AMC190

Nothing here, just losing my hopes!!!

Froggy

Just curious. What pay rates are y'all targeting for 1st year in the new TA? Thanks

ZapBrannigan

The Platform the union published indicated an 18% snap up on date of signing. If they are successful in getting that, first year would be $59.20 per TFP. (Roughly $67.50 per hour)

Grizzle

I know it's anyone's guess, but are things moving smoothly with negotiations?

ZapBrannigan

The union is firing on all cylinders. Hopefully that will translate to success in mediation, but so far they've only had one meeting.

RJSAviator76

In order to maximize the income the first year, what's better - living in domicile and being on reserve, or commuting somewhere for a line?

FLY6584

Living in domicile, blocking as little as possible on reserve, and picking up open time at second year pay.

I'm a commuter and I was still able to hit 130 trips my first full month on the line and 141 trips my second month which also happened to be February. If you live in domicile and learn how to pick up trips and keep your block low you can make some really good money.

Just don't let anyone bully you and tell you it's wrong to pickup open time at straight pay. I actually had a guy call me and tell me I was a scumbag for picking up trips at straight time during contract negotiations and I wouldn't understand until I was a senior FO. He then basically demanded I withdraw my straight time bid from a trip that he wanted at premium. This is the only time I've heard anything like that though. Everyone else encourages first year guys to pick up straight time because they know how low first year pay is and remember the struggle.

RJSAviator76

Do you pick up trips in other domiciles too or just at the same one you sit reserve?

FLY6584

The majority of the trips I pickup are from my home airport which isn't even a domicile. When you get on the line have someone show you how to setup your open time alerts for deadheads to and from a commuter airport. I just wait for one day trips to pop up that have a deadhead to or from my home airport and I bid on that at straight time. Fortunately I live by an airport which has a ton of Southwest flights a day so those types of trips are pretty common. And they're really nice because you wake up in your own bed and usually make it home for dinner or sometimes even a late lunch.

I also commute and sit reserve in HOU where I have enough seniority to hold weekday reserves even though I can hold weekend reserves in MCO and drive to work. At this point in time it's just more important to have weekends off than drive to work, but that might change because commuting definitely sucks.

RJSAviator76

Even at straight time, doesn't that open time pay 2nd year rate? That's damn near 70% "premium" for a new guy!

Am I missing something here?