Some guys stay at the MyStays Hotel and others have apartments. Personal preference. As far as train times, that will never be a problem in NRT. NRT is a curfew airport. Last flight has to be off the ground by 11pm and first flight can't land before 6am. So no problems. If you arrive back in NRT after 9pm though they will provide a taxi.

How much is a rough estimate for a 1 bed apartment in NRT? And the MyStays? Just wondering how far the $550 stretches.

I like the sound of a taxi after 9pm. Makes them sound like a caring company... Do you invariably get the days off that you request still (ignoring Dec)?

Finally, Ive heard varying reports regarding upgrade, from 3 years, to expect to be a FO for the duration, and if the upgrade comes you're lucky. What's the truth? If I apply it'll a huge step away from the comfort zone, and probably the door closed for coming back due to age etc.

Thanks

Apartments seem to average out about $700-750 per month in NRT, plus your utilities. MyStays hotel is JPY7000 per night. I used to spend about 7 nights in NRT each month but recently I find myself staying more. 10 nights is not unusual and one guy I spoke to a few days ago said he has 13 this month. Either hotel or apartment, they need to increase the accommodation allowance.

The end of December and the beginning of January are always periods when you might be asked to move your requested days off if you didn't work them the previous year (or two). We have a system to try and ensure people get a fair chance of getting the time off but expect to certainly work during the period once in 3 years, if not every other year. Apart from this period you will almost always get your days off request. It may be an extreme but I have always got the days off I requested and it continues to be one of the best bits about this contract.

You will begin the upgrade process at around 3.5 years. Everyone gets the opportunity to undergo the assessments but not everyone passes. Normally they will allow you a second attempt about a year later. The vast majority pass on either attempt. Those that fail both attempts find themselves with 3 bars for the rest of their time with AJX. There are not that many. I can't think of anyone who has been offered a third attempt but I am sure someone else will correct me if I'm wrong. It's mostly a matter of studying every bit of trivial nonsense you will never need, smiling and nodding when you're told two completely different things by two different management pilots and just doing it their way, no matter how daft it seems. Once you get your 4 stripes you can engage 'Real World' mode :-)

Do ANA provide some sort of storage area at NRT for you to put your baggage whilst on an overnight or do you find yourself taking everything with you or just paying for a full 3 weeks in a hotel?

AJX does have a locker room at the office at NRT airport. However it is not that large. We each have a locker to put uniforms and other items in and there are shelves for our overnight bags. If you are staying at the MyStays hotel they have a storage area for you to put your larger bags and such. You don't need to pay for 3 weeks in a hotel. Just whatever nights you will be staying there.

So it's within the realms of possibility you could keep your winter coat & summer jacket at work along with the cap. That sounds ok. It'd get a bit cumbersome having to take that to and from Japan everytime you go out on break.

You don't need to take anything home with you if you don't want. When I first got here I purchased a plastic storage box that I kept in the hotel storage plus I had my large suitcase that I kept there. There are many guys who when traveling home only have their carry on, no checked luggage. I usually take checked bag just so I can bring personal items back with me from the US. Also, we don't wear a uniform hat anymore.

I kept my hat so that I could wear it around my living room, naked, and then salute myself in the bathroom mirror :}

I occasionally replace clothes from home but, in the main, I have a Japanese wardrobe that stays in Japan and never travel to/from home with anything more than a small carry-on case.

Uniform jackets stay in the locker at work. One has never been worn, the other normally gets its once-a-year wearing on a route check because mine falls in February and DLC or TAO can be cold at that time of year :)

Is a summer jacket something I'm supposed to have? I thought it was only the Japanese who wear lovely green, off-yellow and gaudy blue jackets to work.

HAHA jrmly & Fratemate, ok mean't to say a double breasted jacket (or something like that). You make everything sound a lot simpler than I thought it was going to be.
Thanks for your feedback.

for those who stay in hotel, is there a special arrangement that you will always have a room to stay when u're back at base, even in peak season, and all at the same price?

Is there any special deals for crew?

or do u have to manually book the rooms through their websites, which prices fluctuate with seasons and also i'm afraid of duty changes that may end up me considered a "no show" at the hotel and my money forfeited.

The MyStays has a rate of 7000 yen for crews. Not sure how guys are doing it now, but when I was there I would just tell them my next stay when I checked out from my current one. They would put it in the system. There is no credit card required to hold it.
I stayed there back when it was the Excel but I believe many of the same people are in charge. Back then they would hold rooms for you. For example, I was the last plane to land in NRT in 2011 during the big earthquake. Was supposed to be at the hotel around 3pm but didn't get there until around midnight. Of course with all the cancellations hotels were packed. When I walked in they still had my room available even though there were many, many people sleeping in the lobby.

I've now read all 150 pages of this thread.

No one has asked if you can split your travel. By that I mean, can you do a C-class ticket on the way in and a ZED on the way out?

Also, I only saw one reference on here but can you confirm that it is a 2 hour call out for standby days?

I don't know of any set time frame for call out. From what I have always heard, it is just they want you there as soon as you can.

As far as travel. The C-class tickets they provide start in Japan to your country and end back in Japan. Round trip. Never heard of anyone trying to only take a c-class one way. Really wouldn't be a smart move as you lose your 2000 commuting allowance once you submit for the c-class.

Thank you for all the clarifications thus far

Another query abt tickets commuting home.
If we choose to take the US$2000 as cash, what sort of ticket prices are we expecting for ZED/ID fares, say an economy seat to Australia

Prices and (perceived) availability will vary with seasons.

Take the Commute option - THEIR responsibility if flights don't work out.
Take the $$ - YOUR responsibility if flights don't work out.

They do not appreciate being stuffed around by outsiders, contracts are easy to cancel for any number of reasons.
Cheers

Yes, contracts are easy to cancel for any number of reasons. However, if they were so quick to cancel contracts I can think of at least 10 people who would not be working here any longer. So apparently their need for pilots outweighs the easiness of cancelling a contract.

But you are correct on the responsibility. I always do the c-class option. 2000 just isn't worth it to me to be wondering if I am going to get home or not. Plus I can send my wife away for 2 or 3 times a year in first class on UAL using the miles we accrue.

I see...

So is it set in stone that once you chose the money, you can only take the money, or can you have a choice every month either to take the cash or the confirmed tickets

Thanks

You make the choice every month. For example, I always do the c-class. However I will not be using a round trip in January since I am off from the 23rd December to 26th January. So my return in January is part of my December ticket. So I will tell my contract agency to pay me the commute allowance for January.

good stuff, thanks for the info :ok: