I read Flagships post a little more closely after my last post. He is right about the two year commitment, but AA also has a two year commitment in their contract to anyone who bids international, and that is division specific at AA. (AA has international broken up into three divisions, where at US there is only one and any international dispatcher can and will work any international flight) The way I understand it at USAirways, an international relief line can pick up shifts on either domestic or international. (I have heard plenty of guys working both in one week) Additionally anyone who maintains an international qualification can pick up international shifts even if domestic. (I am not 100 percent sure on thins). Typically the new hires will get signed off domestically and will be domestic relief dispatchers and can only pick up domestic shifts. A dispatcher won't complete international initial until they bid a position that requires it. I actually like this better than how AA is currently doing it. You are learning enough in initial training between Sabre, new fleet types, new manuals, and company procedures that I think it really helps to get a feel for all the stuff domestically before you go international, and there is a lot of additional info that comes with working international. It helps a lot to get comfortable domestically before you really overload your brain. I wish that AA would go this route, as their training seems hard enough as it is.
One nice thing about US is there is an override that gets added to an international dispatchers pay check, which means you get more money working international than domestic. AA does not have this in their contract, and I pray this is something that ends up in a joint contract.
One nice thing about US is there is an override that gets added to an international dispatchers pay check, which means you get more money working international than domestic. AA does not have this in their contract, and I pray this is something that ends up in a joint contract.