Hiring forecast

[JBI]

Got it. How about the reduced block and vacation? Overall what I'm trying to gauge is how easily I could snowbird for 2-4 months a year.

Any of the bases for the nicer weather YYZ,YVR,YYC and then for 2-4 months go to the southern states or Mexico over winter.

The ability to leave Canada during the colder weather is worth a lot to me vs chasing metal.

While there are lots of WestJet pilots and FAs who own property in southern states/Mexico and even Hawaii and spend lots of time there, it's probably pretty hard to spend the full winter down there.

Gotta keep in mind that WestJet is busiest in the winter and the summer (plus around holidays) so the temporary reduced/zero block months are, for the most part, not likely to be offered in December/January or June-September. But, as other posters have said, this is a relatively new addition to the contract so we'll see how often it actually gets used. It's purpose is to give the company flexibility and cost savings on slower months, if it happens to be something that attracts pilots here, then that's a pleasant side effect.

All that being said, there are ways to bid/trade/drop your schedule so that you get a chunk of time off each month to travel. As well, if you bid 3 weeks vacation in a single month you have the option to ask to not be scheduled for the entire month.

[throwawaycorporate]

Got it. How about the reduced block and vacation? Overall what I'm trying to gauge is how easily I could snowbird for 2-4 months a year.

Any of the bases for the nicer weather YYZ,YVR,YYC and then for 2-4 months go to the southern states or Mexico over winter.

The ability to leave Canada during the colder weather is worth a lot to me vs chasing metal.

While there are lots of WestJet pilots and FAs who own property in southern states/Mexico and even Hawaii and spend lots of time there, it's probably pretty hard to spend the full winter down there.

Gotta keep in mind that WestJet is busiest in the winter and the summer (plus around holidays) so the temporary reduced/zero block months are, for the most part, not likely to be offered in December/January or June-September. But, as other posters have said, this is a relatively new addition to the contract so we'll see how often it actually gets used. It's purpose is to give the company flexibility and cost savings on slower months, if it happens to be something that attracts pilots here, then that's a pleasant side effect.

All that being said, there are ways to bid/trade/drop your schedule so that you get a chunk of time off each month to travel. As well, if you bid 3 weeks vacation in a single month you have the option to ask to not be scheduled for the entire month.

Appreciate the insight!

Definitely understandable that winter and summer are busy but it would be nice to be able to leave for say November and Mid Jan to March every year.