April 2018 Schedule

Schedules Chris's Schedule
1
  1. ORD-EWR
  2. Off
  3. Off
  4. Off
  5. Off
  6. Off
  7. Off
  8. EWR-BOS, BOS-DEN
  9. DEN-IAD, IAD-FLL
  10. FLL-IAH, IAH-PHX
  11. PHX-IAH, IAH-EWR
  12. Off
  13. Off
  14. Off
  15. Reserve
  16. LGA-ORD, ORD-LGA
  17. Reserve
  18. Off
  19. Off
  20. Reserve
  21. EWR-SAT, SAT-IAH
  22. IAH-ORD, ORD-GRR
    23, GRR-ORD, ORD-PDX
  23. PDX-EWR
  24. Reserve
  25. Off
  26. Off
  27. Reserve
  28. Reserve
  29. EWR-SAT, SAT-IAH, IAH-EWR
2

Thank you for posting your schedule Chris. Do they try to start and end all your legs at your home airport, or is that just with seniority? Also, the days marked as reserved, those are the days that you have to be ready to come in if called, correct?

3

Joseph,

All trips must start and end at your home airport. If they don’t, it is the company’s responsibility to get you to where you need to be.

Your understanding of reserve is correct.

Chris

4

Ok, so, let’s say I were to get TYS as my home airport but i live over the border in NC with only a 2-2.5 hour drive, would you be considered a commuter pilot, and are they treated differently?

5

Joseph,

If you’re commuting to work you’re a commuter but when most pilots refer to commuting they usually talking about it involving a flight or 2. Not sure what you mean by being “treated differently”? This is really very simple, as a pilot (as with most jobs I know of) you need to get to work on time. Whether you’re driving, flying, riding your bike or taking a horse and buggy, it’s YOUR responsibility to get to work. The airline doesn’t care if you’ve got a 2.5hr drive, 2.5hr plane ride or you’re flying in from Siberia, you need to get yourself to work.

Adam

6

Thank you Adam. What I mean by treated differently is do they try to give you bigger blocks of days if you commute, like instead of 2 or 3 they give you 4 or 5, something like that. And on a couple of the airlines I’ve looked at say they will pay for 2 nights in a hotel for their commuting pilots a month. Is that common?

7

Adam your responses crack me up. Lol.

8

Joseph,

Commuting is a choice and again it’s YOUR responsibility to make it work. If you have 1 day on, 1 day off all month and that’s extremely inconvenient for you well that’s just too bad. YOUR problem. Not the airlines, not the other pilots. Everything at the airlines is based on seniority, EVERYTHING. What that means is the number of days off or blocks or anything is determined by seniority. If the airline were to give preferential treatment to commuters that would violate the rules of seniority and therefore would never happen.

As for the airlines paying for a couple of nights no that’s not common at all. It’s a new perk and another effort to woo pilots in light of the shortage. Do not expect that to continue if you move to a Major or if the shortage ever lessens.

Adam

9

Thank you Adam. Sorry if my questions are getting on your nerves.

10

Not at all Joseph. I have 3 grown children and lost all my nerves years ago :slight_smile:

Adam

11

Last question I’m going to ask tonight, if you are staying overnight in between fly days, do you pay for the hotel out of pocket, or does the airline?

12

Joseph,

The only reason you’d be staying overnight (generally) on off days is if you’re a commuter. Again it’s your choice and your problem so usually no the airlines are not going to pay for it. However, as you pointed out a few Regionals are now offering to pay for a few hotel rooms a month to help but again this is something new, not the norm and definitely not something you’ll see at a Major.

Adam

13

That’s not what I was asking, like if you fly Monday and Tuesday and you fly from Charlotte, NC to NY and you are in NY Monday night.

14

Joseph,

I don’t know a lot of airlines with bases in TYS, but saying you did get based there, driving isn’t the same as “commuting” in the airline world. But either way, pilots are expected to show up to work on time and everybody is treated the same.

Chris

15

Joseph,

If you are staying overnight at your base, you will need to provide for your own accommodations.

As for CommutAir, just do well in training and have a clean record, you shouldn’t have any problem getting an interview there.

Chris

16

For nights spend on the road, the airline pays for your hotels and the transportation to and from.

17

Than that would not be in between flying days, those ARE flying days so yes the company pays.

Adam

18

Chris did you go anywhere on your reserve days or just sit at the airport?

19

The days I flew, I listed where I went. On the days listed “reserve” I did not fly, but was on call.