If I am unstacked for both a line and reserve for my days off that I require, I bid a line. Never had to resort to taking a line. Never missed a kid’s birthday or wedding anniversary or any other important event. But, I also don’t ask for a lot of days off in a bidding period.

Can someone share a typical month's schedule for a PHX FO? Is it unheard of getting more then 12 days off? Also does Mesa cancel vacations very often for FO's? Any forced upgrades?

Thanks!

Mesa will always be able to find pilots. When I was at Republic most of the failures would end up at Mesa. I wouldn’t move from envoy to Mesa, but not commuting may be worth it for some. Job security at Mesa is definitely worse then Envoy though.

That is true of any non-wholly owned regional..... sometimes for different reasons.

Commuting can raise havoc on marriages. I know pilots with multiple failed marriages. Someone in my class had divorce proceedings filed against him over the life style within a few months of having a baby.

If one loves their job more than the person they sleep with, don’t get in bed in the first place. You will save yourself lots of money and aggrevation.

Or marry someone who is also flight crew. They understand the lifestyle and, you’ll never see each other. Therefore, the marriage works perfectly. :D

I think this statement is true for a lot of us here, including myself. My wife knows that if given an ultimatum, I would take flying over her. It hurts her feelings, but she loves me enough to stay anyway. You just have to find one who will accept that fact and hope that they won't change their mind.

No. But they are awarded based on your award pairings so while unstacked it may match your preferences if you carefully construct your award pairings.

Not completely true. One can “else start next” into a reserve bid and avoid unstacking (if willing to take reserve). Many pilots consider reserve the end of the world as they know it.

Yes, those of us who do not live in base do consider it the end of the world!

My unstacking has still met my commutability requests but my “min credit” bid was truly ignored.