what defines a junior trip?
 

just curious. does your seniority number have anything to do with where you go as far as you usually get certain trips. or is it more based on whether you work the 16 days a montha nd do all nighters compared to 9 days a month and get weekends off?

The short answer: Yes.

I'm at the bottom of a seniority list. Here's my situation: I'm on reserve and can't hold a line, so anywhere I go is completely at the company's choosing.

As one gains seniority, the ability to hold a line and start getting choosy strengthens. Then you can start picking your favorite overnights and/or lines with the most days off.

In this business, seniority is everything - it governs your ability to do anything: flying, non-revving (if there's not enough seats, the most senior get the seats), as well as bidding for vacation, upgrade and regular training events.

Junior trips at my airline are generally low-credit four day trips. Three days and naps seem to be the desirable ones. Many of the three-day trips have high block hours and the naps pay more than you fly owing to our duty rigs.

The people who get junior trips are the ones posting on the internet on Christmas, because they are not senior enough to get the day off!

You beat me to that one! :)

or you are like me. On reserve, working Christmas and lots of long Bangor overnights in January.

Or Erie Syracuse, Buffalo, Rochester and other fine lakeside destinations.

ok i understand seniority. but are there specific destinations because you are at the bottom of the totem pole.

Umm...anywhere North in the winter...especially with Am showtimes...








OO.

In the regionals, I'm not sure who is working 9 days a month with weekends off. At least not before being able to drop or trade down. Also, in the regionals, rarely are there "all nighters" Granted, SOME do have red eye flying. And some do have naps/CDO's/stand ups/high speeds. But in some cases, those can go senior. But it's not going to be like at UPS/FedEx depending on equipment/seniority where you are doing night hub turns every night all month long.

The definition of a "junior" trip is highly subjective and based on many things. Commuter or live in base? Going for max pay or max time off? Like doing 4 days or 2 days back to back?

I bid in the top 10% and I commute. So for me a "junior" trip would be a 4 day with a 6 am show and a 2200 release. Being a commuter, often times the quality of the overnights is not there. I've had 4 day trips where the LONGEST overnight was 11 hours.

See the above. Many guys ONLY look at show and release time. Others ONLY look at pay credit. Besides, destinations can vary widely depending on where you work. If your airline, or your airlines base only serves a few destinations, that means your going to the SAME places ALL the time.

To answer your question, NO. With that in mind, a line holder may see a trip drop into open time that has better pay, better commutability, etc. If it just so happens to have better overmights, whatever. He made trade for it, thereby putting his trip in open time to more than likely be flown by a reserve (junior) pilot. Conversely, a line holder on a trip with sweet overnights may call in sick and nobody is able to trade for it. The trip with "good" destinations will again get flown by a reserve (junior) pilot.

ok thanks it makes sense to me now