Upgrade times due to no Mandatory retirement age

[Northernpilot82]

Any idea how long upgrades will now take due to this AR pilot group continuing to grow with no end in sight?

[daedalusx]

Honestly, as frustrating as it is, this will barely affect the upgrade times.

[Blackdog0301]

I'm confident that there will be a cap placed on this program in the coming days. If you read the ruling, an accommodation plan needs to be agreed to between the union and the company before the 28th based on December flying which has the lowest number of domestic flying available to the old farts. This program won't continue growing.

[MaxAuto]

The arbitrator ruling gives the company 7 days from the date of the ruling to give the association a plan on the allowed numbers of AR65 pilots base on December 2025 natural domestic routes WestJet has in its system (5% of the network). The arbitrator agrees that there is not enough natural domestic flying for an unlimited amount of AR65 pilots to reach mmg thereby putting financial hardship on the company amongst other hardships and therefore allows the company to place a limit and use a procedure in agreement with union to limit those numbers followed by an annual review. The ruling doesn't allow for unlimited amounts. The arbitrator mostly agreed with the hardship place on the company.

[truecolours]

It's alarming how many pilots act/talk before reading.

[Nauclerus]

How many pilots actually want to keep flying past 65 anyway ? And how many retire before 65 ?

[ant_321]

How many pilots actually want to keep flying past 65 anyway ? And how many retire before 65 ?

1. Quite a few
2. Not many

I mostly feel sad for them. The majority of the ones I’ve talked to don’t do it for financial reasons. They just don’t have a life outside of work. 55 and done for me! (Sooner if I can)

[CaptDukeNukem]

Ex-wives. Children. families.

Costs add up. Some just can’t bail out at the “normal” time frame. I agree it’s sad. But at that age they should be finding some other work. Ground instruction or other.

[lowoleo22]

So what are the upgrade times then?

[Canadaflyer46]

So what are the upgrade times then?

Around the 12 year mark currently. YYC must junior block holder is 16 years. It will be increasing substantially.

[Hysteria]

So what are the upgrade times then?

Around the 12 year mark currently. YYC must junior block holder is 16 years. It will be increasing substantially.

YYC and YEG are similar?

[Canadaflyer46]

Roughly 11 years for an upgrade in YEG, and 12 years to hold a block
YVR is a 12 year upgrade, 14 years to hold a block. Around the same for YYZ right now

[rudder]

Roughly 11 years for an upgrade in YEG, and 12 years to hold a block
YVR is a 12 year upgrade, 14 years to hold a block. Around the same for YYZ right now

If AC was just 50% of that - or even 75% of that under worst case scenarios (last one hired at the end of a hiring cycle) - why pick WJ over AC?

Honest question. The career earnings metric (and corresponding pension benefit earned) suggests the comparison isn’t even close.

[Canadaflyer46]

Great question. Only answer really is to live in YYC/YEG and not have to commute.
If you’re in YYZ/YVR and choose WJ over AC then that’s another story. Socialized bidding perhaps? But you’d still lose a lot in career earnings. The career prospects aren’t even comparable.
There’s a reason why they are having to hire 50+ FOs for the YVR base.

[Hysteria]

Roughly 11 years for an upgrade in YEG, and 12 years to hold a block
YVR is a 12 year upgrade, 14 years to hold a block. Around the same for YYZ right now

If AC was just 50% of that - or even 75% of that under worst case scenarios (last one hired at the end of a hiring cycle) - why pick WJ over AC?

Honest question. The career earnings metric (and corresponding pension benefit earned) suggests the comparison isn’t even close.

Totally get it. I’m at a 705 regional currently. Would consider WJ primarily for the first 10 years as a parent vs the first 10 years as a parent at AC. Socialized bidding, perhaps single day pairings most of the month. Alberta bases. I’m not decided, but purely just on ‘why consider WJ?’ That’s partly why.

[Canadaflyer46]

One thing to consider for those choosing WJ for the socialized bidding/single day pairings is that the last round of FOs hired have been on reserve for over 3 years now with still no socialized bidding in sight.

[BigQ]

Canada is correct, reserve rules are crappy now. Seems to currently be a good push to massively overhaul our reserve system. For that, may I suggest waiting until the pilots have CA3. Notice to bargain was made a few days ago, contract expires dec 31st

[Hysteria]

One thing to consider for those choosing WJ for the socialized bidding/single day pairings is that the last round of FOs hired have been on reserve for over 3 years now with still no socialized bidding in sight.

Good to know

[nohojob]

As bigq says there is push for rsv rules to change in the new contract. The current one expires in December however god only knows how long before the new one is signed.