Aero1900

A Miata is a sports car.

It's not what I would choose, but that doesn't change what it is

RJSAviator76

We are talking two different airlines. It really boils down to what your contract allows you to do. Ours allows way more than I've ever seen allowed anywhere, but not many seem to take advantage of this. There are many venues to make money here aside from just being awarded a premium trip. I also know that at Southwest, a lot depends on your base as well. There's a world of difference between a large base with a large number of commuters and a smaller base with very few commuters. More opportunities may be available at larger bases, and also the playing field may be a bit thinner as commuters tend to just fly their lines.

bottoms up

12 yr Sparky guy @U
Avg 11 work days/month
256k pay
6.3k per diem
13.7k PS
41k B fund

Had some trips bought, picked up a few other than that just
Show up & go home.

milmil34

I’m curious, I’ve always been the type of guy at every airline I’ve worked at that makes Considerably more than my co-workers beacaue I “work the system”. Southwest pilots are known for making big money, and this thread attests to that. Southwest pilots don’t have the highest hourly rate, but still end up as some of the top earners in the industry which must be due to their work rules. As an outsider looking in I’ve always wondered what are these work rules that allow you guys to credit so much a month, with so many days off without even flying premium? Is it because the average southwest pilot/company culture is to work the system as hard as you can? Or are there actually more avenues at SW to be able to make more money than the average pilot aside from the ability to swap and drop? Do you guys just have super high credit vs block days?

Also I’m sure it has been broken down in an old thread, but I couldn’t find it...How does the TFP pay work? It’s based on Milage rather than time? It’s the equivalent to about 86% or so of a credit hour for other airlines?

Thanks in advance, I love hearing how other people work their respective systems.

symbian simian

19 nights home per month, makes for 12 layovers, so 4 4-days, 48 pairings per year, minus vacay and training, 41 pairings, 20 hours block per 4 day pairing. I don't see the problem.....

edit: I see everyone else replied this already

Qotsaautopilot

Pretty much what I was getting at. I need to know what work rules we need to be getting to create that kind of soft time. At Spirit the only way to get well into the 100+ credit hours per month is premium pay. Some months it’s easy and and other months nonexistent and never can be counted on.

And unless they’re gonna start paying us $400/hr we need to figure out how to get more extreme soft credit in the rules.

Noworkallplay

So your good with going to a DC only plan in the next contract? Might as well go with a plan that is “earnings” and is more yours than a pension correct? You have to remember that the 2006 Pension Protection Act was written to avoid what caused the underfunded and pilfered pensions that disappeared in the past. Pension law is substantially different now than then. Funny thing is Delta and United are clawing to try to get a form of a pension back. Why you ask? Well imagine having a 25% DC only plan. Imagine how much of those contributions will be over the cap. All that amount uncle sam gets a bite at a few times. This is why many prefer a DC and DB combination. Plus imagine being the unlucky group with a DC only plan who had to retire in 07-09 time frame when about every investment took a 40-50% hit. Think that would creat some worry?

milmil34

I’m not sure what seat your in, but I do 100 with 14-16 off pretty easy in the right seat just straight time but I’m always trolling open time and dropping and swapping.

blizzue

Year 2/3 UAL 320 FO

174 gross
6k profit sharing from 2018
212k total (if we’re including 6k per diem and the 25k DC to my 401k)
981 credit
540 block
12/13 days off (min reserve days but I spend several days a month home and on call)
Live in base
I mostly bid reserve but have had maybe three or four months this year with a line. I flew three or four premium pay trips.

flyguy81

I wanted/needed certain days off so couldn’t really be too choosy when it came time to pick stuff up. Was happy with the pay last year and with the longevity raise I can drop down to a 115 avg and make the same $. So I’ll aim for 115-120 and see what happens.

Helps living in base. Bid reserve. Don’t work. Pick up on days off. I’d rather spend time outside at home than in a cockpit or I’d be up there with the other guys doing 140+