pilotrob23

Just got back from upgrade training, Bob was never seen in a month. But AW was there numerous times. Apparently red-eyes he wants badly, but the FAA won’t allow until we are signed off to do auto-land. Since we are still setting zeroes, this could take awhile to do “official” red-eye flights. Nothing crazy out of Dallas, new bases sound like BNA, STL, MCI. Wants to get us back to pre-Covid levels in the 48-contiguous, instead of Alaska, South America, etc.

flyguy81

No idea why MCI is on the radar. We don’t do near as much there as STL and don’t need 2 MO bases.

Once we get the network restored…we need to start AK and expand south….prob not til the -7 ever shows though. 🙄

hoover

yet they also say pilots are using fatigue to not accept reroutes.

M094

Thanks for the responses. From reading around here over the past few years I’ve deduced that there can be some early starts and late finishes based on the AM/PM construct, but I’m trying to figure out if lines are built like this to begin with.

For example, on a 3 or 4 day AM trip, is it typical for each day to start consistently early at, say, 4am? Or do some lines have trips which start later in the morning? From looking at the MaxGumby site, it looks like United’s NB lines have some breadth in terms of start times while still being “AM” in nature.

What I’m really getting at is this: I’ve long viewed SWA’s AM/PM schedules as a great way to mitigate my strong desire to avoid red-eye flying. Additionally, I don’t have the itch to fly widebodies/international. However, I’m wondering if another major would eventually offer better schedules once seniority allowed for red-eye avoidance. Being able to compare awarded schedules between the airlines would be helpful which is why I inquired about a site similar to MaxGumby for SWA.

I appreciate all of your sincere responses.
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Grumpyaviator

We all know this already; it’s not that we fatigue to avoid reroutes, it’s we’re too fatigued to accept them. They need to get this through their simple, little minds!

Zard

it’s almost like reroutes are more taxing than just working your day as planned.

hoover

exactly. It's the same mindset that we call in sick too much and don't pick up enough open time.
it's the comapnies narrative that they'll use in the lawsuit saying we are the problem for the next meltdown

symbian simian

WOCL: Means a period of maximum sleepiness that occurs between 0200 and 0559 during a physiological night.

SWA has red-eyes. Any duty that touches 2a-6a domicile time is a red-eye. Pretty much any AM qualifies, and any PM east coast trip going west will too. Just because you aren't getting paid for it doesn't mean you aren't doing them. If you want to utelize 20 hours per day you need 3 crews.

waterskisabersw

Pilot bases are relatively cheap. If the company won't give us a competitive (let alone industry leading) contract, what's a way the company can guarantee we're the absolute do or die first choice destination airline for every single pilot who lives in MCI, STL, and BNA?

Why do you think United opened up a crew base in MCO and will be opening up a base in TPA? Throw the chump change of a couple million a year and now United can advertise bases where TONS of pilots live.

Let's say $10m a year to guarantee that every MO/TN/northern MS/southern IL/KS pilot will flock to swa contract be darned? Much cheaper than a contract.

Yes it'll be good for our pilot group too, but don't think that ANY decision made by this company first and foremost thinks of how it will help them.

WHACKMASTER

Holy crap. It’s been THAT long that you upgraded?! Wow. Congrats amigo. Sincerely….