Leaving SWA at 6yrs for UPS?

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05-17-2022, 12:06 AM

#31

CL300

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Quattrobourbon

Useful thread. Thanks all for contributing. I have Delta and UPS CJOs and another month to figure it out. It does seem like a lot of pax guys leave for UPS/FX but not the other way around. Anyone have thoughts on what would be better for a new hire with 25 years of max work to go? ( i dont plan on working to 65 unless i can do it from Europe and commute back and forth)

A couple thoughts on my situation.

1) currently live in Indianapolis, could drive to SDF (but not close enough for reserve at home) - seems like a plus for UPS

2) Have lived half my life in the NYC suburbs and would welcome a move back there (yes im crazy) - seems like a plus for Delta

3) My biggest worry on the Cargo side is the night flying with having young kids at home. - seems like a plus for Delta

4) money isnt my motivating factor. I want to have fun flying big jets as i transition from the corporate world and work as little as possible. - seems like a toss up, but less hours blocked at UPS.

Thanks for going gentle on this newb.

I was a corporate guy before I came to UPS. I fly much less than my buddies at Delta and spend many more nights in my own bed as well. Their first choice was UPS but all were hired by Delta first. They are always amazed at how much time off I get with our vacation system and I out-earn them by $30-45k each year. There’s not much at Delta that makes me wish I had been hired there first.

We have a handful of people that live in Indy and they love it for working here. Close enough to make the easy drive to work, but far enough away that they can get away from UPS on their days off.

I’m confused about #3 above- flying night freight with young kids at home. What’s the significance? Trying to sleep prior to a report? Or something different?

If you have anything more specific, drop me a PM and I would be glad to answer any questions.

05-17-2022, 12:51 AM

#32

CardboardCutout

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If you're looking for a part-time/paper-route job, keep looking. I like it here due to the paycheck, but vacation it ain't.

05-17-2022, 04:46 AM

#33

Grease

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Quote:

Originally Posted by merica1776

And I’m assuming if I’m a heavy USAF pilot I’ll be stuck on a 747 and therefore won’t be getting turn lines for at least two years? Any way to sneak into a light class?

I’m a heavy USAF guy as well as ACMI widebody guy, and still ended up in a light twin class. But my whole class actually was light twin, so take that with a grain of salt.

05-17-2022, 10:09 AM

#34

oldboyroy

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Sounds like though I get more days off at Southwest than UPS. 15 guaranteed, 17-20 is normal. 18 is a non-issue. With UPS schedules and some being week on week off, the attraction is less flying, great pay, great benefits. SWA is a work very hard for maybe a little less pay, play hard life, conflict bidding vacation line bidding too. I have little kids, am I crazy to leave this schedule for UPS? I block around 600hrs per year...would you say heck no, that's way too much? It is all I know. I am home a lot, but the problem at SWA is a west coast upgrade in a couple years kills me.
Delta is not an option living in Atlanta. My only other option is commute UPS or move to SDF.

05-17-2022, 11:40 AM

#35

hammer pants

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Quote:

Originally Posted by oldboyroy

Sounds like though I get more days off at Southwest than UPS. 15 guaranteed, 17-20 is normal. 18 is a non-issue. With UPS schedules and some being week on week off, the attraction is less flying, great pay, great benefits. SWA is a work very hard for maybe a little less pay, play hard life, conflict bidding vacation line bidding too. I have little kids, am I crazy to leave this schedule for UPS? I block around 600hrs per year...would you say heck no, that's way too much? It is all I know. I am home a lot, but the problem at SWA is a west coast upgrade in a couple years kills me.
Delta is not an option living in Atlanta. My only other option is commute UPS or move to SDF.

Based on what you have written I wouldn’t recommend leaving unless you plan to move to louisville. The only thing that will get you close to the days off you have now is flying turns or reserve and not getting used. Still won’t be 20 days off a month.

Domestic flying here is pretty terrible, most likely worse than what you are doing now. While it might be less block flying 3-4 legs all night long sucks and definitely feels like work. International is better flying but you are going to be 13-15 days off in a 28 day period.

The slow upgrade sucks I get it but that part isn’t going to be better here. Take that frustration out of your decision making. Good luck with your decision.

05-17-2022, 11:52 AM

#36

Fpmx772

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Been following this thread and the others. I’m coming to ups starting June 7th, leaving pax flying. I keep seeing everyone says domestic schedules are bad. What makes them bad? 3 legs a days? Redeye to 2 more legs during the day? What are you guys classifying as “bad flying/schedules? Cause from what I can tell, this is just normal flying (similar to what I’m doing now).

05-17-2022, 12:04 PM

#37

FTv3

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Quote:

Originally Posted by oldboyroy

Just factor in that when UPS guys talk about number of days off they are usually talking in a “per 28 day pay period,” vs calendar month. Also, as I mentioned on p1, conflict bidding is a part of scheduling here. You can (and should) conflict short term training, vacation, and bid-bid periods. This increases one’s average days off, in many cases quite significantly.

We block a lot less hours than pax carriers and even less than SWA.

05-17-2022, 12:07 PM

#38

FTv3

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Fpmx772

First, they aren’t easily commutable usually due to multiple reports in a pay period and difficult start and finish days (few ups flight or reduced pax schedules on weekends). Second, lots of flips and flops from day to night between different trips. Bad domestic night is multiple legs with no breaks flying from early evening to dawn - thankfully these are somewhat limited. If you live in base it’s definitely not that bad.

05-17-2022, 12:14 PM

#39

Fpmx772

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Quote:

Originally Posted by FTv3

Ok I was just wondering what’s makes them so “bad”. I will be living in base (at some point) so that in and of itself makes life better as I am a commuter at my current airline. Flip flop schedules is what I am used to already from flying redeyes from the west coast and then flipping to east coast early morning flights back west.

05-17-2022, 12:15 PM

#40

FTv3

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Quattrobourbon

Useful thread. Thanks all for contributing. I have Delta and UPS CJOs and another month to figure it out. It does seem like a lot of pax guys leave for UPS/FX but not the other way around. Anyone have thoughts on what would be better for a new hire with 25 years of max work to go? ( i dont plan on working to 65 unless i can do it from Europe and commute back and forth)

A couple thoughts on my situation.

1) currently live in Indianapolis, could drive to SDF (but not close enough for reserve at home) - seems like a plus for UPS

2) Have lived half my life in the NYC suburbs and would welcome a move back there (yes im crazy) - seems like a plus for Delta

3) My biggest worry on the Cargo side is the night flying with having young kids at home. - seems like a plus for Delta

4) money isnt my motivating factor. I want to have fun flying big jets as i transition from the corporate world and work as little as possible. - seems like a toss up, but less hours blocked at UPS.

Thanks for going gentle on this newb.

#3 - not necessarily. We get a lot of long blocks off and our vacation policy is miles ahead of deltas, or so I’m told. Plus, we have conflict bidding which gives you more days. Last, we have CML positioning and deposition which you can take advantage of to get even more days at home in NYC. A lot of guys would argue that life with kids is better with our schedules.

If you are determined to move to NyC area Delta ultimately wins because they have a NYC base that’s always been junior. Commuting is never preferable.

If you stay in IND then UPS all day long.