FedEx/UPS v. Airlines

[Phaedrus]

Interested in information from anyone who has done both: FedEx/UPS to airlines or airlines to FedEx/UPS. Specifically what you liked/disliked in comparison and contrast concerning QOL/schedule flexibility/and general happiness.
I've heard many different things already, but I thought this would be a good place to get a bunch of different takes on this.
On a different note, is Indianapolis one of the larger ops for FedEx? Tons of purple tails up there!

 

[NightFlyer]

Phaedrus,
You can do a search on here and find a ton of information on the pros and cons of hauling people or boxes. As for IND, yes it is one of our bigger hubs. The second biggest I believe. Good luck!

NightFlyer

 

[CaptainMark]

Research the companies you want to work for...i researched fdx bigtime and looked at the freight business as a whole...it looked safe..and recession proof...met some fedex pilot and got some info about the job and that is where i wanted to be...9/11 changed a lot for the passenger carriers and unfortunately the are hurting now...i feel as time goes on the pay, workrules,etc will get back to where they were(hopefully)...obviously we need pilots in the future to handle both..do some research(which you are) and see what fits you best...but getting a job is a whole different story

 

[AV80R]

deleted

 

[L'il J.Seinfeld]

I was hired at UPS and SWA last summer and chose UPS. I choose to sit reserve and plan on doing it for the rest of my career. I have flown less than 50 hours since Sept 05. Being paid while sitting at home outweighs the "burden" of carrying around a cell phone everywhere.

Quite frankly, I prefer my wife and kids over the old hag FAs and WT that are flying the friendly skies on $49 tickets. FWIW we consider ourselves an airline but don't get hung up on labels too much. The pay is only going to get better. The key to me is that you have to work for a company making money and one that is positioned to benefit from the remarkable growth occuring in China and the rest of Asia.

 

[Uppercrust]

I have flown less than 50 hours since Sept 05. Being paid while sitting at home outweighs the "burden" of carrying around a cell phone everywhere.

Thanks for the input.

The pay is only going to get better.

Is it??? Sounds like your doing pretty good and happy!!!

 

[727Capt]

I flew at SWA for 6 months and left to fly for FDX. I don't think you can go wrong at either place, it comes down to what you want to fly and how the retirements differ. SWA is a great company and they've figured out how to continually make money haulin PAX. The down side is they only offer a 401k so you are funding your own retirement with a company match that is capped. FDX...A Fund + 6%B Fund + 401K. Depending on when you get hired there can be a significantly different retirement between the 2. From my standpoint I didn't want to be locked into the same equipment for a 28+ year career doing the Texas 2 step with drunk pax complaining about the peanuts.

I realize however that some need to feed the ego and prefer to walk down the crowded terminals with their fancy hats. Myself, I preferred the trash haulin and job security offered at FDX.

I would give a hard look at living in domicile or commuting. I think SWA offers better locations if you want to live in domicile but if your a commuter...they are about the same for ease of jump seating.

The two schedules differ significantly in block time but work about the same amount of days per month. SWA you will hard block 80-90 hours per month and FDX is about 40- 50. That's a generalization based on similar equipment but you can fly a lot less at FDX if you live in domicile and bid Reserve. I believe both companies allow similar scheduling manipulation, i.e..drop, slides, and trades but you should check both contracts to be sure. I'm not sure if SWA is still that flexible.

Bottom line, either company would be a good choice but you have to decide what best fits your circumstances, what was a good choice for me...maynot be for you. Good Luck!

 

[TheBaron]

Interested in information from anyone who has done both: FedEx/UPS to airlines or airlines to FedEx/UPS. Specifically what you liked/disliked in comparison and contrast concerning QOL/schedule flexibility/and general happiness.
I've heard many different things already, but I thought this would be a good place to get a bunch of different takes on this.
On a different note, is Indianapolis one of the larger ops for FedEx? Tons of purple tails up there!

Grandma...is that you? Did you forget to take your pills again? I already explained this to you. I DO work for an airline. And no, I'm not just building hours till I can get a commercial job! Now go an take your medicine!

 

[AviatorTim]

FDX...A Fund + 6%B Fund + 401K. Depending on when you get hired there can be a significantly different retirement between the 2.

Can you explain how the A and B funds work and what they payout on retirement?

The two schedules differ significantly in block time but work about the same amount of days per month. SWA you will hard block 80-90 hours per month and FDX is about 40- 50.

Are you saying that few FedEx pilots exceed garuntee?

 

[TheBaron]

Are you saying that few FedEx pilots exceed garuntee?

I think you are confusing block hours and credit hours. We are guaranteed 17 credit hours per week (68/4-week bid; 85/5-week bid). There are plenty of shorter trips in the Boeing where you only block 2-3 hours but you get paid for 6 (trip minimum). I got paid for 105 hours in January but blocked less than 45. Have a two day layover in Phoenix? You get paid 12 hours. It really works out great when you get a layover in your home city...you get paid while you're sitting at home with your family. All of the bid lines have at least the guaranteed hours. A good rule of thumb is to figure 1000 credit hours per year, easily done without being a total prostitute (i.e. no draft, advanced volunteer, vacation buyback.)

 

[Zulu]

Can you explain how the A and B funds work and what they payout on retirement?

