Regional Vs Major Workload

fsxflyhigh

fsxflyhigh

Well-Known Member
For those that have moved from a regional to a major, how does the workload compare between the two? It seems like with most regionals it's all about cranking out releases but the flights are shorter and more likely to keep a canned route. I'd imagine that a dispatcher with a major would handle less flights but spend considerably more time on each flight as they would typically be longer flights. Anyone willing to provide some insight?
 
Workload has been an issue at my regional airline here lately (well... Worse than usual) because of everyone moving on either laterally or to a major since the summer. Most days the morning/day shift are averaging anywhere from 55 - 70 flights per day, easy. With about 2 - 3 call outs those jumped up to 80+. Evening/night shift is better, usually around 25 - 45 depending on the day of the week, but again with only a call out or two that can easily jump up to 50+. I'd love to hear average numbers at the other regionals.

Sorry, a little off topic. I suppose my point is, its got to be better... Right? :cry:
 
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At B6 it depends on the shift and the day.

Day shift plans from 33-37, swing shift about the same
Evening shift 22-27
Midnight 27-33
 
jbhems520 said:
Workload has been an issue at my regional airline here lately (well... Worse than usual) because of everyone moving on either laterally or to a major since the summer. Most days the morning/day shift are averaging anywhere from 55 - 70 flights per day, easy. With about 2 - 3 call outs those jumped up to 80+. Evening/night shift is better, usually around 25 - 45 depending on the day of the week, but again with only a call out or two that can easily jump up to 50+. I'd love to hear average numbers at the other regionals.

Sorry, a little off topic. I suppose my point is, its got to be better... Right? :cry:
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Wow, so flight following is non-existent I take it. When I started we were averaging about 55-60 max (my "record" is 57) and it was difficult to manage IROP's like that, I cannot imagine 70-80. I'd go home and cry in a corner if I had a desk like that. Today we are at 45-50.
 
fsxflyhigh said:
For those that have moved from a regional to a major, how does the workload compare between the two? It seems like with most regionals it's all about cranking out releases but the flights are shorter and more likely to keep a canned route. I'd imagine that a dispatcher with a major would handle less flights but spend considerably more time on each flight as they would typically be longer flights. Anyone willing to provide some insight?
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Supposedly at my major the dispatchers are doing 30-50 in a 10hr stretch for domestic and 10-15 for international. To me that's humping but I just fly them now.
 
jynxyjoe said:
Supposedly at my major the dispatchers are doing 30-50 in a 10hr stretch for domestic and 10-15 for international. To me that's humping but I just fly them now.
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A lot depends on the stage length and area worked. 30-50 transcons is a lot more difficult than a bunch of short haul east coast stuff. Simliarly for international, 10-15 long haul ETOPS flights are a lot more demanding than a bunch of shorter flights out of an international hub. I agree though, 50 of any type of flight at a major is on the very high side. Not so much at regionals.
 
manniax said:
A lot depends on the stage length and area worked. 30-50 transcons is a lot more difficult than a bunch of short haul east coast stuff. Simliarly for international, 10-15 long haul ETOPS flights are a lot more demanding than a bunch of shorter flights out of an international hub. I agree though, 50 of any type of flight at a major is on the very high side. Not so much at regionals.
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Well for instance, they're working geographic sectors, if it's NYC then 30 domestic I'd bet a lot of those are trans cons. Y'all need a pay override.
 
jynxyjoe said:
Well for instance, they're working geographic sectors, if it's NYC then 30 domestic I'd bet a lot of those are trans cons. Y'all need a pay override.
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I'm always happy to see extra pay!

Where I work we have some dedicated transcon sectors. They tried getting rid of them for a while but that didn't last long. I agree domestic can be a heavy workload on bad weather/ATC days though. It's part of why I prefer international - of course, those desks can be busy as well, but in general I would say that level of busy doesn't vary as much day to day as it does on domestic desks.
 
