Is there any kind soul at UPS who is open/willing to share schedules or a bid package with me. I have read through a lot of posts and there is so much information but there's definitely no beating seeing what the schedules actually look like. Please feel free to dm me. Thank you for your help.

ok

https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/...dan-crying.jpg

I’ve put out a ton of examples over the last 7+ years - but you’ll have to spend the time searching for them. Also check posts under FTv2 and FTFF. I provided enough detail that you should have a good feel for the different type of flying lines we have. Post the links you find.

There's a little bit of everything, depending on fleet and domicile. I'm fairly new to the company, but have been pleasantly surprised with the schedules so far. I try to avoid all nighters (on my circadian rhythm) as much as possible and have so far been mostly successful with that. Depending on fleet, seniority and where you live, will filter down your flying options. Living in domicile gives you a lot more flex. Right now I'm doing a lot of Asia/Pac Rim flights on the Whale with low seniority and living in domicile. The schedules are palatable, mostly because I live in domicile. If I didn't, my QOL would go way down. Feel free to pose any specific questions.
Cheers-N48

I was going to say. Most of layovers on the whale are 24 hours. Your circadian rhythm is taking a hit somewhere. I'm hoping the schedules will get better because 15 something reports ain't going to cut it.

That’s rough. I talked to a 777 FedEx pilot and he said that was impossible.

I just flipped through the Sdf bid pack, 15 reports/8weeks isn’t how I would describe the lines at all.

How would you describe it?

Average (by quick eyeball) of 4-5 trips/8weeks requiring 4.5 commutes. Line 49 (worst) had 9 trips requiring 7 commutes. 1 of those trips is a turn which could easily be traded to the start or end of existing trip reducing commutes to 6. A lot of the lines you could do the same - shuffle stuff around to further reduce # of commutes. I could probably work line 49 down to 4 commutes…

Edit to add: 15+ reports is what you see in turn lines…

This might be a dumb question... by commutes I assume you mean on both ends of the trip?

Yep, good thing to clarify. 1 commute = to and from work.

Why did UPS get rid of the longer 1 trips a month?

Like most other airlines UPS has begun using scheduling optimization software. The software enables them to extract more pounds of flesh per credit hour paid. Every forum on here has people griping about schedules going downhill. This software is why.

On another thread someone said the Z base has lots of 1 trips per month.

Because peeps like me on the 74 would conflict and end up having a big chunk of deficit and would hardly get restored. So having smaller trips they are able to avoid that issue.

True, about 20% of them.

Optimizer wreaks havoc. I fear the the optimizer this looks horrible unless living in base. I see why many move… Getting paid for pain at least so there’s that among other things. Good info.

So, why isn't this happening on the Z? The large reduction in big trips?

One possibility is the 74 does AQP twice a year vs the 76 once a year. And another 74 has 2 bases, while the Z only has one. So more opportunities for the 74 than the 76. Lastly I believe the Z can be restored domestic trips. But don't quote me on that. 74 doesn't really do domestic trips.

Anyone here think that home basing would ever be possible? The commutes to ANC are extremely painful.

That all makes sense thank you.

They've been breaking up domestic pairings as they transit domicile to backfill conflicts and restorations. The days of conflicting a ten day trip (or even five day trip now) and not being backfilled are long gone.

What is the decision matrix for self restore or let them do it for you?

That’s a judgement call. If there’s anything in open time you would like to fly, you can always try to restore yourself with it. Otherwise you can roll the dice to see what they restore you with. Last option is to eat the deficit, enjoy additional time off but lose the pay.

It seems they’re cooperative if you make a reasonable effort to self-restore (pick up a five day trip to restore a seven day deficit). However, last time I tried that, I picked up a three day trip to restore five days of deficit, they awarded me the trip, and before the restoration window closed, they pulled that trip and broke up a seven day trip into five days and put that on my line instead.

It’s all a gamble these days.

Never self restore!

Agreed - I never self restore and I do better by having the company try to restore me. More time off…

it depends. Remember you can self restore on any off days in the pay period vs the company restoring you ONLY over your original footprint.

self restore with Hono or eat some afternoon turns.

there are no absolutes.

The other caveat to that is you have to restore to “within 5 hrs” of dropped credit to remain pay protected. 5 hrs is close to our basic avg pay per day so you can, in a sense, get yourself a paid day off if you chose to self restore (if the stars align).

Probably not, the company would rather roll around in thorn bushes before paying for commercial tickets to and from work on pairings that start in base. Albeit not worth much you all have my sympathy up there. Everyone hears about the money train in ANC but not much about the multiple commutes and other scheduling shenanigans that goes on.

I keep hearing about the money train up in ANC. I’m a newhire headed to ANC after training. What makes it so much better paying than sdf? I plan on bidding down south asap but I’m curious about the difference.

Longer flights. When HKG was locked down, did ANC-HKG-TPE or ANC-SDF-DXB. SDF is usually a domestic leg or SDF-CGN or SDF-HNL. In my honest opinion, you'll probably be off your seat lock before you'll get SDF 74.

Thats sort of old news in my opinion. International fleets have higher credit in general, plus there’s the international override. But the money train was due to frequent late arrivals and tons of premiums from schedule changes and deadheads. That doesn’t happen much that often anymore, at least in my experience. I just had my first late arrival of 2022 in august, and I don’t get many schedule revisions anymore these days. ANC 74 FO here.

It wouldn’t shock me if they hold SDF in less than 18 months. Possibly a lot less. If layovers start to dramatically improve in Asia, that timeline may go longer.

With the increase in resport times in ANC, I'm sure a lot of people are ready to leave ANC. Plus like you said, with countries opening up again, Airbus guys are bidding the 74. Also with a possible displacement on the MD, there's always a possibility guys want the 74 in SDF.

Folks, sorry to hijack your thread, but didn’t know where else to post. Just have a quick question. I land at 6 pm into SDF and wanted to catch a commute home. Online is showing 3 flights back to MIA at 7, 8, and 8:30. Come from the pax terminal, what’s the best way to get there and how much time should I give myself? Is catching the 7 pm flight back a long shot? TIA!

May want to check those flight times again. The last flight out that I see is at 425. All of our flights are listed in Zulu, not local, which may be the cause of confusion.

As far as getting to UPS from the terminal, our van can’t take you, so you’ll need an Uber/Lyft or cab.

Oof I totally missed that. Thanks for clarifying! I figured I’d have to Uber/Lyft, but how long is that trip? 15-20 min?

About 10min from terminal to Edgewood guard shack, $14ish plus tip

Thanks for the info!

allow at least 20 minutes to be safe getting through security and the shuttle to the air service center. From there maybe 20 to the plane. Doing that math, things would have to go exactly right to make it in an hour.