1.- When using their business class confirmed ticket, do you get to pick the time, carrier and routing or you just receive what they give you?.
The short answer is yes! as long as you follow the preference, IE ANA, then Star Alliance and then other carriers. If there is no other Star alliance carrier that serves your destination then they will book you in a non partner carrier but that is the only exception
2.- Does the commuting have to be on Star Alliance carriers?
See above
3.- If commuting on ANA do you get upgraded to first if seats are available? (like KAL)
When commuting on business class tickets it is confirmed (not an upgrade) If commuting on Zed tickets there is no upgrade even if the airplane is empty
4.- When commuting to work, do you have to arrive in TYO a full day in advance or can you arrive early on the same day to start flying at night?
The company encourages to arrive the day before and if commuting on confirmed business class tickets they will not reserve you a seat to arrive the same day of your duty, now some guys are doing it on Zed tickets (arriving the same day to start your duty in the evening) but that works for some that might not have many time zones to cross and many options to get to work (remember zed is space available) but commuting from Spain, crossing many time zones to get to work and then start a duty for a 7-9 hour flight? well, lets just say that you will discourage yourself from doing it after just a couple of times
5.- When commuting to home do they roster you in a way that you finish early so that you can start traveling home on that same day?
They do not guarantee that that will be the case, but they do it for you all the time. In the three years that I have been here, I have commuted every time on my last duty day
6.- In your case with 10 days + 2 from A/L (total of 12 off), how many days do u actually get at home? 10 or 11?
I get ten, because I don't count the day that I arrive or leave as a day off
7.- How do they manage around Christmas and new years? Is there a point system, seniority based, luck?
There is a point system, and it works pretty well since Christmas is not really that important to the Japanese crew members and the western guys can pretty much get it off every time but on the other hand you can count with working New Years, specially if you are junior (IE have little points accumulated) Now, bid what you want and don't assume you will not get it, people bid for different reasons and you will never know. I've gotten Christmas off every year and New years twice
8.- Have you ever been offered a short listed month (part time 50% or 75%) like they say in the application package?
They did for a few months after the economy took a dump but with the merger of the two companies I speculate that it won't be available in the next few months, It seems that we will start getting busy again since there are 20 more hours in my March roster compared with February. Part time contracts are only available after you complete your first contract
9.- Can you get unpaid leave for unforeseen circumstances (death, births, serious illnesses, etc...)?
I have to say that they are very helpful in terms of personal problems, for what I have seen so far (and experience myself with an operation that my wife had to undergo) they will bend over backwards to try to accommodate you as long as it is not last minute (the Japanese don't like last minute plan changes) Now there is another side to that coin, show up and complete your roster as assigned, that is all they are asking for. If you are an individual that is always using sick calls to arrange your life style, it is always waiting until the last minute to commute on zed tickets and misses your duty often, if you are an individual that is always trying to get specific trips and is always making demands (don't roster me for early shows, don't roster me to fly with other captains, ect.) then you burden the scheduler and your fellow pilots because somebody will have to pick up the slack, does that makes sense? Just show up for your duty as assign and when you need time off for personal reason, it will be there
10.- Lastly, is it fair to say that the rostering department is on the helping side?
Absolutely, they are. You do your part and they will do theirs
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