A Pilot's Life ... 8 CHRISTMAS ROSTER SURVIVAL TIPS ...

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It's that one day of the year where the whole of the airline wants it OFF. This is the social experiment of the year ... where a sample of humans display their true colors and only the courageous succeed! Strategy, schmoozing, defeatism, great roster system mastery and anger just to name a few of the potential emotions floating around!

After flying for 2 airlines now over 20 years I have seen a few Christmas rosters come and go with 18 of those years NOT working Christmas. The first airline had me arriving Christmas morning off a Back of The Clock so I still got to see my family for a few hours. The second airline's Christmas gift was a 4 day trip right through Christmas ... not so great. Insert anger, drama and expletives!! (Just checked that with my partner ... he can confirm!!)

My track record of having Chrissy off inspires me to let you in on my Christmas secrets and tips. Conversely not even seeing my kids at Christmas on that dreaded 4 day trip humbled me and allows me able to share my working at Christmas survival tips.  I hope that's ok :)

So let's go ... NAOMI'S 8 CHRISTMAS ROSTER SURVIVAL TIPS ...

WARNING - THE FOLLOWING OUTCOMES ARE NOT GUARANTEED TO WORK 100% OF THE TIME AND I TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR RESULT!!!

1. If you want Christmas OFF ... then bid for it! - You would be surprised how many pilots talk themselves out of it and just assume they are doomed. By far this is the easiest one. Also people that seem to get Christmas off a lot will never speak of this. It's a secret club! So you will have to search out the secret handshake.

2. Talk to the expert rostering Rep - They will know the strategy to give you the best chance of the days off. Remember these guys are normally locked in a padded room with no windows and easily frightened by the Christmas pilot rush so be gentle!! And don't forget that although they are the Rep ... does anyone really know how the damn thing works???

3. Bid for Holidays over Christmas - Yes I know that sounds too simple but why say 'no' to yourself. Like Survival Tip 1 sometimes you have to be in it to win it. Again no-one will speak of this. In fact I am at great risk of nuclear fall out by telling divulging this top secret info! Eeeek ... Sorry to the experts in Tip 1 and Tip 3!

4. Work as much as possible prior to December - This has 2 possible up sides. One being potential over-time payments if your airline has that sort of thing. And the second that you might be maxed out for hours so could set yourself free in December. This is a possibility if your rostering system is the mysterious 'satisfaction rating' type where the computer (with no brain - yet) decides if you're 'satisfied'. Dare I say ... somehow be 'unsatisfied' prior to Christmas so that you are 'satisfied' at Christmas. (Ok you lot .. we are not touching that one!)

5. Bid to finish a trip on Christmas Eve - If you've been around for a hundred years and your rostering system is based on years of service or a rotating seniority and you're at the top for December then this could be a sweet deal.

6. Swap with the single pilots! - In my experience there are a breed of pilot that aren't that fussed about Christmas. They offer their services so that pilots with kids might be able to be home. Or they want an overnight in a particular port where their family lives. You will need to put out the scent to find these guys though. They have favorites :)

SEALED SECTION BELOW ... ONLY FOR THOSE PILOT'S FLYING OVER CHRISTMAS because everyone not working won't care!

7. Take your family with you - For some reason your kids probably LOOOVVE hotel rooms and the little soaps etc. Stuff we take for granted. Who said Christmas had to be traditional stay at home Christmas people? Hey you're not in a 'traditional' occupation so it goes with the territory.

8. If working Christmas Day ... Sulk prior - When I got my roster that had a 4 day trip leaving Christmas eve returning on the 27th December ... time stopped! Yep I cracked it. Expletives and drama :)  When all of this had subsided I switched into solution mode. In the spirit of not saying 'no' to myself I wrote an email to all flight crew requesting (ok begging) for a swap. To my surprise and joy I found another Captain that wanted a particular day off of mine prior to Christmas so was prepared to compromise on his Christmas Day Off. To me this man WAS Santa! After all the necessary paperwork for trip swap it was all looking good ... until crewing crushed my Christmas hopes on a technicality around overtime. Phew insert expletive and drama again. (Of course well trained professional expletives and drama!)   

Defeated ...

Until my lovely (non-pilot) partner said "If you have to fly at Christmas why not make it fun". Stop the press ... What a brilliant man! This sent me into a flurry of ideas. It hit home to me that if I couldn't be with my family then perhaps I could find the Christmas spirit to find joy in taking passengers safely
to their loved ones. Isn't that what Christmas is all about?

Result ...

I hit the supermarket at the overnight port on Christmas eve and bought supplies to create a Christmas dinner for the crew (and to avoid crew catering - I know they do their best). With the assistance of my fellow diligent and 'away from home' crew we dined on a delicious roasted Christmas dinner. Albeit separate of course with 2 different choices!! It was the point of the exercise ok :) 

Not to leave out the passengers I also bought some balloons and lollies and handed them out to the delight of all. To my surprise a few days later on days off I travelled to the destination port that I went to on Christmas day. Whilst walking through a shopping centre I was stopped by a lady who asked me if I was a pilot. I thought that's weird ... does it show?! She went on to tell me that she had been on my flight and it was the best ever because of the spirit of the crew. Ok so that was a warm fuzzy feeling right there :)

I wish you well for the Christmas roster season and would love feedback on your success. If you have to fly you may be surprised how great the day could be if you 'turn up' in the Christmas spirit.

Ho Ho Ho!

Cheers

Naomi