He will with almost 100% certainty be a R1 line holder by next year at this time and will not have to work Christmas. Then, depending on when he upgrades, he could go straight into a R1 captain line and still not have to work Christmas.

I have never worked Christmas or thanksgiving, nor have the majority of my friends. It just depends on when you get hired.

Working one isn't a big deal.

It's a bit different when you're on the line, off probation, have a commuter clause, and have some protection under the contract.

As a trainee, you have no protection. Miss training due to the inability to travel back and that's a problem. Why risk termination for some holiday? If one cannot work one holiday or be away from home during a holiday then clearly this is the wrong career choice. I'd hate to see someone get canned because they couldn't make it back to training.

In the end he will probably be a R1 holder by next year and won't have to work it anyways. One has to weigh the risks and act accordingly.

Yeah but we are growing again so the quick upgrade will continue. No end in sight for that.

What? 14 airplanes? That doesn't account for hundreds of FOs with their 1,000 hours.

No luck with PSA Newton application
 

I applied to PSA through their website, which took me to Newton software.
I've had no more reply than the initial generic response emailed back to me over 5 weeks ago, even though I directly emailed an updated CV recently.
I've got many more hours than required to be considered, so was wondering if PSA prefer an Airline Apps application?

Be patient. It's gonna take a little longer than usual.
Recruiting coordinators are swamped.
It's close to Christmas. Everyone is working in slow motion.

No issue applying through their website here.

Did you have a referral ?

All their classes are slap full but having been 5 weeks ago... weird.

It's gonna take a little longer than usual. Recruiting coordinators are swamped and it's close to Christmas. Everyone is working in slow motion.

Help, normally I agree with you...

Can you see the conflict in these two statements? If you haven't had to work one how do you know it's not a big deal? I worked Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years for the last two years. Only last Thanksgiving was by choice, it may not be a big deal but ask my wife... it is at least a deal. I'm sure I have many more in my future and we understood that with the choices I have made, but it is something.

My suggestion would be to bring your wife/husband/significant other out to enjoy the lovely Dayton area with you around Christmas. That way you don't risk anything with the company, you get to spend time with some of the family (if you can pull it off), and you can expose them to our work. Life is about compromise, especially in this profession; which is why Christmas was today in my house.

Best of luck, study well, and have fun -- see you on the line.

It is a bit of a risk if I couldn't make it back, and quite frankly one Holiday away from family isn't the end of the world for me, but it certainly is for them (especially with me taking a new job that will have me gone more than I ever have been).

I'm not the kind of person that takes commitment too lightly, so barring a 100 year blizzard storm, I'll fly, drive, or snowmobile my butt back to training by Tuesday morning at 8am.