Life in the Airlines

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04-22-2018 | 07:48 PM

#21

rickair7777

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From: Engines Turn or People Swim

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevbo

A good friend commented recently, "I've got 19 years with AA and I'm still on call". Cheers!

If he could get by with $250K instead of $400K, he could have any schedule he wanted.

04-22-2018 | 10:50 PM

#22

kevbo

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Sliceback

8,000 out of 15,000? Reserve by choice. Even in DFW he could be a top 5% n/b FO if he wanted.

DFW captain.

04-23-2018 | 05:13 AM

#23

Sliceback

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From: Window seat

8,000 in DFW holds a line as 320 CA. 737 CA is reserve.

So the OP can see the choices of choosing reserve vs a line, or commuting vs not commuting. As a commuter he wouldn’t want to be a CA in DFW at 8,000. Maybe PHL, MIA or LGA. As a commuter w/b the difference for an international long haul flight (real example) is -
Commuter - leave at 0900, home at 2245
Local guy - leave at 1400, home at 1830.

That’s five rds of golf, tennis matches, mowing, and five dinners per month spent commuting. Leaving in your ideal town has value but it has a physical and financial cost.

04-23-2018 | 05:22 AM

#24

Sliceback

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From: Window seat

Quote:

Originally Posted by rickair7777

If he could get by with $250K instead of $400K, he could have any schedule he wanted.

At that seniority the difference in pay between w/b FO and rsv CA is roughly 5%. Line holding G2 CA is about a 20% bump. Being a commuter as a junior guy can be significantly tougher than living locally. So for several years it will be a $50-60K (?) hit to stay a mid pack G4 FO line holder as a commuter vs being an in-base junior G2 CA line holder.

Everyone has a different answer to the same equation.

04-24-2018 | 08:01 AM

#25

crewdawg

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Quote:

Originally Posted by kevbo

A good friend commented recently, "I've got 19 years with AA and I'm still on call". Cheers!

Being "on call" can be one of the best gigs in the airline world. The last month I was on reserve, I never turned a wheel. Spent the whole month "working" from my house and got lots of projects done! In my category Reserve can go super senior. If someone has been at any of the Majors/Cargo 19 years and they're "on call," it's by choice.

To add to what other posters have said, I would highly recommend living in base. I live within short call range of my hub and the QOL is amazing. I left one major for another so I could live where I grew up and sit short call from my house. On top of QOL, you career earnings will likely be higher as well. Not commuting will allow you to take the next upgrade much earlier than if you had to commute. Living in base makes it like a whole different job as compared to commuting.

04-24-2018 | 01:20 PM

#26

Han Solo

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From: Fastest Hunk of Junk in the Galaxy

Junior DAL Captain. Moved from SAT to ATL. Been on RES since I made it into the left seat in November. Total block since 1 Jan: (69 - 2) hours. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop but my phone ain't ringing much. With all the practice I've been getting, at the ripe old age of 47 I'm almost as good at PS4 as somebody half my age!

05-18-2018 | 09:30 AM

#27

Fenderbean

Thread Starter

On Reserve

Joined: Apr 2018

Posts: 22

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From: AH-64E IP/MTP

Thanks guys lots of good info here, def something to think about because after 20 years of living on the go i think my sanity may take priority LOL

05-23-2018 | 03:45 AM

#28

Albief15

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Commuting CAN work too. Have a friend in SAT...bids JFK. Has seniority to hold a lot of SAT overnights and the odd deadhead too. Still gets lots of home time--just reverse engineers it a bit.

Options are nice. Most airline gigs give you options...

05-23-2018 | 08:33 AM

#29

Han Solo

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From: Fastest Hunk of Junk in the Galaxy

Quote:

Originally Posted by Albief15

I did SAT JFK for a year. Not a busy commute but not many options. When I was there, it was only 1 direct flight per day that was mainline 9 months of the year. AUS JFK had a few more options but more competition, my backup was usually SAT ATL JFK/LGA which was pretty miserable.