SWA vs. FedEx- Who has better SCHEDULES?

[Beechdriver32]

Here you go-

Sounds like you really want an example of a real schedule. One caveat, I’ve only been here at Southwest since Feb so it is by no means a ‘best’ schedule, but here’s mine for July.

It’s,
4 on, 3 off,
3 on, 6 off,
3 on, 4 off,
4 reserve on, 4 off.

That works out to be 13 days on and 18 days off. Remember, with trip trades, I can easily manipulate what I’ve got to EXACTLY what I want (Like something more commuter friendly). And that’s as a 5 month Probationary FO. Now, if I could get rid of commuting, this would be a PERFECT job!

Between the two companies, there isn’t a ‘wrong’ choice, just a better choice for you and your family. Just don’t look back (If faced with the choice). SWA was the best place for me, and quite frankly, couldn’t be happier with the decision.

Good Luck-

BD32

PM me if you have any specific questions.

 

[Slug]

blank

A blank line in July, Apu! congrats

Ed Martin does a good crash pad.

Slug

 

[Sugardaddy]

Slug or anyone,
Could you go over what a "blank line" is again for us not-so-edumucated poolies? Thanks.

 

[Boeing4Me]

blank lines

Sometimes known as vacation relief lines. They comprise the trips that were pulled from line holders due to training, vacation, etc.

Approx 8% (I think) of the lines are bid at the end of the month (between the 21st and 23rd) instead of during the normal bidding cycle (7th - 12th of the month). During the original bid cycle one of your options is bidding for blank lines (where you're gambling you'll get a better deal than during the original bidding cycle). It's often a smart move for junior guys if you can tolerate not knowing next month's sched until the 23rd or 24th.

B4Me

 

[Slug]

Blank line

After all the awarded monthly lines come out on the 12th of the month there are bits and pieces of lines that go back into a "pot". These trips that go back into the pot do so because the line holder had a conflict with that trip. It may have been a vacation drop, training drop, mil leave drop, etc....... Scheduling takes all these extra trips and constructs monthly lines out of them. These lines come out on the 21st or so and the pilots who got blank lines on the 12th bid on their actual schedule. The blank lines are finalized around the 24th.

Hope this helps



Slug

 

[Sugardaddy]

Slug and B4Me,
Thanks for the info. Just to clarify... when the blank lines are formed by scheduling at the end of the month, how are they distributed to those who bid them during the regular bid cycle? Is there a another bid that occurs at the end of the month for the reconstructed blank lines? Or when you bid a blank line at the beginning of the month, do you do it for certain days only? Any information will help me stay afloat in the swa sea.

 

[Boeing4Me]

yes

On the 21st, the 15 to 30 blank lines (depending on size of domicile) are distributed to the 15 to 30 pilots who were "awarded" blank lines during the initial round of bidding. These guys bid again on the blank line package, with bidding closing on the 23rd. The blank lines can contain hard schedules, reserve schedules, or even mixed reserve/hard scheds (these seem to be rare). It's run just like the first round of bidding, only much smaller in numbers.
B4Me

 

[flight-crew]

OK, so what I've gathered so far from the SWA guys is that the max days ON seems to be 4 on. But I understand that having one week on (7 on) is pretty typical at FedEx, and 3 - 4 on is less common.

Now that I've seen a sample SWA schedule, maybe someone could post a typical FedEx schedule (with days on and days off).

Any more comments from SWA and FedEx guys is appreciated...

 

[klhoard]

FedEx "blank" lines

Take the SWA "Blank Lines"; then cut - n - paste the word "Secondary" and the bidding and construction timeframes during the month are practically identical at Fedex.

I don't know if SWA does this, but if you are awarded a Secondary line, you have 36 hours after the initial bid closes to submit your preferences via computer for what you want your Secondary line to look like. The preferences are awarded in seniority order and the lines are constructed over the following week. BTW - this construction is done by a computer program so you need to know how to phrase your requests to get what you want.

Some guys go so far as getting into the bid pack to see who has vacation during what week, and what trips are likely to be dropped back into open time. They then specifically request those trips and build themselves a schedule.

Obviously, your success with this system depends on where you float amongst the Secondary line holders and your preparation and homework.

 

[OakRBust]

And down the stretch they come....... Civilian pilots vs millitary pilots leads by a nose.... no wait..... here comes jet blue vs southwest........ at the wire it is SWA vs Fedex........


Where is a post office worker when you need em.... These horses just wont die!

 

[klhoard]

If you read the entire thread, it seems that "flight-crew" was asking for information to make his own decision, not looking to start a urination contest.

Just trying to give "flight-crew" some information. . . . . I thought that is what this bulletin board was for. . . . .

 

[Sugardaddy]

B4ME and klhoard,
Thanks for the information on blank/secondary lines. Just a question? Klhoard how does the FedEx airport standby work, or is there any such thing? Also, for any SWA guy... does SWA have anything like that? Or are all reserve lines just subject to the standard 2 hour call out?

 

[klhoard]

FDX airport standby

Airport standby's are 5 hours in length. A related animal is the hotel standby, which is 12 hours long.

Airport standby's are published as open time on the computer system, and if they are not filled by 48 hours prior, scheduling will assign a reserve pilot. If there are no reserve pilots available, they will begin looking for volunteer or draft (150% pay) pilots to fill it. You can also pick up an airport standby on a day off just like a published open time flight if you need to do some makeup. Reserve reporting time in MEM is 1.5 hours (3.0 hours in LAX), and airport standby is, well, 0.1 hours. They have a big screen TV, internet, sleep rooms, and recliners at the Air Operations Center so it isn't all that painful to do your 5 hours.

Hotel standbys are published as "flying" lines in the bid pack. Off the top of my head they are at IND, EWR and OAK for the B-727. The hotel standby lines are usually Monday - Friday and have deadhead tickets from MEM to and from the hub so they tend to go pretty senior. Sometimes scheduling will have hotel standby's in MEM, but those are filled by reserve pilots.

Hope that wasn't too much information. . . . .

 

[flight-crew]

Hey Keith, can you give me a sample schedule at FedEx for a senior pilot flying domestic? Like days on / days off for the whole month.

 

[klhoard]

A commuter will typically bid for the "double deadhead" lines. That means Mon-Fri FedEx flying with deadheads on Sunday and Saturday. The flying will start at an out station Monday night with an approximate 9pm launch with one or two legs into MEM. You then sit for 3-4 hours in the hub (known as a "hub turn"), then lauch again around 3am for one or two legs back to the out station. Sleep all day, repeat until Friday night.

Once you are awarded that line, you get on the computer, cancel the original deadhead tickets and reserve new ones from your home town. When you are REALLY senior, you bid for the lines that originate and end in your own town. That way you get paid for the Sunday and Saturday deadhead days while you're home. When you're REALLY SUPER senior, you can hold the weekend layovers in your home town.

Now if you're not a commuter, there are a plethora of other flying you can fly. With the mail contract, there are AM out and backs that launch around 2am and you're back in your driveway at 9am. There are PM out and backs that launch around 3pm, lay over in a hotel for 4-5 hours, and get back to MEM around midnight. There are also alot of guys who bid reserve when they're senior.

As mentioned before, depending on your seniority, manning in your seat, and how fast you are on the computer, you can manipulate your schedule to what you need. You can also swap trips and bump trips with your buddies in your seat position. I'm not saying you will always get what you want, but there are plenty of options available.