Originally Posted by
LocoMoto
Thank you. I can imagine the duty blocks are ever-changing but was just a bit confused how the roster was published so far in advance, but makes sense for OFF days. Do the duty blocks ever change or is the 6/5 always consistent (ie. can you plan next year based on your expected pattern)?
Also, with fleet movement how does it usually work at NJE? Do FOs on the lighter jets get command there first before moving RHS on the long-range aircraft or do you progress RHS onto the bigger jets, then back to light jets for command? Is there a bidding or selection process involved in moving fleets/upgrading?
Thank you.
Unlike Ryanair for example (where I believe your 5/4 never changes) you will sometimes get a 7 day tour when you have to go for recurrent in the US or your vacation impacts the roster etc. So the general rule is 6/5 but it will change over the year. What is fixed is the number of days you are contracted for (you join on 200 contract days which includes your 22 vacation days). So the total number of duty, training and vacation days won’t exceed that. Once you’ve been in the company a while you can bid to change your roster pattern to work more or less days in the year - with pro-rata adjustment to your salary and vacation entitlement.
Once the roster is published though, your OFF days are exactly that - unless you choose to volunteer to work extra days (€650+ per day initially for FO’s which rises to something like €850 once you’ve done a certain number of extended days).
Generally you join on one of the smaller fleets then progress up in cabin size (you can bid for fleets and it’s based on seniority). Some people are happy staying where they are. Then you tend to go back to the small fleets when you upgrade.
However - in all but the most extreme circumstances, once you upgrade you stay on the LHS for any future fleet changes.