Scoop

Ive been both a commuter and lived in base, both NB-A and WB-B, here is my take. Living in base I feel I could make more and have a pretty good QOL in NB-A, even when pretty junior. As a commuter I make more as a WB-B and have a much better QOL. There is no "right" answer and someone else can run the numbers and come up with a completely different answer.

For example If you are single not doing the MIL reserves and willing to bust your hump, you can probably make more as a NB-A even commuting, but you will be working very, very hard. I don't mind ramping it up occasionally for a "killer" month but would never do it month after month. I think as a commuter, WB-B is a nice compromise between QOL and ability to make big bucks.

Finally a lot is changing and it will be interesting to see how the new PWA improvements improve QOL for NB-A. I am specifically wondering what the NB trips will look like when all of the PWA is implemented and if bidding strategies changes with holiday pay on the major holidays.

Scoop

FlexManFlex

Keep us updated!

FangsF15

Yes. The LGA-visit post has them posted in the comments.

Roper92

Well I fly the same plane as crewdawg, maybe in a different base, and there are no toasts from my porch. I’ve been used so much I don’t even know what my porch looks like anymore.

tcco94

I am tired a lot doing international but I would be equally tired flying more legs a day, shorter rests, and early wake ups to long duty days. So I don’t know about the whole guarantee one is better than the other. I’d still be doing ****ty redeyes as a NB A and tired for a lot of my trip. Where as now I get more days off with equal credit, enjoy my trips, usually get a nap in at crew rest and almost always spend 20-30 hours off at every layover. I just don’t see how one is better than the other guaranteed. Plus I get whatever I need off as a WB B which is way more important to my QOL than anything I could do as a NB A moving my schedule and/or GS for PB days to get what I need off and wonder for weeks if it will happen. To me that’s more important that any sale pitch of being junior on call in my backyard even remotely THINKING about work.

I just fail to see how people sell either one as a sure fire shot as better than the other. I don’t want to be 91% NB A in my base and chase the highest pay scale. I bid my trips, I fly my trips and almost never pick anything up and enjoy ky time at home far far away from anything relating to Delta. To each their own - no one should be buying anything from any of us. We just plant seeds from our experiences.

crewdawg

This is key. If I were a commuter, I'd bid and stay WB B until I could hold WB A, if for nothing else, fewer commutes. As someone who can sit short call from home, even on the 717, I can do much better as a NB A. But "better" is that hugely subjective part.



I don't think anyone is selling or guaranteeing anything, just sharing their experience. Lots of broad, sweeping generalization going on out there, so people are compelled to share their views. As someone that lived WB B back when it was well staffed, who planned on never leaving WB B, I can say NB A is a lot different than I thought it was. I get why people stay where they are on both sides and I find it good to discuss all sides. Also, when I was 90% WB B, I was actually higher in nearly all the NB A spots in base, so it's not always going to a lower % in seat. As they sit now, 73NA/320A are nearly equal to 350B/330B in my base.

Hossharris

I prefer astroglide, but to each his own.

tcco94

Yeah. I also know me personally I wouldn’t bid down to do international WB B if I took NB A. I do suggest people at least try to give it a chance if they are curious about doing international. Otherwise if you know you won’t bid down, you set yourself up for 20+ years of wondering and never having had a chance. At least if you find out you hate it and have that first upgrade saved in your back pocket you can get off it fairly quick. Just my 2c. I definitely understand the financial opportunities available for my younger generation to upgrade and why they are doing it.

crewdawg

Yes sir, I always recommend to my FO's that they at least try it for a year or so to see if they like it or not. I also give them the reasons I chose not to go back after being displaced. One thing I heard a lot from my Captains (prior WB B) as a new hire, is "I didn't realize how tired I was until I stopped flying international." I found that to be the case for me as well, others may not. Then again, as a NB guy, I rarely ever bid a line, and if I do, I certainly don't fly a full schedule of rotations from the bid packet. I think if I flew a full PBS awarded schedule every month, I'd probably be tired as well.

That said, I would never discount bidding down from NB A to WB B, in fact, it's on my radar down the road. I'll evaluate where I'd sit as a 320A vs 330B or 350B. Being top 10% in the right seat of a WB can be an insanely great QOL, especially for reserve bidders. As it stands right now, there isn't enough staffing/coverage to make the jump back. Of course there never may be, but pre-rona, blue days were aplenty, GS#2 was a unicorn and GS#1 often didn't make it out of the top 1/3rd of the category.

BlueSkies

I heard that a lot too, and from CAs that said they loved int'l. In a previous airline I flew int'l and didn't do well with the sleep stuff even thought my a/c had a great bunk. The allure is always there though...what if I could work out my sleep issues and then enjoy those primo Euro-layovers!

The crazy thing is in most of the WBB seats I'd be more junior than I am currently as a NBA so I'm not sure I'd even have better schedule control (I know there are rest rule limits you can use to manipulate your schedule).

It's a good problem to have all these choices and I know I could never hold the seat I have without the variety of a/c and flying we have here.