Just wondering if someone could give info on some of the following
1. for people who are commuting are there crash pads avaialabe and how much, or hotels if anyone stays there before their pairing starts?
2. how much do you average on perdiems per month ?
3. and I know that the pay has been talked about but how much can you expect to clear every two weeks on first year F/O pay ?
Greatly appreciate any info
Crash pads / and info
Moderators: North Shore, sky's the limit, sepia, Sulako, lilfssister, I WAS Birddog
I'll try....
1) I don't commute, but lots do. There are places around to rent--often a few commuters will get together for a crash pad. I don't know how much you would be looking at. The most difficult thing about that is the transit from the airport isn't that great, so depending on the time of day and where you are going, it could be a bit difficult.
Alot of commuters just stay in hotels when they come. I think it is pretty easy to find a room for less than $50/night all in. Then you can use their shuttle, and you don't have any travel costs on top. The big question is where would you be commuting from? Many commuters I talk to rarely have to overnight in YYC, so the occasional hotel is no big deal. If they bid for overnights in their home base then they often end up sleeping in their own bed more than YYC based people--at least it helps offset the hassle factor of the other parts of commuting.
But lots of people do commute from all over the country, both pilots and FA's.
2) I'd say I average about $500-$600. It's actually gone down a bit, just because we aren't working as many days (great trade if you ask me). On the other hand, if you pick up some extra flying, you'll make more income, and more per diem, and still have a pretty good sked.
3)Depends (typical vague WestJet pay answer, right
). In it's basic form, it would of course be the same as any other $40k/yr job (1000-1100/2 weeks? I can't remember). If you want to max out esp, then it hurts short term, no question. But it also gives likely gives you at least a 20% raise long term. Hopefully you already know all about that, so I won't beat it to death. There is no big pressure if you choose not to do it, but it is a positive thing for your long term financial health if you can. I would suggest having a good credit line before you leave you old job, and use it conservatively to offset what you are losing from the bi-weekly pay if you really need it.In the meantime you'll be paying like 6% interest, but making 100% (hopefully even more) rate of return on the esp. Anyway, if you max the esp your first year cheques are around $700 if you don't put the money into RRSP's. You can get better bi-weekly pay if you put the esp money into RRSP's, and fill out a form to the save the tax at source. I'm not sure exactly what that ends up at, but it probably adds a couple hundred in tax back onto your pay every 2 weeks. If you do this, just keep in mind that you shouldn't plan on using this money (esp in rrsp) to actually buy things later on---because if you do, then you will have to withdraw it from you rrsp when you are making even more money, and you will end up paying even more in tax down the road. Unless you will be a first time home buyer and can use the HBP to use the RRSP money for you down payment, then it makes sense. Now this is getting complicated, I know.
Depending on how you manage the esp, bi weekly pay is somehwere between 700-1100/2 weeks. Simple enough?
Feel free to ask questions.
1) I don't commute, but lots do. There are places around to rent--often a few commuters will get together for a crash pad. I don't know how much you would be looking at. The most difficult thing about that is the transit from the airport isn't that great, so depending on the time of day and where you are going, it could be a bit difficult.
Alot of commuters just stay in hotels when they come. I think it is pretty easy to find a room for less than $50/night all in. Then you can use their shuttle, and you don't have any travel costs on top. The big question is where would you be commuting from? Many commuters I talk to rarely have to overnight in YYC, so the occasional hotel is no big deal. If they bid for overnights in their home base then they often end up sleeping in their own bed more than YYC based people--at least it helps offset the hassle factor of the other parts of commuting.
But lots of people do commute from all over the country, both pilots and FA's.
2) I'd say I average about $500-$600. It's actually gone down a bit, just because we aren't working as many days (great trade if you ask me). On the other hand, if you pick up some extra flying, you'll make more income, and more per diem, and still have a pretty good sked.
3)Depends (typical vague WestJet pay answer, right
). In it's basic form, it would of course be the same as any other $40k/yr job (1000-1100/2 weeks? I can't remember). If you want to max out esp, then it hurts short term, no question. But it also gives likely gives you at least a 20% raise long term. Hopefully you already know all about that, so I won't beat it to death. There is no big pressure if you choose not to do it, but it is a positive thing for your long term financial health if you can. I would suggest having a good credit line before you leave you old job, and use it conservatively to offset what you are losing from the bi-weekly pay if you really need it.In the meantime you'll be paying like 6% interest, but making 100% (hopefully even more) rate of return on the esp. Anyway, if you max the esp your first year cheques are around $700 if you don't put the money into RRSP's. You can get better bi-weekly pay if you put the esp money into RRSP's, and fill out a form to the save the tax at source. I'm not sure exactly what that ends up at, but it probably adds a couple hundred in tax back onto your pay every 2 weeks. If you do this, just keep in mind that you shouldn't plan on using this money (esp in rrsp) to actually buy things later on---because if you do, then you will have to withdraw it from you rrsp when you are making even more money, and you will end up paying even more in tax down the road. Unless you will be a first time home buyer and can use the HBP to use the RRSP money for you down payment, then it makes sense. Now this is getting complicated, I know.Depending on how you manage the esp, bi weekly pay is somehwere between 700-1100/2 weeks. Simple enough?
Feel free to ask questions.
Travelodge YYC airport is the most widely used by our commuters. It's 40 something per night and they will drive you to the hanger or even training center and mall.
One friend who is a YVR commuter hasen't overnighted since last November but he's at my house 3 days in May for his recurrent. He says the travelodge mostly for the occasional night.... but every six months he comes by to clean up my beer fridge.
I think if you're YYZ/YVR/YXX/YLW/YYJ/YQQ/YEG you'll be save by going with hotels. The Eastcoasters probably pay more for hotels or rent one of the crash pads. Many also share cars too.
The hardest part is the initial. I don't agree with it but since you're at our only base in YYC already... they don't put you in a hotel. Most people end up staying with a firend if they don't move out before hand.
One friend who is a YVR commuter hasen't overnighted since last November but he's at my house 3 days in May for his recurrent. He says the travelodge mostly for the occasional night.... but every six months he comes by to clean up my beer fridge.
I think if you're YYZ/YVR/YXX/YLW/YYJ/YQQ/YEG you'll be save by going with hotels. The Eastcoasters probably pay more for hotels or rent one of the crash pads. Many also share cars too.
The hardest part is the initial. I don't agree with it but since you're at our only base in YYC already... they don't put you in a hotel. Most people end up staying with a firend if they don't move out before hand.
Yes, we have commuters from YHZ/YYT and YDF. From what I've heard only, they bid the max days off with overnights in YHZ or YYT if they live there. If you live in the West, you can get home always and avoid hotels most of the time. The Maritime Commuters will get stuck in YYC if they only have one day off and most have a crash pad and share cars. Many are available and posted on the boards around the WestJet training buidlings.600RVR wrote:To add to some of my questions from before, are there many guys commuting from the east coast ( atlantic provinces ) and how do they work it. ie: scheduling and the whole commuting thing in general to make it work ?
We also have YHZ-YYC direct and the new YEG-YHZ as a redeye now.
