oldboyroy

I just got my 1st Class Medical to apply. Been doing PAX for a while and feel bored with it. I think it is probably more stressful than cargo. I would like to do less commuting and less hustling around than I am currently doing. I get 15-18 days a month off, but it is not in large chunks of block off. Sometimes I get 19-20 off if I bid smartly. Mostly 3-4 days off, sometimes 5 days off between trips. I know you all work, but are they some former PAX guys at UPS that can relate and tell me the good, the bad, the ugly? I am dreading the pay cut, FO making $270k with weekends off right nnow.I feel like I would be working a lot less (block) and have less stress of I did cargo.

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BoilerUP

Where do you work to make 270K as a FO with weekends off?

Pilot4000

What is so stressful about flying pax around?

Russell Kasse

So your current job didnt require a class 1? If you are pulling in 270 with weekends off I would guess your stressors in life are coming from somewhere other than your job. Starting over at the bottom of a list and commuting to fly the sort for 50 grand a year probably won't cure any of those. If you are young and willing to move to SDF. Go for it. Otherwise I would stay away from Flight Attendants and wait until you can hold weekends off in the left seat and enjoy the ride while it lasts.

Armyguy

4yr AA NB FO
270 so far this year and all weekends and holidays off plus most Fridays

will admit the last 2 years are probably not normal. @250 last year

I took no sick time, took my vacation.

oldboyroy

I work at Southwest, I live in base. About 50 min drive to work, pick up a lot of open time. What is stressful....going back and forth to airport, 3-4 legs a day is the worst it can get, not bad, but a lot of work up and down. I am desiring less stress of to and from. I think I rather make 2 trips a month to work and get it done with more block days off. I flew 600hrs of block this last year. A lot of flying to make that 270k. I have the perception that you all fly a lot less, though at worse times of the clock. It has been a circus show since Covid in the pax world. Our operations are to blame for all the meltdowns that cause more stress, more JAs when I should be home, unscheduled overnights, etc.
Would you work at Southwest Airlines your entire career....I just don't think I want to be flying 4 legs a day into my retirement. I have 17years left of a career.

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oldboyroy

Btw, SW only required 2nd Class Medical once on property.

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flyguy23

A lot of us fly fewer block hours. I’ll fly ~300 this year, which is close to average. Other than that, I’m not sure I see UPS being a large upgrade in your QOL. It’s not all rainbows and butterflies here with the schedule optimization. I’d definitely do a significant amount of homework before making that jump. I know several guy who left LUV after 5+ years to come here, but to a person they lived in SDF and didn’t want to commute anymore.

Thrust Hold

Had a 9 yr Southwest FO in my New Hire class at FedEx 6 years ago. He could relate. He really disliked the flying at Southwest. Came to FedEx took MD-11 FO to start and loved the change in pace. Took the 2.5 yr upgrade to 75 CA and then A300 CA 2 years after that. He seems to be pleased with his decision.

FTv3

Yes, we tend to work longer blocks on with equivalent longer blocks off. Yes, a lot of that is at night.

Get yourself on the 74 and you’ll be happy to get a landing every now and then. Block much less than 600/yr. Circadian flips are the gotcha there.

Domestic fleets can see 3-4 legs on a duty period and more often than not it’s in the back side of the clock. 2 is probably more common but I don’t fly domestic so take that with a grain of salt. Seniority will bring you some day flying and week on week off night sort flying (kind of like stand ups/high speeds). Even more seniority will get you paid tickets to and from these trips. They’ll pretty much own you 14/28 days.

Unless you seriously game the system you’re gunna be a long way from making $270 anytime soon. According to union average total pay found on info slides from past contracts and TA’s, currently, you’re looking at over 8 yrs to make that kind of dough. Yr 1 is 60 something K.

Getting hired here will be very difficult in 2023. Maybe FedEx? Personally, I’d be looking at the legacies.

Good luck.