AA or UA or SW
#51
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2017
Posts: 659
Thanks for adding some important details here.
This is a prime example of how a discussion can shed a lot more light on a situation than contract comparison table could ever do.
Could someone quickly explain ELITT and red days at SW
Also for those at the other two, how drops and reserve day trades work AA and UA, first hand knowledge.
I'm sure many are benefitting from this discussion
This is a prime example of how a discussion can shed a lot more light on a situation than contract comparison table could ever do.
Could someone quickly explain ELITT and red days at SW
Also for those at the other two, how drops and reserve day trades work AA and UA, first hand knowledge.
I'm sure many are benefitting from this discussion
When too many people trade off of a certain day it turns red and no one else can ELITT away from that day.
I’ll also add that if you live in base and want weekends off reserve is a good option. I get most weekends off and I just finished year one.
#52
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,110
Thanks for adding some important details here.
This is a prime example of how a discussion can shed a lot more light on a situation than contract comparison table could ever do.
Could someone quickly explain ELITT and red days at SW
Also for those at the other two, how drops and reserve day trades work AA and UA, first hand knowledge.
I'm sure many are benefitting from this discussion
This is a prime example of how a discussion can shed a lot more light on a situation than contract comparison table could ever do.
Could someone quickly explain ELITT and red days at SW
Also for those at the other two, how drops and reserve day trades work AA and UA, first hand knowledge.
I'm sure many are benefitting from this discussion
#53
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2015
Posts: 104
Regarding Southwest, “Drop to Zero” is somewhat misleading. You can Give away your entire schedule to another Pilot(s) but you can only “drop” 4 duty periods a month back to the company. Not perfect but provides some flexibility.
ELITT, our trip trade system, is pretty effective. If you are not on reserve and you want weekends off, its there for the taking. Even for the very junior.
Another note, roughly 85% of our trips are 3 days or less. Not everyone loves this(commuters, vacation bidders) but not doing a 4 day every week has a remarkable effect on qol.
ELITT, our trip trade system, is pretty effective. If you are not on reserve and you want weekends off, its there for the taking. Even for the very junior.
Another note, roughly 85% of our trips are 3 days or less. Not everyone loves this(commuters, vacation bidders) but not doing a 4 day every week has a remarkable effect on qol.
#57
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2017
Posts: 659
There’s also a ton of trading pilot to pilot which is obviously heavily influenced by seniority. Many of the most senior give away/trade down so they can pick up premium trips.
#58
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2017
Posts: 588
I think what’s going on is that the FO’s side is and was so over staffed that guys were desperate to pick up. Premium was at a, well.....premium.
ELITT is a beautiful thing......until the red days hit on the weekends. Then you’re stuck with your weekend trips.
Good on you guys if you were able to get some weekends off being relatively junior. I just don’t want the people reading this to think that that’s the norm.
Let’s see if that’s an option for the junior FOs next summer after they upgrade 400+ in the first half of the year (a good “problem” to have).
ELITT is a beautiful thing......until the red days hit on the weekends. Then you’re stuck with your weekend trips.
Good on you guys if you were able to get some weekends off being relatively junior. I just don’t want the people reading this to think that that’s the norm.
Let’s see if that’s an option for the junior FOs next summer after they upgrade 400+ in the first half of the year (a good “problem” to have).
#59
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2016
Posts: 209
I’m after the same thing.. quality above quantity. A lot can change in the next 5 years, but you should be able to hold widebody with ease at Yonited and possibly AA. (Parking 330’s 75/76 and 1-1 swap w 78) Sitting short call you might work what a trip a month? Friend in the 76 in PHL didn’t work for 183 days in a row. Widebody Short call is the gravy train w biscuit wheel IMO.
#60
I have this to add as someone who did line bidding and lots of trip trading for a decade and now bids with PBS: I know PBS gets a bad rep, but the right system that is Union controlled isn’t terrible. I have much preferred PBS vs line bidding because I used to spend hours and hours constantly trading and swapping to improve my schedule. I would be at birthday parties, family outings, sitting at home, ect constantly on my phone checking open time and trading trips. Yes I was able to have great flexibility and drastically improve my schedule, but at what cost? I lost so much time constantly worrying about this. Now I typically get what I need right out of the gate and don’t waste so much time trip trading. If I have to make a change, I can make a trade here and there, or just put in a criteria trade and let it trade automatically if and when what I need pops up.
I will never miss having to dedicate a night of my life every month to trip trading, not to mention countless other days being “married” to my phone. We spend a lot of time with other “aviation families” that work under these systems. Their wives all say the same thing: “even when he’s home he’s not really home”. Just keep in mind it might be nice to have the flexibility but that may also require tons of time given up. JMO based on what I’ve seen of course.
I will never miss having to dedicate a night of my life every month to trip trading, not to mention countless other days being “married” to my phone. We spend a lot of time with other “aviation families” that work under these systems. Their wives all say the same thing: “even when he’s home he’s not really home”. Just keep in mind it might be nice to have the flexibility but that may also require tons of time given up. JMO based on what I’ve seen of course.