FDX and furloughed pilots

[FlyBoeingJets]

Acarpe3448,

Keep us updated. If anyone deserves to be at FedEx, it is you.
Don't forget to put an app in at SWA or JetBlue, just in case.

 

[TonyC]

I got a job at FedEx throwing boxes. This work is the hardest I have ever done, the pay is the lowest I have ever earned, and the racial tension is unreal. But, working this job for over a year now does qualify me for a preferential interview for internal employees. If a job results out of all of this, then the broken left wrist, broken right thumb and head wound will all be worthwhile. I want to be at FedEx, I am now bleeding purple, and I wanted to demonstrate my love of aviation and my desire for a career at FedEx. I do not want to just give up.

My hat's off to you - - be ready to walk the application in as soon as the job opens up.

What are you doing for recency of experience?

 

[acarpe3448]

Instructing on the side. I will let you all know how it all turns out. This has been a very hard year. I have never experienced hard physical labor as intense as this before. A real back breaker.

 

[furloughed]

Fast forward to the point where the same person is faced with the choice of sticking with FedEx where he's sitting sideways and flying at night and enjoying 13 months of seniority on a substandard pay scale, or going back to the job he left flying the right seat of something during the day on the 4th year of seniority of an industry-leading pay scale.

It would be nice if FEDEX reserved their judgement of furloughees until they look at each individual case during an interview. It seems this is a rigid unwavering rule with no exceptions (except US Airways). Some had virtually no seniority at their respective Big 3 airline when furloughed so when recalled, if ever, they would go back at say 3 months seniority, as well as 3 month payscale. With thousands of pilots senior to them furloughed at their repective airline it will be a long time before they even get recalled. If they were hired by FEDEX now they would probably have 5-7 years seniority before recall got to them. Not an appealing reason to go back. Considering the furloughs of the past couple of years are the largest ever, these are not the early 90s when furloughs only lasted a couple of years, even for the most junior furloughee. Junior furloughees look forward to the recall time limit expiring before they are recalled and if their airline has no limit then it will still be 5-10 years before recall. These are not normal cyclical downturn furloughs as we saw in the 80s and 90s, and many people caught at the bottom probably have lost their jobs permanently so finding a good flying job with a good company such as FEDEX is imperative. Good luck to everyone looking.

 

[biplanepilot]

furloughed,

Exactly my thinking, and maybe they will review each individual case. Let's hope that all this is just rumour and conjecture and that you are right. I still think it's worth having the app in with them, even though it irks me that they are charging to apply.

You've got to be in it to win it... good luck to all

Bipe

 

[furloughed]

Bi,

You gotta play to win. I think anybody that is furloughed that wants to work for FEDEX should apply no matter what FEDEX's policy is. If say in six months they change the policy to allow furloughed guys to interview then you are in the system, but if the window is closed then you are out of luck.

f

 

[Radialboy]

Or, leave your app in, go get hired by a commuter, and keep the app updated. Ya never know...

Could you clarify this bit of information for me please? I have not been on the board for a while and am trying to get active again. I do not understand how being hired by a commuter after furlough from a major is looked upon more favorably for FedEx. If you have any insight on this please share. Thank you in advance!

 

[SF3CA]

This is just my opinion, But maybe FedEx is trying to avoid hiring some one with this type of attitude ....." I am a furloughed pilot from a Major Airline and I have already put my time in at the regionals or military and I am not going to work for $20,000 a year. I would rather sit and wait till Fedex calls me than work at a place like that!"

Perhaps Fedex thinks that working at a regional proves that a person does not have a chip on his/her shoulder, loves aviation, and is happy to be working, not bitter that they are furloughed and think they deserve better.

Again .......just my opinion.....

Flame away

 

[TonyC]

Could you clarify this bit of information for me please? I have not been on the board for a while and am trying to get active again. I do not understand how being hired by a commuter after furlough from a major is looked upon more favorably for FedEx. If you have any insight on this please share. Thank you in advance!

I cannot justify or explain the policy, I can only repeat what the Chief Pilot has said:

"We still aren't interviewing furloughed folks from anyone but U.S. Airways…and we're cautious there too. Hopefully the economy will keep picking up and everyone will be employed again soon. The best way to get your pal hired if he's furloughed is for him to be employed by FedEx somewhere or fly for another airline/commuter outfit."

If you're trying to understand the rationale, you're going to be disappointed. You're just going to have to accept it. Sorry.

 

[mar]

It makes perfect sense to me

Airline recruiters are like women.

Women are only interested in men that are already hooked up with another woman. It means they're road tested. Another woman has already signed off on them.

It works the same way in the airlines. Recruiters only want to hire pilots that are currently employed. It means they're desirable and current and really smooooth in their seat.

Get it?

After I got cut loose from my previous gig I went to a job fair and met the chief pilot of Alaska Airlines Paul Majer. I was back in the middle seat of the DC6 as an FE...in other words, not very attractive. He told me, well at least you're working. I hate to see furloughed guys sitting on the beach and waiting to be recalled.

The best way to get a new job is to already have a job. If that job is in the left seat of something turbine, even better.

Good luck.