Comair Questions

[jtf]

I'm trying to find out information about various quality of life issues at Comair. My current airline doesn't seem to be all that stable and isn't a place I particularly wish to spend my entire career. Questions I have about Comair include:

- Is the commuter clause limited to Delta/ Delta Connection flights or may other carriers be used?
- What are the flight experience minimums for captain upgrade?
- Assuming meeting the minimum experience for upgrade, any idea on how long to upgrade? (I know this one depends on a lot of factors, but I would appreciate any educated guesses)
- What are the minimum days off per month for line holders? Reserve?
- How many days off per month would be considered average?
- Are there many lines that are built for for commuters?
- How many hours are guarenteed for line holders?
- What is the minimum hours of pay for reserve?
- How difficult is it to trip-trade/ drop trips to improve individual schedules?
- How much per month for average one and two bedroom apartments around Cinci?
- In general, what are management/ employee relations like now?
- What are the travel privileges like like for family?
- Is it possible to get buddy passes?
- Can girlfriends be included in travel benefits if unmarried?
- How much paid vacation time per year?
- What is the growth forcast for Comair? (I have to assume attrition is very low and that upgrades will depend largly on growth, at least until the economy turns around and the majors are able to actually start hiring again.)

I greatly appreciate any help you can give.

 

[captainv]

Comair answers

JTF,

i'll do my best with these...

- Is the commuter clause limited to Delta/ Delta Connection flights or may other carriers be used?

Delta/DCI only.

- What are the flight experience minimums for captain upgrade?

3000TT, 500 with the company

- Assuming meeting the minimum experience for upgrade, any idea on how long to upgrade? (I know this one depends on a lot of factors, but I would appreciate any educated guesses)

who knows? changes all the time. we're adding lots of people/airplanes this year, so maybe 2 years?

- What are the minimum days off per month for line holders? Reserve?

11 right now for reserve, i think that goes to 12 this summer. 7 hard days, the others they can shuffle about if needed. not sure for line holders, but it's got to be more.

- How many days off per month would be considered average?

when you're new - 11. 12 coming soon.

- Are there many lines that are built for for commuters?

commuters like the continuous duty lines. 72 lines in the latest bid packet. that is - last flight out, first flight in, less than 8 hours rest at a hotel, not considered legal rest. so, you can commute in during the afternoon, fly the trip, get released at 8 a.m. the next day. the company pays for a hotel room in CVG (so you don't need a crashpad). as you get to be a lineholder with some seniority, you can bid trips that start later in the day.

- How many hours are guarenteed for line holders?

72 minimum.

- What is the minimum hours of pay for reserve?

same.

- How difficult is it to trip-trade/ drop trips to improve individual schedules?

no idea, sorry.

- How much per month for average one and two bedroom apartments around Cinci?

most crash pads run about $150/month inlcuding utilities. that's if you split a room.

- In general, what are management/ employee relations like now?

pretty good.

- What are the travel privileges like like for family?

awesome. where doesn't delta fly?

- Is it possible to get buddy passes?

8 per year.

- Can girlfriends be included in travel benefits if unmarried?

i think so.

- How much paid vacation time per year?

i think you get a week after your first year, but you can take it early if you like. of course, you can bid your 7 hard days at the end of one month and the beginning of the next - voila, two weeks off. of course, you've got to have some seniourity to swing it.

- What is the growth forcast for Comair? (I have to assume attrition is very low and that upgrades will depend largly on growth, at least until the economy turns around and the majors are able to actually start hiring again.)

300+ pilots, 30+ airplanes this year.

Hope this helps. going from memory, so don't quote me...

Captainv

 

[jtf]

Thanks for the help. The resume will be going out soon.

 

[skiddriver]

Just a couple of very minor tweeks to captainv's answers.

In July '03 the min days off a month go to 12, for a 31 day bid period. The Jan-Feb-Mar bid periods are normalized at 30 days each (by adding 31 Jan and 1 Mar to the Feb bid period), so only May, July, Aug, Oct, and Dec will have 12 days off. The rest will still have 11.

You get 2 weeks off per year as a new hire up to 4 or 5 YOS (don't have my contract with me). It then goes up to 3 weeks and eventually 4 weeks. This is a little misleading, as the credit for a day of vacation doesn't = the credit for a day of flying on a regular line. So expect that a month that you take a week of vacation will yield 13-15 days off for the month, vice the monthly guaranteed days off plus 7 (18 or 19 days) that you would expect. It does guarantee that you get 7 days in a row however.

Currently, regular lines are built to 82 hours. Min guarantee for reserve pilots is 75 hours. Min for CD line holders is 76. You can't hold a CD line in a month with a known absence (training or vacation).

Time to upgrade is a moving target, but remember that there are folks on the seniority list that are 1500-1800 hours away from having enough time to upgrade, and a more junior pilot could upgrade before them. Of course, as they reached the minimum hours requirement, they would flow over and bump you back onto reserve, assuming there is an upgrade bid available. Good luck.

 

[ACE]

The commuter clause is not limited to Delta flights. Any airline will suffice. I guarentee it will be limited with the next contract though. Because now they have to take your word for it. Comair has no way of varifiying you were listed on another airline. They can only check the Delta reservations system.