question about being an airline pilot?

[bobbyp]

when you get hired with a major airline, and if you happen to get furloughed, do you go back to the same pay and senoirity when you get back? or do you have to start all over again?

 

[flyguy]

when you get hired with a major airline, and if you happen to get furloughed, do you go back to the same pay and senoirity when you get back? or do you have to start all over again?

Well lets say an airline furloughs 200 pilots and you happen to be number 100 out of those 200. Then they recall 100. Because you have the senority, you will get called back, and you still have 100 pilots below you, but you are the most junior active pilot there. Your senority number is not reset, but because there are fewer active pilots, its kind of like starting over. As for pay, lets say you were a second year FO when you were furloughted. When you get called back, you'll still be on second year FO pay but due to a bankruptcy, whatever that is has probably gone down since you left. And actually I could be wrong about that, they may just start you back on first year pay. Either way, you won't be making as much as you were when you left.

 

[Cptnchia]

Well lets say an airline furloughs 200 pilots and you happen to be number 100 out of those 200. Then they recall 100. Because you have the senority, you will get called back, and you still have 100 pilots below you, but you are the most junior active pilot there. Your senority number is not reset, but because there are fewer active pilots, its kind of like starting over.

This is a true statement.

As for pay, lets say you were a second year FO when you were furloughted. When you get called back, you'll still be on second year FO pay but due to a bankruptcy, whatever that is has probably gone down since you left. And actually I could be wrong about that, they may just start you back on first year pay. Either way, you won't be making as much as you were when you left.

This is not a true statement. Almost. It depends on what kind of furlough recall provisions are in your contract or that the company offers. I was furloughed for 4 1/2 years. When I left, I was on probationary pay. When I came back, I was on 6 year pay. Even with the bankruptcy, I came back to a higher hourly pay than when I left. Other carriers do it differently. I believe at NWA and LCC you come back at the pay scale year that you left.

 

[flyguy]

It depends on what kind of furlough recall provisions are in your contract or that the company offers. I was furloughed for 4 1/2 years. When I left, I was on probationary pay. When I came back, I was on 6 year pay. Even with the bankruptcy, I came back to a higher hourly pay than when I left.

Good point. I didn't think of being furloughed for more than a year.

 

[jima7011]

When you are on furlough, can you still work another flying job?

 

[flyguy]

When you are on furlough, can you still work another flying job?

Some flying jobs require you to resign from your other company. Things like flight instructing, or traffic watch should not be a problem though, but a lot of 121/135 jobs might not take you unless you cut off all ties.

 

[Lee D]

When United furloughed, some of their pilots came over to SkyWest per an agreement that was made. They were allowed to keep their United senority while they worked here. I believe the pay was supplemented in some way too, at least during the first year. It was explaned to me once, however I don't remember what the details were.

 

[mrivc211]

Captain Lee is correcto!

United guys were given the option to come to Skywest as NEGOTIATED by ALPA on their behalf(another reason to vote ALPA). Along with that, ALPA negotiated that United make up the difference in pay their first year to get them to 2nd year pay, which at least put their pay around the 40K mark.

 

[bobbyp]

i have another question, if you get a degreee in aviation, is there a chance that you never will work for a major airline?

in otherwords, are there aviation college grads who never hit the majors?

 

[P&H]

i have another question, if you get a degreee in aviation, is there a chance that you never will work for a major airline?

in otherwords, are there aviation college grads who never hit the majors?

You can get a degree in toe-nail clipping and they wouldn't care.

 

[E_Dawg]

i have another question, if you get a degreee in aviation, is there a chance that you never will work for a major airline?

in otherwords, are there aviation college grads who never hit the majors?

Yes it happens occasionally, but you may have limited options as to what other careers you're able to pursue. Without going back to school that is...