My partner (27M) is a FA for a major airline, and I (35M) have a little time before I’m able to start my ATP training. We would love kids to be part of our future, but I’m wondering if there is anyone with experience of a family scenario where both parents (or single parent) work in the industry, and how you balance that family life?
Did you have to arrange childcare? How easy was it work your schedules so you could find time as a family?
Or if you were the child of (a) parent(s) in the industry, how did you find that growing up?
While I’ve never had this issue (my wife was a stay at home mom), I can tell you from watching my friends it will be a HUGE challenge. As your partner can tell you EVERYTHING schedule wise at the airlines is based on seniority. I don’t know how senior your partner is so that might help but as a new pilot you’ll have little to no control over your schedule. I have a good friend and both he and his gf fly for different airlines and have different seniority levels. They want to have kids and don’t because they struggle monthly just finding care for their cat! Even when they can get Theriot schedules to work that means they never see each other nor can they enjoy their travel bennies.
Eventually you’ll prob be able to make it work but in the beginning it will be very tough if not impossible.
Yes, of course you have to arrange childcare. If both people are on the road 15 days per month (or more), there will be some times when you are both gone. This might get easier with seniority, but only a point. I quite frankly do not see how couples that are both in the industry manage to be parents.