The A fund is a traditional pension paid monthly. It pays 2%xyears employedxaverage pay during your high 5 years. Max from the A fund is 50% of your high five average pay.

The B fund is an amount currently equal to 6% of your gross pay (excluding per diem) deposited into an account each month. Each pilot controls his B fund account (within limits), but can't touch the money until retirement.

Are you saying that few FedEx pilots exceed garuntee?

Not at all. Guarantee for a 4 week month is 68 hours, but most line holders get somewhere in the 72 hour ballpark. For a 5 week month it's 85 guarantee with most lines around 90 hours.

 

[Fins Up]

Go cargo. Boxes don't complain and aren't afraid to fly.

 

[BoilerUP]

Are there any crews based in IND? If not, are there any "hot spare" lines built there?

Thanks...

 

[Falconjet]

No crew domicile in Indy, but there are weekly hotel and airport standby lines that basically cover the reserve aspect for the hub. Deadheads on each end and they go pretty senior.

FJ

 

[skykid]

I have done pax and now am with FedEx and can tell you it is great to be here. For now anyway, the job security is very nice. FedEx Express seems to be able to make a ton of money in spite of the cost of insuring the high level of reliability - lots of pilots on reserve, spare aircraft, etc. I flew an aircraft full of flowers out of MEM on Valentine's Day - I'd love to know how much we made on that one flight.

I am doing the dreaded night hub turns now and don't find the flying that bad at all. The secret is to make rest a priority and get some sleep when you can before you start the night schedule. An hour or two nap in the afternoon before night flying is all I need to transition to it. The good news is there seems to be a flying schedule for everybody here once you get some seniority. There is alot of day flying and of course MD11s going around the world in both directions.

The schoolhouse at FedEx will probably be unlike anything you have seen before outside of the military. If you are like me and like to do very well in training, you will go to class/sim, study, eat and sleep. I'm sure you could do less and get by, but most pilots want to do well. The checkride pass levels are way up there, but the training is tough. I can remember having time to work out and some free time in past military and civilian training - I didn't have much time for that here. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

 

[AviatorTim]

Thanks for the info Baron and Zulu.

Tim

 

[Fletch F Fletch]

I've done both. Passenger airlines are definitely more "glamorous" but then again, I got furloughed. More domicile and commuting options with pax. Better deadheading with pax (my experience 1st class 777 vs CRJ). Security at pax a major headache, not so much w/cargo. Cargo is more friendly than pax but not as good looking. Night flying harder for sure. Better future though, but who knows with negotiations going on? Fewer days of flying a month here, but that could change too (after all, we had a "no-furlough" clause at old job. Lotta good that did.) No bitter old flight attendents who will strike at the drop of a hat because they don't really need the job.

 

[MemTrash]

Interested in information from anyone who has done both: FedEx/UPS to airlines!

Future/Retirement to Zilch

Man that was easy.

 

[Flapjack]

My flight benefits got better when I left the NWA / feeder world and came to FedEx...Those deadheads are good for the frequent flyer account.

Could someone please explain to me the "glamour" or pax flying? I must have missed that part. ha ha

 

[Fox-Tree]

......Could someone please explain to me the "glamour" or pax flying? I must have missed that part. ha ha

Dude, come on. All your neighbors think you make a lot of $$ and you get to give people directions to the bathroom while wearing those glamourous hats/uniforms as you strut your stuff in the pax terminal. Also, someones's grandmother might bring you some food or a drink while you're flying if she's feeling generous and feels like jumping through hoops to get the cockpit door open. AND, if you're real lucky, you can clean the aircraft in between flights.

 

[Fletch F Fletch]

Never cleaned an aircraft, but the chicks dug the pilots. Not a lot of hotties in the freight world. Never had a box buy me a drink or offer a backrub or flip her hair while waiting for a latte at the Starbucks in the terminal.

 

[AlbieF15]

Actually, Fletch--you bring up a good point. My wife trusts me, and I'm not out looking for chicks on the road (I already have 4 women in my house--that's enough!). However, my wife DOES take a bit of comfort in the fact we don't have FAs or pax for the very reasons you mentioned. If I had been single instead of married with 2 kids (now 3) when I made my airline transition, SWA or JB might have had more appeal for the social side of things. As a boring old married guy, however, the fact my wife takes a bit more comfort in me flying boxes is just another plus on the freight side.

 

[psysicx]

Doesn't sitting reserve open you up to the bad trips? Or does it not matter since you fly so little?

 

[Echopapa]

Doesn't sitting reserve open you up to the bad trips? Or does it not matter since you fly so little?

Bad trips....hmmm....thats hard to define. There is so much variety that what is bad to one person is great to another....

My experience is that on reserve I do a lot of out and backs. They are due to equipment changes or broken planes. I also have found that I do mostly short trips....pilots tend to be hesitant to call in sick for long trips because of the hit they take to their sick bank.

I haven't done a week long pairing in over a year....and to me thats good. But to some thats not.

 

[Huck]

[P]ilots tend to be hesitant to call in sick for long trips because of the hit they take to their sick bank.

Until they turn sixty.

I sat A reserve for one year in the back of the -10. Got short called at LEAST once a month. Usually when it was cold or raining, either in MEM or where we were going....