FedEx domiciles/commuting/etc.

[dcflyer10]

A couple of q's for any FedEx pilots, or other people in the know...

Which are the senior/junior bases at FedEx (there are only 3, right?)? I know newhires usually start as 727 FE's, but at which domicile typically? How difficult is commuting? I heard it was pretty friendly, even w/o hoards of seniority (lie?).

How many years of seniority does it take before an F/O upgrade, and how long before having a pick of domicile?

Lastly, any speculation on the planned sorting center in Greensboro (if it ever happens)? Will that be a new pilot domicile, and if so, any guesses on how senior/junior that will go?

Also, any ideas where I can find the contract?

Thx for any answers you may have.

 

[00Dog]

I'm certainly not an expert on FedEx but I did meet a pilot last week at LAS who was just hired by FedEx last April. He is an FE on the 727 and is based out of Memphis (hardly ever goes there) but lives in Las Vegas. He said the company buys him airline tickets to move him to where they need him. I think he said Anchorage and the Philippines are the other two bases.

 

[dcflyer10]

Just hired? So, he must be pretty junior then. And, they pay for the tickets?? I guess that means he doesn't have to do it non-rev? Interesting...

I sure do hope they get a discount on that, sounds expensive... lol. Anyone w/ details on this?

 

[NightFlyer]

dcflyer10,

I'm a new hire with the company, been here six months, and I was hired into the back seat of the DC10. I only did one month of reserve and have been a lineholder eversince. This month I'm doing a week on, week off line with commercial deadheads on both ends of the trip. Not too bad for a new guy. As far as upgrading to the right seat (727), that will probably take place sometime in the fall for me. If I held out for a widebody then it might be a year and a half to two years. There was a guy in my ground school that was upgading from the back seat of the 727 to the right seat of the DC10 in a year and a half. It really depends if you want to move up with some seniority or go over as fast as you can. For me I want to fly so I'm going to probably move the the 727 at quickly as possible and build up seniority there. As far as the bases go, SFS and ANC are fairly junior while MEM is the more senior base, relatively speaking. I could already have a class date for SFS A300 FO if I had bid it in ground school, but that's not my cup of tea. I don't think GSO is going to be a pilot base but who knows, things change all the time. I do know that they are talking about a LAX MD11 base opening up soon. I imagine that will go pretty senior. Well, I hope I answered your questions if you have any more email me at [email protected]. Good luck.

 

[dogg]

Nightflyer, is ther any truth to the rumor that the ANC pilot domicile is going away

 

[NightFlyer]

I heard something along those lines. I'm not sure if it's going away entirely or just being downsized. There should be some information out on that issue when the next bid comes out in the next few months.

NightFlyer

 

[profile]

Upgrade varies, but lately been running less than a year, probably slow down a bit now until the economy picks up, although perhaps with the USPS contract it won't change too much.

Yes, commercial tickets to work are SOP, our contract does not allow the company to deadhead us on our own airplanes except in certain specific circumstances (such as company emergency). That doesn't preclude us from choosing to jumpseat instead of flying offline -- you can do it to yourself, the company just can't do it to you!

Even absent bidding trips that start and/or end with a deadhead, the company is very commuter friendly, and now with a 7 day/week operation, it is easier than ever to get to MEM.

All new hires would start as 727 s/o, all 727s are based in MEM.

Word is that ANC domicile is not going to go away when/if LAX opens, but nothing official so far, and that will be an MD-11 base.

Contract used to be available at www.airlinepilots.com, assume it still is.

 

[cruise 450]

Could anybody tell me just how difficult it really is to get on w/FEDEX? I've heard it's difficult. Any truth to this?
What is the realistic competitve time and qualifications to be considered for employment as opposed to their minimum req's?
lastly, I know I have a way's to go but their my #1 choice airline to work for!

Thanks in advance!

 

[profile]

You must exceed or meet all the min requirements, and that does include the 4 yr degree. After that, you need those recommendations, and the more the better!

 

[boscenter]

So it's relatively easy to commute w/ FedEx? Just bid a trip that starts w/ a deadhead and they'll take care of the tickets for you?

I know commuting w/ most of the pax carriers can be hell, esp. now, b/c it's hard to do non-rev since the load factors are so [darn] high. You guys don't have that problem at FedEx?

Is FedEx one of those that requires inside recommendations? Or will good ones from established pilots elsewhere do the job as well. I know inside is better, but will they consider you w/o one?

 

[profile]

It can be as you describe, but it's not quite that simple. The company builds a trip with deadheads from your domicile. Those deadheads are scheduled at negotiated rates that range from discounted coach class to full fare first class, depending on the length of the flight, so the actual $$ amount varies. The amount also varies by what airline it was scheduled on (and there are a few that we can't be scheduled on internationally, and they can't normally schedule us on prop aircraft). They don't necessarily go for the cheapest routing, as the trip hours also depend on how they schedule it, so often it's the more expensive airline ticket to make the trip a bit shorter for pay purposes. Now, you can use up to that allotted amount to buy your own tickets (all company negotiated discounts are available to you, so you buy a positive space ticket at reduced rate, or what ever rate/status you want to buy, not to exceed the scheduled deadhead parameters). If you live in ATL and your deadhead is to MIA you will likely be able to easily find a ticket cheaper than the scheduled MEM-MIA leg, but if you are scheduled to DH to SEA it might be more. You can just buy it and pay the difference if it's more than your scheduled, or jumpseat on FedEx aircraft. It would be against company policy to jumpseat on Delta in lieu of a DH on Delta, or similar situation, however. The company wants us to use the money. You an also pool the DHs together, so if you have one earlier in the month that is under the allotment you can use that to make up the difference for one later in the month, etc. If you are short you can also jumpseat on company aircraft if required. Most use the money to get to work and then will jump back, etc.

As to the recommendation, internal is the only type that makes any difference.

 

[NightFlyer]

There was a guy in my newhire class that went to one of those Arinc confrences and received an interview that way in lieu of an internal recommedation from a pilot. Good luck.

NightFlyer