Commuting Internationally
 

Hi all, Looking to join one of the legacies at some point ideally in the next year. Going to be moving over to the States long term in the next few years, but would ideally like to start before we actually move. Are there international commuting policies for any of the carriers? Thanks!

I'm not aware of any policies specific to international commutes. All majors pretty much have a commuting policy of some sort, whether that's compatible with an international commute would depend on the contract details.

People do international commutes, I know several. Latin America or Canada to the US seems more common, but I'm on the west coast. I even a knew an FA who commuted from Germany back in the day, but she was single and flexible and could spend short blocks off in domicile, only going home once or twice a month.

It would matter which country and location... Canada would be more like a domestic commute, while a two-leg commute from a less developed country might not be practical at all.

There are quite a few guys who do it. Many however have seniority and bid layovers at home. Others stack their trips together as best they can and stay at base during the block.

I’m not doing it just yet but once I get into WB and gain some seniority, my plan is commuting to Spain. Front load all the flying and then spend 12-14 with my family, rinse and repeat. PHL/MIA/CLT/NY is what works for me with AA.
Easy? I doubt it. But my family lives there and they’re getting older, can’t move them here with me, so hopefully seniority will makes things easier at some point.

I know a guy that commutes from London but is based in EWR. Knew a guy at my regional that lived in Mexico City and commuted to IAH.

Nothing restricting it, nothing specifically mentioning it. Basically the same commuter policy applies as if you were living state side.

I have heard FedEx or UPS require you to live in the US but I think that has more to do with their USPS mail contract.

My wife used to commute from Venice to ORD. Of course, the ability to move or stack trips and using vacation and strategic sick calls will make all the difference.

You can certainly live overseas at UPS. We have quite a few pilots that do and I think our schedules might actually make it easier than most places.

The three biggest bug-a-boos to watch out for:

1) Make sure you have the seniority to execute your commuting program. Building that kind of seniority is going to mean sitting in a seat way longer than you might otherwise.

2) Be sure you have some fall back plans. Ball ups due to this, that or the other thing, including strikes, weather, whatever means bailing out to some alternate European hubs, and that's going to be chaotic and stressful no matter how well you plan it out. You need to be ready to eat some days and probably cash on either end of the commute.

3) Make extra sure you have an accountant and/or tax person who is 100% dialed into what you are doing. Not kinda, sorta, maybe "I took an online course on international taxes", but a no kidding expert who is completely familar into exactly what you are doing. You're going to have authorities on either side of the Atlantic looking for their due.

I know at least two people who did the international commute. One handled it well, stayed uber senior in seat, and was chill. The other....wasn't. You pay your dollar (or euro), you take your choice.

Totally false. I shared a crashpad in MEM with a guy who lived in the UK and worked for FDX when I was there. Not a life I would choose but he proved it was possible.

This was well before FDX lost the USPS contract.

We have people living all over at UPS. One guy was commuting from South Africa. Asia guys can have a pretty good deal with some seniority. Europe doable and can be pretty good if you got a good amount of seniority.