Are certain routes more desirable due to flight departure times or length? Do pilots get to choose what routes based on seniority?
Also if a pilot can’t fly their scheduled flight do they have an on call pilot that picks up that shift?
In: Engineering
Details vary with every airline, they all have their own systems for this, but essentially yes.
There is a master schedule that complies with the rules agreed to between the pilots union and the airline plus the schedule of flights the airline wants to fly. Usually it’s 4-6 weeks out, and new blocks of time are released each week. Some flights are more desirable, though what’s desirable is in the mind of the pilot. Seniority plays a role, and those with low seniority can get stuck with being “on call” in case somebody gets sick. On call pilots are also important in resolving delays, as the pilot’s work day is also constrained by FAA regulations.
Where these systems have led to catastrophes is that they don’t solve the problem quickly when the schedule is disrupted. Many pilots fly from where they live to the starting point of their first flight of the day, and when their “get to work” flight is delayed it can mess up the whole system. When they time out and have to sleep it’s another problem to get them home, just like everybody else in a large scale delay situation.
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