Thomsonfly roster?

[Larry001]

Can anyone please share some information about rostering on the 757 in Thomsonfly. How many days on/off, fixed schedule?
Is it commutable within Europe?

Thanks!

[Bluebaron]

If we evre get our July roster that is!

We are getting a 'new' carmen roster form July 01st so past rosters are not really relevent any more. However if you are still interested in the past then if you are flying 757/767 as you will eventually and are on the longhaul list then you can expect around 10-15 days 'off a month'.

However i have included rest days ie you return on a monday morning at 0600 after a longhaul and get tuesday as a rest day and w/t/f as days off. also if you start at 0400 on a monday then sunday will be a blank day (day off).

If you mean clear offical dyas off then expect 9 or so.

Carmen is expected to increse productivity by around 5%.

Hope this helps.

BB

[World of Tweed]

Larry001

As blue baron has said our rosters are being switched over from one system to another.

The new roster system is supposed to allow us to bid for the type of work we want to do. So for you I assume that will be away from base in blocks of a few days each time. With that in mind you should be able to influence the way you work and perhaps make commuting easier.

There are a few guys who do already commute, all I can is that depending on where you are commuting to i.e. Holland/Scandi you might be better of at a larger base where the flights are more frequent.

One other thing to bear in mind:

If you are new to the type (like me) then you fly the 757 only for the first year or so. If you are then based at a predominantly 767 base - like manchester for example the result is a roster where most of your days of work are done in blocks away from you base in a hotel. He's an example of what I've had this month. This may not be very representative once carmen is in force but you can see how they have you working away form base alot especially if your 757 only.

2nd MAN -AGP MAN
3rd MAN-VRN-MAN
4th Taxi BHX hotel
5th BHX - PMI BHX hotel
6th BHX PUY BHX Taxi MAN
7th day off
8th day off
9th MAN- MAH-MAN
10th TAxi MAN - NCL Hotel
11th NCL-PMI-NCL Hotel
12th Taxi NCL- MAN
13th Day off
14th Day off
15th Taxi MAN- LPL hotel
16th LPL -CFU-LPL Hotel
17th LPL-IBZ-LPL Hotel
18th LPL-AGP LPL Taxi LPL MAN
19th Day off
20th day off
21st Day off
22nd MAN PMI MAN
23rd Dead head MAN EDI Hotel
24th EDI IBZ NCL Hotel
25th NCL FAO LPL Taxi LPL MAN
26th Blank
27th Day Off
28th Day off
29th Blank

Hope this helps

WoT

[Moose66]

Excellent info on the 757/767 rosters.

Any info on the 737 rosters and lifestyle?

[Larry001]

Thanks for the info!

It seems like the 757 mainly fly within Europe? I thought it was longhaul on both the 757 and 767?? Is this depending on base?

It might seem a little lazy to ask for a reduced scheme to start with as a newhire, but can you work for ex 80% if you have children under a certain age. I have a newborn and would like to see her a little bit more than 10 days per month the first couple of years..

[Prince Buster]

World of tweed:

I'm supposed to get a call from Thomson within the next couple of days with a job offer. I'll try and commute back to Sweden due to my family conditions. What bases and what a/c type do you recommend (if I get the choice ) for commuting to swe? Is longhaul (757/767) better then shorthaul (737)? What bases do you recommend?

Thanx guys,

/The Prince

[Bluebaron]

757 does shorthaul only. Part-time is available only on a 3 week on 3 week off scheme. Not sure if new hires are allowed it though you will work at 57% for 50% pay.

World of Tweed - gosh you are working hard this is me this month:

01 - off
02 - off
03 - off
04 - off
05- LGW DLM LGW
06 - off
07 - TX CWL
08 - CWL SFB
09 - SFB MAN
10 - MAN LGW (ba)
11 - off
12 - off
13 - off
14 - off
15 - LGW KGS LGW
16 - LGW VCE LGW
17 - off
18 - TX BHX
19 - BHX MAN tx NCL
20 - NCL BRS NCL (yes newcastle bristol return (day stop)
21 - NCL ACE LGW
22 - off
23 -off
24 - off
25 - off
26 - LGW POP
27 -
28 - POP LGW
29 - off
30 - off
31 - off

So all in all 16 days 'off' although mixes of Rest days/Blank day to.

For commuting from europe it is difficult to say with the new roster i would suggest LGW/MAN.

BB

[Larry001]

Excelent, thank you.

"Prince Buster" check your PM.

[World of Tweed]

BB - I need the Hours!!

Larry001/ Prince: As for the best commuting base I'd have to say LGW most probably as you'll have the choice of LGW/LHR/STN/LTN for your flights back to Sweden or where ever. Up here in the frozen north (i.e. MAN) I don't think you have as many flight options back home.....

...but a much better range of Pies.

[Pilot Pete]

737 rosters depend on base. As the 737 takes over it is doing more and more 'mixed model' flying, ie charter as per the 757 with some of the low cost scheduled flying too. I am MAN based on the 737 and my rostered flying out of there mirrors my old 75/76 roster.** However, if you join one of the 'original' 737 bases (CVT, BOH and DSA) then you will do more of the scheduled routes, with a mix of charter.

