Green Slips

Have any of you heard of the term “Green Slips?” From I’ve been hearing, these slips allow for double the pay by doing only half the work. I read about it somewhere recently and haven’t found anywhere to read up on it. If you any of you have insight on this, let me know.

Thanks.

Daniel,

“Green Slip” is a Delta term but it basically means double time. All airlines offer it by a variety of names (Red Flag, Recall, Premium). How you get it varies from airline to airline (some you can call, at others they’ll call you in seniority order) but it basically means you can volunteer to fly on a day off and get paid double your hourly rate. If a trip is say worth 20hrs you’d get paid for 40. It’s a great deal of you don’t mind giving up your days off.

Adam

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Oh very cool. That’s an opportunity I feel like you can’t pass if you love your job.

Also, while I have a hold of you. When at a regional, do you have seniority in the mainline too, or only in the regional. Like if I fly for XJet and go to United. Do I have seniority built up in United? Or am I starting from scratch?

Daniel,

You’re seniority begins and ends at the airline you fly for (partnerships, wholly owned subsidiaries, whatever). You could be seniority #1 at Xjt, the day you start at United you are at the bottom of the list and even go back to “probation” status with the union.

Adam

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Thanks Adam for the replies. Much appreciated.

Daniel,

I believe “green slips” is a Delta term. Most airlines have some version of this, we call it “senior manning”. It is something the company offers when they are short on pilots, it is by no means an everyday thing.

Chris

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Daniel,

Your seniority is only with the airline you are currently flying for, any change in airlines results in a reset of seniority.

Chris

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Thanks Chris

Daniel,

The pay and results from “senior manning” depends on the airline and is also contingent on your contract.

Adam is correct in that “green slip” is more or less a Delta term.

A good example of using a “green slip” to you advantage at Dela would be:

Senior pilot bids reserve for 76:00.
Places all 13 days off at the beginning of the month (preferably one that has lots of bad weather).
Puts in for premium flying on day one.
Gets a 3 day trip for 16:00. Pay for the reserve goes above his guarantee, now he is making 92:00.
The three days off he didn’t have now get moved to his first three “on call” days + 10:00 for rest. Now he is “on long call” starting the 18th at 10:00.
He has one day off, then gets called again for another 3 day for 16:00.
They add three more days off +10:00 over his reserve days.
Now it’s the 7th of the month, he is crediting 108, and doesn’t go “on call” until 21st at 20:00.
No fly on the 8-10.
Gets a 4 day on the 11th worth 22:00.
Paid 130:00, days off moved to the 26th at 0800.
Takes 15-16 off.
Gets a 4 day again. Paid 152:00, days moved to 29th at 1800.
22nd, gets a 3 day for 16.
NOW IT GETS FUN!
Month ends on the 30th… can’t get any days off restored, right? Wrong!
The days off that he is owed go into a bank. 2.5 days in the bank.
Takes 25th off.
Gets another 4 day 26-29. 174 hrs. pay., 6.5/7 days in the bank.
Gets a day trip on the 30th. 180 pay. 8 days in the bank.

Yeah, he worked 19 days… for 180 hours of pay.
Now he has 8 “payback days” available for use.

Bid a line in the next month for 88:00. Drop 2 of your 4 day trips worth 44 hours with the 8 payback days.
Get a Green slip for 4 days at 200% as a lineholder. Now you get 88+44=132 for 12 days.
Do it again and get another 4 day, you get 176 hrs. for working 16 days, the same as your originally bid schedule!

That adds up to around 356 hours for two months. Very frequent, no. Although, if you are astute and shrewd AND live at base, you can make it happen. Some five year FO’s with a line can make more than a 5 year CA in come cases.

Thanks Arthun for the very thorough breakdown. Much appreciated. :slight_smile:

Keep in mind, one can only do this while maintaining FAA limitations as per FAR 121.471