... are the listed payrates on APC accurate? About $50-60k first year sound right? Is $100k attainable 2nd year on the bus?

Thanks

 

Correct on both and some local FOs have cleared 195 on 3rd year pay. Not the norm- I only hit 140 year 3-4; I pulled back due to lack of interest.