SlipKid

For the record, I never said it was cringe. I said, to each his own.

There is definitely a lot less stress/effort if you just fly your line.

FWIW, I was in the left seat for over a decade, in a very senior base, before I could clear all or most of my board, and not as many folks put forth the effort to do it as there are now.

I've heard the term "work smarter, not harder" when referring to board clearing etc.

It may be smarter, and you'll typically make more money for the time spent in the cockpit, but you're working harder the rest of the time clearing and rebuilding a line. It starts with monthly line bids, where seniority is, by far, the biggest player and continues with ELITT, TTGA etc.

It's almost like being on reserve when it comes to making plans etc.I am constantly asked "when are you working next?" by friends and family, and, typically the answer is not for several weeks to a month. But......... I could be going out today or tomorrow, since I have to make hay while the sun shines, and premium doesn't grow on trees these days, like it did almost every single summer up til 2018.

One of the best things about our contract is that our flexibility affords lots of ways to make lots of coin or take some time off or both.

mulcher

I just fly my line or less. Cringe away. I have other things to do than staring at a computer, getting alerts and all the other BS that comes with it. More important things then money and SWA. I have zero debt and we live below our means. I’m not wondering if the phone will ring on unused rsv blocks, Im with my girls or fishing. Not trying to pick up a prem weekend trip I have things to attend. Don’t get so busy earning a living you forget to live a life. We take trips all over the world. Everyone does their own thing. Have at it. I can’t stand going to work!

Proximity

"Clearing you board" and flying premiun are very base and seat specific. It is much easier to clear your board in my expereince in non-commuter base IF you can hold turns, 2 days, and high paying/commuatble 3 days because more is taken from TTGA in those bases. When it comes to ELITT, FOs are much more likley to trade up on duty periods creating NZs than CAs from my perspective. Of course, everything I just said goes out the window when it's really slow as everyone will be trading up in ELITT and everything will go from TTGA, but of course then you can't get OT. This might be the case in the fall since looks like no VPTO (thank you SWAPA).

Premium is easier when you live in a commuter city and willing to bid in the late hours for the super early AM trips. However, I'd argue that easy rigged trips are the new premium (well and weekday reserve). Fly out at 2100 and DH back by 1200 the next day, sign me up for as much as that as possible. There is no more "bait and switch" because if they mess with day 2, it's big money in LCO.

e6bpilot

What I get out of this is that there are about 11k of us all with different wants and needs and our contract allows most of us to achieve it in a way that works for us. There is no "typical schedule" at SWA just for this reason.

As for clearing your board, there are a lot more ways other than TTGA to achieve that with little seniority HP required. Overlap, net zero, elitt into turns and G/A, etc. I am able to clear about half of my flying every month and I don't work hard doing it. If you are willing to fly weekends, which I actually prefer, there is premium or great straight time flying available. If not, just about anyone can elitt a weekend schedule into a weekday schedule and enjoy that benefit as well. Even as a very senior FO, I never flew the line I bid.

These days, I prefer a little more time off than I used to. I love the flexibility of being able to tell my friends, family, and loved ones that I can get just about any day off with no issues to take that trip or grab lunch or whatever. I am not missing any of life's big events to come slave away at work. When I do come to work, though, I am here to make money and make a hasty escape. This month my dog blew out her ACL and needed urgent surgery. Not only am I able to work just one day extra to pay for it without dipping into savings, I am also able to take the whole next week off to be there and care for her.

So yeah, it may take a little extra work, I would estimate maybe a couple of hours a month, to manage your schedule, but that pays such a huge dividend, it's absolutely worth it.

Tenacvols

Except that if you're flying with them, then they are not competing with you since they are in the other seat...

Noconcessions

3 fatigue calls in last 4 trips. I'm top 5% in DAL.

Crockrocket95

Not pulling that upgrade trigger?

Cachaco

You mean you credited 180. Regs won’t allow you to actually fly 180 in a 30 day period. Big difference.

e6bpilot

Whateva! I do what I want!

flensr

Yea, you're not my mom!