flying4dollars wrote: ↑Thu Mar 05, 2026 9:20 pm
Year 4 NB capt
$280k + pension + per diem
Share match $10k
Junior reserve
Flew 300 hours in 2025
For context how many days did you spend away from home in a crashpad or at work in the same year you were a year 4 captain?
Of the days I had to commute to base, I would say a majority I took the red eye or flew in day of. Sometimes I flew in day before if I felt like it (sometimes I of course had to with the 0300 RAP starts). 99% of the time I commuted home on the last day of reserve and about 70%+ I got released early to catch flights home earlier than originally planned. As you know, 18 days of reserve but often was getting early assigned pairings starting on my 2nd day of reserve before I had to commute out (which bought me an extra day at home with the 24hr release). I was home on average about 12-14 days a month. A lot of those assignments included DH's somewhere which I dropped and positioned myself, often reducing a 4-5 day reserve stretch to only need to be away 2-3 of those days. MLO always green lit the travel outside the original DH footprint which helped with costs and POS travel. I also use the little gem in the contract where we can move 2 G days a month so that I never get less than 3 days off.
It's honestly been pretty civilized given how junior I am. Also I hit year 4 in November so the above data is basically drawn from the last 365 days from this reply but a majority of that T4 is based off year 3 pay.
Through what avenue did you get right-to-work if you don't mind sharing.
I’m a dual citizen. Grew up in Canada with an American parent.
Cheers, enjoy it.
Year 2 NB FO making more than most WB CAs in Canada...
I don't think people realize how extreme the pay disparity really is.
Funny thing is that my rate goes up 40 USD/hr this year. I’ve still been on the low-end of the FO side. I know another 73 FO who earned 30k USD on one paycheque last year.
You guys also have some wild OT/sched glitches built into your contract, where, the way I understand it is that you can drop scheduled pairings, then pick it up on 3X OT without penalty.
cjp wrote: ↑Sun Apr 12, 2026 7:31 am
You guys also have some wild OT/sched glitches built into your contract, where, the way I understand it is that you can drop scheduled pairings, then pick it up on 3X OT without penalty.
DAL = ‘Rolling Thunder’
Apparently, they have made it more difficult to do so.
cjp wrote: ↑Sun Apr 12, 2026 7:31 am
You guys also have some wild OT/sched glitches built into your contract, where, the way I understand it is that you can drop scheduled pairings, then pick it up on 3X OT without penalty.
DAL = ‘Rolling Thunder’
Apparently, they have made it more difficult to do so.
Colleague at UAL was saying this is still happening. And yet, these airlines are still turning a significant profit.
cjp wrote: ↑Sun Apr 12, 2026 7:31 am
You guys also have some wild OT/sched glitches built into your contract, where, the way I understand it is that you can drop scheduled pairings, then pick it up on 3X OT without penalty.
It’s not that groovy, but you’re close.
Pickup anything without conflict= 200%.
Pickup anything with conflict, (picking up said pairing would displace you from another pairing) = pay at straight time for both pairings, picked up and dropped.
And of course there are the people that drop and pick up at premium pay like you said. It’s been readily available for the last year or so. I rarely pick up slips since I commute.
cjp wrote: ↑Sun Apr 12, 2026 7:31 am
You guys also have some wild OT/sched glitches built into your contract, where, the way I understand it is that you can drop scheduled pairings, then pick it up on 3X OT without penalty.
It’s not that groovy, but you’re close.
Pickup anything without conflict= 200%.
Pickup anything with conflict, (picking up said pairing would displace you from another pairing) = pay at straight time for both pairings, picked up and dropped.
And of course there are the people that drop and pick up at premium pay like you said. It’s been readily available for the last year or so. I rarely pick up slips since I commute.
