Upgrade times
10-17-2018, 02:07 PM
#81
Gets Weekends Off
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jul 2013
Position: 175 CA
Posts: 1,544
The good news is for FO’s in base on reserve. So far this month I’ve had nine days of reserve and flew one easy two day. I have to go back over a month for my last flight before that. Last month I flew one three day, and a sim since I’m in Dallas.
I’m too junior to get premium anyway, so if I want high tfp, I just bid straight on occasional easy trips on my off days. It’s not hard at all to get 120-140 tfp only actually flying 6-10 days. A couple months ago I did 138tfp on eight days of flying, only three nights away.
I’m too junior to get premium anyway, so if I want high tfp, I just bid straight on occasional easy trips on my off days. It’s not hard at all to get 120-140 tfp only actually flying 6-10 days. A couple months ago I did 138tfp on eight days of flying, only three nights away.
10-17-2018, 03:02 PM
#83
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2010
Position: DOWNGRADE COMPLETE: Thanks Gary. Thanks SWAPA.
Posts: 6,803
Open time is dry on the captain side because of two things.
1. It’s October.
2. Captain open time behavior is way different than FOs. They bid straight earlier and there are a lot more captains who are in the 150+ a month club. Someone told me PHX CA elitt net zero is +25 and MCO is +10. That’s unheard of on the FO side.
The balance of the force is way out of whack (pun intended) right now. We are way over staffed on FOs. Take a look at the weekend reserve call out lists and you will see it.
1. It’s October.
2. Captain open time behavior is way different than FOs. They bid straight earlier and there are a lot more captains who are in the 150+ a month club. Someone told me PHX CA elitt net zero is +25 and MCO is +10. That’s unheard of on the FO side.
The balance of the force is way out of whack (pun intended) right now. We are way over staffed on FOs. Take a look at the weekend reserve call out lists and you will see it.
10-17-2018, 06:42 PM
#86
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2015
Posts: 833
Another issue is our training requirements have almost doubled from the past few years and we haven’t even started etops training yet. Several pilots I fly with have mentioned that they cut back their flying with the latest contract. Also, the company can see future bookings so they have an early look at demand.
Next year we get 30 airplanes, which accounts for 400 pilots. Approx 110 retirements, plus early outs. Recurrent training will be a day longer next year, plus some pilots will go to ETOPS training. Many FOs hired in the bubble ten years ago get an extra vacation week this year. Also after the classic retirements the company put on all the shoulder flying and found they could still fill airplanes. The shoulder flying makes money but makes the aircraft day too long to cover with 2 crews. We might even see red eye flying to connect HI paxs to east coast destinations.
Hopefully all these factors will mean the open time market will return to normal by next summer. If not, reserve gonna go real senior...
10-17-2018, 07:37 PM
#87
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2015
Posts: 1,153
Yea. That's a thing now.
10-17-2018, 07:58 PM
#88
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2010
Position: DOWNGRADE COMPLETE: Thanks Gary. Thanks SWAPA.
Posts: 6,803
Hell, even give away is filled with junk trips. I know it’s a slow time of the year but it hasn’t been like this before.
Now they’re gonna upgrade 400 in the first six months of 2019 and 600 total?! At least it’ll make the shortage of premium and decent trips in give away better for FOs.
I stand by what I wrote....I just don’t get it.
10-18-2018, 06:02 AM
#90
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2013
Posts: 3,672
No, the giant glowing crystal ball of SWA pilot hiring is a mystery wrapped in an enigma. I seriously don’t think anyone has the big picture. It’s like a war plan that they only give a piece of to each person so that when Delta or Spirit captures and waterboards you with a giant bottle of Dasani and a tiny napkin, you won’t divulge all the info.
Their secret is safe (from everyone).
Their secret is safe (from everyone).
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