Hey guys I'm looking for some info on your QOL, and have a few specific questions.

Any truth to the 'instant upgrade' rumor? Could a qualified new hire hold Captain just out of class? Would you go back to the schoolhouse or just switch seats?

How many days off do RSV guys get?
Can you swap your RSV/OFF days?
Can you bid for early or late reserve availability?
How long is the call out?
Is there a long call?
How often do you sit ready reserve (aka hot, airport appreciation, etc)
Does scheduling assign trips as soon as they know you'll be working, or do they wait for the last second to notify you?
Is DTW the junior base?
How long to hold a line?
How long for a "new hire Captain" to hold a line?
How many days off do line holders get?
Can you drop trips?
If so, how far down can you drop?
Can you trade with open time?

What is the flying like out of your domiciles? that is, do you tend to just fly to an out station and back to your domicile, or might an DTW crew end up doing MEM or MSP flying on a multi day trip?
For line holders, is there a web site, or system to facilitate trip trades with other line holders and/or open time?
In general, how do you feel about your layover hotels? And is the company responsive to complaints about bad hotels?
Do you have access to any information which tells you what reserve coverage is available and what uncovered trips exist?

Anything else that you love or hate about the place?

Thanks

 

wouldn't call it instant.. you have to have 100 hours with the company to upgrade, but yeah, pretty much once you have the time you can do it.. last vacancy still had captains upgrading that have been here just a few months.

10 days of for rsv and line holders.

yes, you can move your reserve days and off days around... just make sure its legal.. like 1 in 7 off.

yes, you can bid for early and late reserve.

1 1/2 hours

no

really never,, once in a while they will have it, but i have never had to do it in almost 2 years, and i don't know anyone that has had to sit airport reserve.. now i had a trip cancel once, and if you call scheduling and say you want to sit ready reserve, then you will get full pay, instead of the dumb 50 percent cancellation pay.

when i was on reserve i pretty much never got to a reserve day.. almost always had stuff scheduled a couple days in advance, but thats not to say they things wont change in the middle of your schedule.. remember, its reserve.

yes

in dtw a couple months or less, in mem forever, in msp a little less than forever..

yeah, this is forever.. remember no matter where you go, if you are hired as a street captain, everyone is senior to you at the company.. even the fo with 250hrs.. so until everyone has upgraded that wants to ahead of you, you will be on reserve for a long, long time..

10

yes, if the timing is right.

yes, its pretty easy to do.


depends,, all i like to do are 2 day trips, so that all i bid.. i spend most of my time flying in and out of mem.. but i am literaly at home a TON.. its nice. go in at 12, get off at 8 the next morning, 94 hours of flying a month, 16-17 days off..

we use crewtrac.. you can see open time, people on reserve, etc, etc,..

most are really nice.. some times we have dumb ones that are nice.. for example we stay at the embassy suites in mgm.. very nice hotel but 20 minute ride from the airport... they try not to have to many of these but i would say overall most the hotels are good... and i will put a plug in for the hampton inn cause they are the best.

yes, crewtrac.

wish we had a contract, better pay, etc, etc.. i also wish mem wasn't so senior.. been here almost 2 years and still cant hold it.. lots of senior capts went to atlanta so hopefully in the next vacancy i will have a chance.... other than that my qol is great...but several things need to change, and hopefully will soon.

 

All airsupport said is correct except I would like to clarify "forever" for holding a line in MEM. Currently its about 3-4 months from the latest bid. This is obviously for FO. We need a contract, this would be a great place if we had one (i know thats like saying if the chick wasn't fat she would be hot but you get my drift..)
I enjoy my time here and the schedules do get better after a year of so worth of seniority. With the XJ transfers and the new -900s showing up in ATL its kinda hard to predict staffing with those variables. Hope that helps. A contract will come eventually- this pilot group will not take crap, hence the length of negotiations.

 

Reserve in MEM is definitely not forever. I am holding a line for the first time. I was on reserve in MEM as an FO for just over 3 months. They hardly ever used me (never flew more than 40 hours in one month, 17 last month!), so reserve was easy for me especially since I live in domicile. Quality of life here, IMO, has been good. Pay sucks, but other than that I'm enjoying it.

 

ok,, i guess i was just transfering my frustrations of waiting for a captain spot in mem to being on reserve as an fo... its not forever.. but dang waiting for a captain spot IS!!!!!

 

Again, everything stated earlier is correct. If you do decide to upgrade right away, you will get about 10-12 days off. If you decide to wait, its better. I've been an FO in MSP for 1.5 years and I'm holding 16 days off consistently. But then again, I rather double my pay than have a few extra days off..... And to re iterate what my buddy Higney said, this is a good group. Things will get better. I didn't freeze my but off in front of a big rat last week for nothing!