Maybe it's the less total commutes? The reserve blocks are bigger on Z it seems?

 

Easy. They are whooed by the “fancy” international flying. Wait until they get to Shenzen or Taipei 🙄

 

yeah, I noticed the fewer commutes in the majority of lines. Definitely a plus in favor of Z.

As for the larger reserve blocks being a positive, I’ll have to leave that to you. To each their own, and all that. As a commuter, I choose to avoid reserve. I was assigned reserve my first bid coming out of OE, but never had to hold it again. I was required to take a VTO twice (actually for 3 of 4 periods as one was a hybrid VTO/line bid period), but otherwise always had a line (SDF domestic). Looking at the recent Z award, it looks like you’d need at least a year of seniority to hold anything besides a VTO/VOR/Reserve line. And even then, the bottom 10 or so lines are only different from a domestic line in that they include a couple trips up to Canada. Otherwise, a similar 12-14 trips per period.

I’ll bid over to Z eventually, probably the next system bid. But I would want a little more seniority before doing so.

 

If you’re willing to move to SDF, which fleet would maximize time at home? I would assume the 75 or bus and try to fly the Am or pm turns

 

Bus is better for this, IMO...but either 757 or Bus can provide pretty good QOL (even while junior) if you live in Luavul.

 

Say it was the bus, would that be 3 or 4 am/pm out and backs per week?

 

It depends...schedules aren't as "clean" as they used to be.

Generally speaking, 12 morning turns or 12/13 afternoon turns in a 4 week pay period. Reserve can provide a pretty good QOL for locals too, we have "professional reserves" who have done it for decades.

 

Roger, thanks for the info. I start soon and we are considering the move to Louisville.

 

Living in base is great for QOL. Good luck with the home search, kinda crazy everywhere these days.

 

Shenzen and Taipei both aren’t the most pleasant, especially for those that were there pre-covid. But for those of us hired during covid, we don’t know how good Asia flying used to be, so we have a slightly more pragmatic view of it. I still prefer it over domestic flying, but that’s just my personal preference. YMMV