low cost pilot's lives
 

Do all pilots working for the main low cost have to live in the city where they are based ? or do they have any opportunities to live overseas like france spain catching plane evey days off for example or it s impossible because of lack of time or prices etc
Do you know any of them ?

easyJet has a very stable roster pattern (in terms of days on and off at least!). 5 ON, 2 OFF, 5 ON, 4 OFF. So commuting is possible, and lots of crew do. How much you value your time home is all that counts.
Staff travel can be tricky at times, or sometimes even impossible, depending on the destination and time of year.


I imagine Ryanair is similar.

Ryanair run a 5 on 3 off roster. We have many pilots who commute on their days off, and you can commute for free on company aircraft to your home.

Be warned though if can be very tiring. Finshing earlies gives you the chance to go home that day, 3 days home and then, if flights fit, possibly commuting back to work to fly lates on day 1 of work (ie possibly 3 days at home). Finishing lates means you cannot get home that day so you have to commute home on your first day off, 1 day at home then commute back on your third day off to start earlies the next day (ie 1 full day at home).

when you get job(wiht ryanair for example) do you have the choice between all the diferent bases ? or they impose you it?

Stable as it may be, since easyJet went to 5/2/5/4 I said a sad farewell to any social and family life.... and I live 20 minutes from my base. Good luck if you commute from abroad!! :uhoh:

Just to add a spanner to the works JT8, I know someone who reckons it's one of the best pilot lifestyles he's ever had. On earlies, he'll leave home while the kids are asleep but is home in time to have at least 5-6 hours quality family time before he needs his kip for the following early.

On lates, he see's his kids in the morning for a bit anyway, and has all the time for the missus before he's off to work again. Fine he doesn't see his kids or missus much in the evening, but according to him 5 days of earlies where he does, makes up for it!

He even has a great social life with non-pilot friends. The going out in the evening eating or drinking takes place on the days off. It all works for him very nicely. :ok:

Funny how the examples are so different JT8. Is it because you have been used to a lifestyle that allowed you more free time when on duty days to "play"?.
Nowdays however your work patterns are hard work, and perhaps brings you to a level that a lot of hard working (sometimes less paid, sometimes more paid) individuals have always had to suffer. Me for instance I dont make arrangements around my working days, i'm either too tired, or at work.
And when I get called in at the weekend, I dont get paid for it. :\

The main essential is to know when you're days off are sufficiently in advance to be able to plan social life and, in the case of this scenario, travel arrangements.

The regular Ryanair and Easyjet patterns clearly allow that.

What are bmi mainline and bmi baby doing these days? Still the usual last-minute rosters and disruptive changes from earlies to lates and visa versa? Makes life impossible, never mind commuting!

Hey I just tell it as I see it. If it looks so rosy come and join.

The company is currently working on a new pay deal and reviewing the 5/2/5/4. Hopefully it will take a turn for the better.

Superpilot - Swings and Roundabouts, but the vast majority of people I talk to do not like the pattern, say their lifestyle has got worse and that it's not sustainable (btw please empty your inbox!).

acbus1 - I agree, but commuting from abroad on the current pattern would leave anyone very very tired.