As far as commuting goes, LGW has to be best, but MAN is a close second. If you live south of MAN you have the choice of EMA, with LPL not being too far away either. Plenty of lo-cos at MAN, EMA and LPL, not sure on flights to Scandinavia though...

PP

** edit to add that it mirrors the shorthaul flying on my old 75/76 roster, obviously not including longhaul!!

[Prince Buster]

Thanks for all the info guys!!

From MAN I guess only SAS and Finnair fly direct to Stockholm. The options are more from London.

Please help a guy whose got no London experience, is it hard/difficult to travel between the different airports? How long does it take from LGW to LHR? Shuttle bus or subway??

If I could get the nice "BlueBaron Roster" the commuting would be great!
BB-You on the 737 or 757?

Does the LGW base have both 737 and 757?

Cheers guys!

[World of Tweed]

Its not very difficult to travel between heathrow and gatwick.

There are a number of options to get from LGW to LHR.

The simplest is by Bus/coach there are several companies that do that - are very frequent though can be expensive around £18 if I recall. The same companies also do other routes i.e. to STN. You are also subject to Traffic on the M25 (the main ring road around the city) . Journey times can be as little as 35/40min to as long as 2 hours in extreme traffic conditions, average journey time would be around 1 hour plus the time from the terminal to the station/check in desk etc.

You could also get the trains and go via London Victoria and then Tube out to heathow but invariably it would take you just as long. Also it is an awkward way of doing it if you have baggage.

BB is on the 75/76 fleet as he has longhaul rostered.

LGW has both 737 and 757 based although which type of 737 I'm not sure.

Someone else might be able to shed more light but I believe LGW is a very popular base with the 737 guys so it may be difficult to get into first - but I'm by no means sure on that.

[Pilot Pete]

The other thing to bear in mind is CARMEN. As has been alluded to, we are supposed to be CARMENISED from July. This should give you some control over choice of flying, but it is not guaranteed and you could well find yourself flying away from base as is the case now. That shouldn't be too much of an issue for someone non-UK resident as it doesn't matter where you are in the UK, as long as you know when you start and when you end for days off. Indeed, if you bid under Carmen for away from base flying, you could end up in hotels around the country, at the company's expense whilst getting duty pay 24hrs a day and not having to pay for any accommodation whilst in the UK! It would seem the ideal option and would allow pilots like myself to bid for more home base flying to spend more time at home with the wife and kids!

Personally speaking I would not go back to London to be based. You get the same pay, but everything costs so much more, especially accommodation. The traffic is horrendous and it it takes an age to get anywhere unless you travel in the middle of the night! I grew up there and spent 30 years in the outskirts of London, but purposefully chose Manchester for a better quality of life (and a nice big house for the price of an apartment! ) Obviously, other issues will affect your decision and I think the biggest one will be Carmen and flying away from base for the benefit that holds, together with flight availability to your home country.

All the best.

PP

[waffles]

737

I understand you originally asked about the 757 but I am on the 737 fleet. There are many pilots on the 737 fleet that actually live in scandinavia and basically commute. They share a house near the base to sleep at when on a row of dutys.
Those that I know that do this seem to be able to do so relatively easily.

[Prince Buster]

Thanks Waffles

When I get the call and see where I end up, I might send you a PM to get some names from you.

Cheers!!

[shlittlenellie]

For those that have read Blue Baron's roster and thought to themselves: phwoarrr that looks like the company for me! Be warned that the scheduling agreement makes provision for an average of 11 BDOs per month and no more. BB's roster could become the stuff of legend and perhaps we should ask questions in the house. It looks a little fishy to me.

BB do you have crewing connections or are you a serial flexible working volunteer?

[Bluebaron]

As stated not all my off days are 'off' they include rest days/blank days ie:

01 Jun got in early from CUN
02 Jun Rest day
11 jun Rest Day
22 Jun blank day
29 Jun Rest day

So only 12 days off.

Doing longhaul gives you more time off although none of it was requested/bidded for.

BB

[Larry001]

Does it take long to get on the 767?

[Pilot Pete]

Depends on a number of things;

1. Your experience on joining.
2. Your chosen/ allocated base on joining.
3. Your desire!

So, for instance, when I joined I came with about 1000hrs 757 experience elsewhere. My base was Manchester and during the summer they have more 767s based there than 757s, so upon completing my 757 operator conversion training I went straight back into the sim to do the 767 conversion and flew the 767 virtually from day 1. Longhaul is done on base/ seniority and it took about 12 months to get onto the longhaul list.

If you join on the 757 with very little other commercial experience and are Manchester based, you will spend a lot of the summer flying out of other bases and they won't convert you to the 767 until about a year of 757 experience has been gained.

PP

[shlittlenellie]

Fresh new S/O direct from Jerez have been completing their 767 differences course before commencing their line training on the 757! This must training efficiency or something like that .