Airline Pilot Central Forums - Working hours..Really "Guaranteed"?

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Quote:

Originally Posted by soldierboy (Post 391795)

The guaranteed hours by each regional airline regular and reserve -70, 75 etc...........
Is this really guaranteed or do they always give you less hours than they say on the airlines profile? Just wondering because I am trying to figure out how much I will make in the regionals, including my Army retirement check each month once I start into this industry.
Thanks for any constructive comments.

That is the minimum hours they pay you.

Quote:

Originally Posted by soldierboy (Post 391813)

I will not be in the Army reserves then. I will retire from active duty soon though. 20 yrs is enough! hahhaa
Will your regional let you fly MORE than the minimums if you want to fly more, like if someone goes on vacation? Can you ask to fill their slot? I'm jsut trying to gain knowledge how this all works.

You don't ask to "fill in" for someone. When someone goes on Vacation or some kind of leave, the trips affected by that leave get "dropped" from their schedule (and become open trips or "Open Time") and you can "pick up" trips. The rest of the trips that no one picks up get assigned to reserve pilots. (in general)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seattlecfi (Post 391831)

That is the minimum hours they pay you.

exactly...and just to expand on this, for the guy who asked the original question. the minimum monthly guarantee isn't the amount of flying they guarantee you, it's the amount of pay they guarantee you each month. depending on the company and the situation, you might fly more than that minimum guarantee, which would give you more pay, or you might fly less than that minimum guarantee. but if you fly less, or not at all if you're on reserve and they don't use you, you still get paid the minimum guarantee. i hope that makes sense. and congratulations on getting out after 20.

Soldierboy:

The monthly guarantee does not mean you will necessarily fly that amount of hours every month. It does mean you be PAID at least that much each month. For example, at Mesaba, the monthly guarantee is 75 hours, whether you are on reserve or hold a line. If you are on reserve you might fly 70 hours, or 10, or 2 but you will be paid for 75. The safest way to plan for your upcoming pay is to assume you will only be paid the guarantee. That way you won't be disappointed. Just take the hourly pay times the monthly guarantee, and plan on no more, no less.

Having said that, once you hold a line there are typically many ways to earn more than guarantee. For one, you might have a high credit line, 80-90 hours, without doing anything. You might pick up open time, which some companies pay at time and a half. You might be junior assigned, which also pays 1.5X. There is also per diem, which some guys count as pay, and some don't, but it's more money either way.

However, the most conservative number for financial planning is monthly guarantee. You should always earn that much, unless you have a lot of sick time, or FMLA, etc.