Cyio

So 75% of the pilots here are tools? I know I am still new here, but of all the things one could complain about the pilot group isnt one of them, at least not in my experience or base. In fact everyone I have flown with has been nothing short of amazing. Maybe it is base specific but who knows, I am in a base that was once known for some hard heads.

House83

As things are always changing, how long to hold MDW, and how many days/mo are typical once off reserve? Thank you.

flyguy81

Some are getting it right away. Worst case a month or two. Min is 16 off as a line holder. I’d say 16-17 is avg.

House83

Thanks for the help.

Cyio

Just to clarify because the wording for whatever reason messed with me, that is 16-17 days off per month on average.

flyguy81

16-17 off every month depending how people bid as a jr guy. When you’re more senior you’ll get 17-19 off.

hoover

used to have lines with 20+ off. No no more tho.
Now we have more days being worked that are rigged because I think the company wants people online that they can use for reroutes with low block time.
I liked NK rules that you cant get rerouted without concurrence

UGBSM

Delta guy here... PMFJI. I agree that control of your schedule and flexibility are very important to QOL. You've been at SWA for 3 years and 16 to go until age 65... so you're 49? Yeah, jumping to DAL now you give up over 3 years seniority and with 16 years to go, that would require a lot of analysis. I get that. But my comment, if you don't mind, is about PBS here at DAL. I've been here 31 years so I've plenty of experience with LOT bidding vs PBS bidding. I'm an ATL 320 captain.

If it's flexibility you want, PBS is unbeatable IMO. You use your seniority to build your own line. You choose what trips you want and when to fly them. We have a very good swap-with-the-pot and swap-board system (and other tools) to adjust your schedule after bid awards are done. I typically drop or trade away all my trips and wind up with a blank line. Then I just pickup from open time, usually short, broken, two day trips like this one: One leg to MEM, layover, one leg back. Two or three hours of flying for ten and a half hours pay. Rinse and repeat.

Ok, so you can't do that as a new hire but even with three years seniority you can maneuver your schedule like that without too much trouble surprisingly well. Even long term planning you can count on using PBS for sliding vacation days, bidding for training, getting the days off you want as a regular line holder or moving to reserve days off if you can't. I know you've already asked around with some other DAL pilots but if you ask around some more you might find many others that are satisfied with PBS and our schedule flexibility. Not trying to sell ya on anything, but as always, seniority does help and YMMV.

Grumpyaviator

Unless you want to pick up, SWA scheduling is not that flexible. The average SWA pilot’s idea of flexibility is working more and/or using sick time to maximize time off.

in fact, to some, maximizing vacation means bidding large blocks of it so you can…fly over vacation, ie work more.

PBS is far better, and what we don’t have that some carriers do is the ability to drop.

fcrx

PBS absolutely sucks unless you are senior. Lived it up and down 2 seats over 12 years. The sales pitch is “look at all the options you have available to choose from” then watch as the top 15%ish can actually hold what they choose… it’s an illusion of control by offering lots of choices. The junior get scraps.

Southwest has Elitt which is very effective for junior people if you keep at it. I would argue that the schedule flexibility at SWA is among he best in the industry once you get off of reserve and Elitt is accessible