Virgin America QOL...this time lets keep it about QOL

[spudskier]

Lots of great info on here, might have missed it, but how long to hold LAX and JFK out of training?

 

[Flyer1015]

LAX pretty quickly, JFK would be a long time. Most junior guy there is a Jan 2012 DOH. I wouldn't count on JFK anytime soon, so plan on SFO or LAX.

 

[spudskier]

LAX pretty quickly, JFK would be a long time. Most junior guy there is a Jan 2012 DOH. I wouldn't count on JFK anytime soon, so plan on SFO or LAX.

Thank you! LAX would certainly be an easier commute for me but as long as there's hope for JFK eventually, it's all good. *fingers crossed!* any rumors of any other bases?

 

[Flyer1015]

Thank you! LAX would certainly be an easier commute for me but as long as there's hope for JFK eventually, it's all good. *fingers crossed!* any rumors of any other bases?

Most likely not.

SFO and LAX are official bases.

JFK is an ALF (alternate line of flying). So in PBS all your pairings start/end at JFK so you are JFK based in that regards. But for recurrent, sims, refresh, getting to SFO and the hotel is on your own.

 

[spudskier]

Most likely not.

SFO and LAX are official bases.

JFK is an ALF (alternate line of flying). So in PBS all your pairings start/end at JFK so you are JFK based in that regards. But for recurrent, sims, refresh, getting to SFO and the hotel is on your own.

Thank you for the info. What is short call reserve schedule like? Min days off per month? Is there a min amount of days off between blocks of reserve days? Will they let you off early enough to commute home or to your base?

 

[Flyer1015]

Thank you for the info. What is short call reserve schedule like? Min days off per month? Is there a min amount of days off between blocks of reserve days? Will they let you off early enough to commute home or to your base?

Short call is 2 hrs. I was only on reserve for one month, but in that month I usually got more than 2 hrs heads up. Min days off per month = 12. In between reserve day blocks min off is 3 days, however, NOT for the month-to-month transition. Theoretically you could get a 5 day stretch of reserve, 1 day off, then another 5 days from May 27-June 6. That's just an example.

Although the system is changing (I think), once you are awarded a reserve line in PBS, all it says is "RSV." Then the reserve bidding opens up and those are hard lines that are published, and you pick the order of the ones you want (like regular line bidding). In this case, you could bid to ensure you don't get a month-to-month transition conflict.

As for letting go early, if you don't have a flight assignment, you could be released. Again, I was only on reserve one month but I got released every time by 12noon-1pm which let me take the 1pm flight home to an east coast city. These days, I hear we are short on pilots and with attrition so they might not be as willing to release you.

 

[duc driver]

If you pick up in days off as a reserve does that time get added to your guarantee i.e 75 plus what ever the trip is worth.

 

[bri5150]

If there is no assignment, they are good about letting you go home early on your last day. That is a big if though. I would say it is 50/50 or worse that you get a trip that ends late on your last day these days. At least in LAX that is.

 

[spudskier]

Thank you for all the info. Very much appreciate you taking the time

 

[Flyer1015]

Reserves can't pick up open time trips on a day off.

 

[duc driver]

Reserves can't pick up open time trips on a day off.

Thanks Flyer!

 

[BuckMurdock1]

If there is no assignment, they are good about letting you go home early on your last day. That is a big if though. I would say it is 50/50 or worse that you get a trip that ends late on your last day these days. At least in LAX that is.

This seems to be very CSS (crew scheduling services) "agent" specific. Like many places; if you call to get released early and speak to scheduler#1 he/she might say "no; can't do it". Call back 30seconds later and speak to scheduler#2 and he/she might say "sure-you're done; go ahead and head home". Gouge; Melinda seems to be one of the more reasonable ones & one who is more partial to do a 'favor for a favor'. I'm guessing that with the reserve coverage that they're planning on trying, even as we grow, (I've heard as little as 8%) the days of early release will be be seldom at best.

As for LAX- I'm a RSV CA and have been released from assignment over 8 hrs after 3:30pm on last day (when we're supposed to be released) 2 weeks in a row now.

 

[Weasil]

Any talk of a Chicago domicile?

 

[bri5150]

There have been many possible bases mentioned by management as possibilities for satellite bases because of new rest rules. Chicago was on the list. The only rumor that is solid is JFK growing as a crew base. I wouldn't hold my breath for Chicago though. I imagine even if it is made a base (very low chance) it will probably go extremely senior.

 

[Flyer1015]

No ORD base. New rest rules will mean JFK has to increase in size, especially reserves. They need to have pilots whose zone of acclimation is east coast. Otherwise, 6am east coast reports for west coast guys (3am body clock) means 9 hr max duty day. So the east coast presence of crews has to increase.

 

[145drvr]

Announced yesterday JFK/EWR base (not separate but together as one base) will be an official pilot base starting Dec 1st. 50 crews. Hiring to continue with next class starting July 17th.

 

[spudskier]

Any word on interviews? Heard there are not only pools for classes but pools for interviews too...

 

[Flyer1015]

Any word on interviews? Heard there are not only pools for classes but pools for interviews too...

Correct on both counts for pool classes and pool intervieews. The interviewing should open up soon, maybe July/August-ish.

 

[1.3XVso]

Correct on both counts for pool classes and pool intervieews. The interviewing should open up soon, maybe July/August-ish.

you know that all the people who talked smack about all llc for the exception of southwest are applying to vx right?

 

[Flyer1015]

you know that all the people who talked smack about all llc for the exception of southwest are applying to vx right?

All 3: VX, NK, B6.

But there are still guys holding out for Purple or Delta.