Jul 05
Operator: VS
Fleet: B744
Block Hours: 80.5 (approx 10 of which will be 'bunk' time)
Nights downroute: 8
Days off at home: 14 (18 nights)
Standby days: 0
Roster stability: as a rock
Tired: Not really but jet-lagged all the time. Makes a good excuse for those afternoon 'naps' I frequently need when you get to my age.
The above equates to 4.5 trips: LHR-JFK (0.5 of a trip as it crosses the month boundary); LGW-MCO (twice); LGW-NAS/HAV (position between Nassau and Havana); LHR-SFO.
Duty hours away from base shouldn't be counted as we are still 'off-duty'. They are counted as 'time away from base'.
Company has very high Balpa membership with good, incremental basic salary, even better hourly flight pay, tax free cash allowances downroute and contracted to an annual flying limit of 750 hours. Add to that excellent staff travel benefits and agreements with almost every other ICAO airline worldwide.
The downside? The amount of time it takes from disembarking to getting on the crew bus when arriving as US airports with 18-22 crew. Everywhere else not a problem.