Scarebus said:
I’ve always wondered how regionals convince the FAA that their operations meet the staffing requirements in the FARs.
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When our Dispatch Inspector sat with me I asked him if there was a number he considered to be too high. He simply said they didn't want to get into that with the airline, however if there is so much that one cannot flight follow and do releases, especially if it causes some sort of incident, that would be a problem and they'd have to intervene to change something. He also encouraged me to reach out directly if I or anybody else ever felt it was a problem, the airline certainly wasn't going to say anything...
 
flynryan692 said:
When our Dispatch Inspector sat with me I asked him if there was a number he considered to be too high. He simply said they didn't want to get into that with the airline, however if there is so much that one cannot flight follow and do releases, especially if it causes some sort of incident, that would be a problem and they'd have to intervene to change something. He also encouraged me to reach out directly if I or anybody else ever felt it was a problem, the airline certainly wasn't going to say anything...
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Airlines have a simple mentality, it ain't broke until its tires fall off and the engine is on fire. Short of that you just gotta tough it out.
 
flynryan692 said:
Wow, so flight following is non-existent I take it. When I started we were averaging about 55-60 max (my "record" is 57) and it was difficult to manage IROP's like that, I cannot imagine 70-80. I'd go home and cry in a corner if I had a desk like that. Today we are at 45-50.
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Yeah my highest was around mid 60s but it was a good weather day. I know a big issue I see is in regards to new or amended TAFs particularly with Alternate mins. While it's pretty easy to keep an eye on the hub or hub alternates, The outstation alternates are harder to keep track. When a new TAF comes out and it becomes illegal just prior to departure, how many are going to catch that while they are in the middle of a big block of flight releases.
 
I see the regional workload as being a bit of a rite of passage for a dispatcher. The regionals are where most dispatchers go to prove to the majors that they can do the job and handle the responsibilities that come with it. Many have gone before you and done even higher amounts of work in earlier days at the same regionals. If you can't handle the regional workload, you really should choose another career. It is one method of paying your dues.

At the majors, you are in a career job that is paid six figure money. Many jobs require far more formal education and experience for much less money and poorer benefits. The workload is part of justifying why you are paid what you are paid. The more work you give away, the less justification there is for the wages you make. It isn't as high as the regional workload but it isn't that far off. There is not a major difference between a domestic regional flight and domestic major flight. You can't really compare international because the regionals don't do an equivalent type of flying.

Pilot ipads and technology in general are going to force a change in dispatch workload. Before pilot ipads, dispatchers could say that despite flight planning automation we need fewer flights to focus on airborne flights. We still send sigmets and pireps for regulatory purposes but it really is just duplicating what the pilots already know. It won't be long before the pilot ipads will be approved to have all the programs that we have and airlines are given exemptions on what info dispatchers must send to allow cockpits to go paperless and reduce pilot workload. I suspect the future will be more flight plans and the equipment/ATC coordinating being less specialized and moving back to the dispatch desks.
 
flynryan692 said:
When our Dispatch Inspector sat with me I asked him if there was a number he considered to be too high. He simply said they didn't want to get into that with the airline, however if there is so much that one cannot flight follow and do releases, especially if it causes some sort of incident, that would be a problem and they'd have to intervene to change something. He also encouraged me to reach out directly if I or anybody else ever felt it was a problem, the airline certainly wasn't going to say anything...
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That is a long standing issue with the FAA, they like to say they enforce safety, but at the same time support the industry, which are largely mutually exclusive phrases.
 
Delta Echo said:
Be careful, I can think of one airline were former management used that ASAP data to threaten crappy shifts to avoid the real solution, hiring.
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At the regional I was at it worked. They had reduced Saturday afternoon shifts to an absurdly low level. After a morning shift desk closed and the flights were never actually moved to a different desk and operated without anyone watching them, multiple ASAPs were filed. Several shifts were added almost immediately.
 
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