RJSAviator76

First and foremost, welcome to Southwest Airlines ladies and gentlemen.

Now that you're settling in after the initial, I know many of you want to make some of that second-year money. I know I did, and I was there just last year, so let me share with you what I've learned. I've posted this before, but I think having its own thread may be more helpful and easier to find.

Yes, any trip or reserve block you pick up from open time, even at straight time, is paid at second-year rate provided you exceed your original line value. But for Pete's sakes, some of the things I see in Open Time really make me shake my head. For example, a first-year pilot bidding straight on a high block hour 2-day trip with no DH's for less than 12 TFP total is something that makes me cringe because I suspect he may not be aware he's getting shortchanged.

Here are some basics here. 6.5 TFP per day is our ADG (average daily guarantee) and trips are initially rigged to a minimum of 19.5 TFP for 3-day or 13 TFP for 2-day. Scheduling will break up a pairing and destroy that rig ending up with a trip that may be somewhat reasonable only at premium i.e. pay only slightly better than ADG, but would fall below 6.5 TFP per day minimum at straight time. They call it STC (split to cover).

So let's take a look at what happens here in two various examples of two Newbies being legal for 2 day trips:

Newbie 1 wants 2nd year pay and is bidding straight time for an STC 2-day trip that blocks say 8 hours that pays 11 TFP at straight for 2 days. Newbie 1 will fly 8 hours over 2 days to get paid 11 TFP at second year rate.

Newbie 2 also wants 2nd year pay, but he'll pick up a 2-day reserve block in DOT (closes at 0900 for the following day). Right there, Newbie 2 just made 12 TFP at second year rate without leaving his house, or $100 over Newbie 1 who's out flying. Let's say that Scheduling assigns Newbie 2 to do the same trip as Newbie 1, but now instead of 11 TFP as this trip would pay at straight time, Newbie 2 gets at least 13 TFP total because of ADG (6.5 TFP) minimum if you're used on reserve. Newbie 2 just made extra $200 (extra 2 TFP at second-year rate) over Newbie 1 for flying the exact same trip. Now, considering he's on reserve now, should scheduling alter Newbie 2's original schedule bringing him/her back to domicile after the originally assigned time, Newbie 2 would now be making premium, and all of this at second-year rate.

Remember, the second-year rate rule applies to ANYTHING picked up out of Open Time and that includes reserve blocks. This is in the contract, and you can call Payroll or SWAPA Contract Admin if you need any clarifications.

Also, please don't take this as a slam or griping about picking up second-year pay at straight time. Not even close! By all means, we've all been there... The sole purpose of my post is to help you make that extra money without engaging in unknowing charitable giving to the company, i.e. shortchanging yourself especially on days when there are reserve blocks available in DOT.

ZapBrannigan

Great post. Some of the scraps that have ended up in open time are pretty bad.


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Sqwk7700

Great post, thanks for taking the time to break it down. I'm sure this thread is going to be full of good info.

SmoothLanderJ

Great info!

e6bpilot

That is good advice above. Thanks for taking the time to post it.
First year open time has changed a lot since I was on probation. Reserve times are much shorter and the open time market has been really good for the last year or so.
Getting that second year pay gives guys the option of padding their first year earnings and maybe not making the pay cut they inevitably take when starting here not so bad.
I will also add that just because bidding straight virtually guarantees you the trip, don't overlook premium bids. If you look at the list of bidders prior to close and determine that you could win the trip over any other bidders, consider changing your bid to premium.
There are a couple of elements that go into this, but it can be done and I have seen first year guys score some pretty good premium trips.
If there are no bidders and they are out of reserves or it is a trip with a report or release that doesn't allow a reserve to fly it (for example an 11:30am report) it will almost always go premium.
If the only other bidders are above the open time cap (usually happens towards the end of the month) and you are bidding in domicile, the trip will be awarded to the most senior bidder under the cap (maybe you). That takes some legwork to figure out and depending on board blocking may be impossible, but you can pretty well surmise that anyone bidding premium with a blocked board towards the end of the month is over the cap.
If you are willing to shotgun bid the 0900 DOT close with premium bids, you will be surprised, especially on the weekends. If you don't get awarded anything, there will definitely be chances later on to snag hourly open time.
I am big on flying open time and especially 1.5x trips. Yes, it takes a little legwork, but I am all about maximizing my pay when I am away from home and, to me, that is the best way to do it.

Smooth at FL450

Great post. I'll add this...don't bid straight until you need to. I've seen new guys bidding straight when they are the only one bidding. Go for premium and settle for straight if you get outbid.

RJSAviator76

^^^^^ THIS

Someone in the training center keeps telling newhires that they only get second year if they bid straight, and that's false. If you pick up a premium trip in Open Time, you get premium value of that trip in second year pay.

Keyword here is Open Time.

hoover

Now if we can get the 60xxx number FOs, that's right FOs to stop biding straight just because they are over the cap and need to get 180tfp

flyguy81

I'm thinking if they need 180 tfp....maybe they should just upgrade....

ZapBrannigan

Wait, does the cap not apply to straight time awards? Geez. Just when I think I've got things figured out around here I learn something new.


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