Originally Posted by
Pineapple Guy
I don't think so. I changed bases 5 times in my 7 years, but 3 of those were PCS. I suspect some of your's were too. I'll stand by my position.
scambo, in 20+ years at DAL, I've commuted for exactly 1 month. By choice.
But as I've said countless times before, I've got no problem with PS passes for EVERY trip for a certain period of time after a base closure or base opening. But we've never had bases in MLB, TPA, PHX, CHS, JAX, CLE, and countless others, yet pilots feel an entitlement to live in those cities, while being paid by DAL, and then expect DAL to foot the bill for them to get to work. I DO have a problem with that mentality, because it costs the company money, and money they pay for that can't be put in our paychecks. Effectively punishing those of us who suck it up and move. That's my beef with the whole issue.
OK, lets talk money. Right now if you get displaced the company will pay for you to move, your car to move, to cancel your lease, up to $35,000 in real estate commissions plus an additional $2,000 for your trouble.
I don't know how much it costs for a move, but a quick web search shows about $5,000 per 1,000 sq. foot. So the cost for a 2,000 sq. foot house is $10,000. Let's say you rent that house for $1,000/mo. and the company must pay three months rent to break your lease-$3,000. Now your car-$1,000. Now you buy a new house in you base and you use less than half of the companies commission reimbursement--$15,000. Oh, you still get the $2,000 and about 100 one-way S1 passes (4 rt for you and your wife to house hunt+4 rt/mo for up to a year to commute.)
10g+3g+1g+15g+2g=$31,000 (conservatively) for the company to move you. With that much money involved, I am betting that the company is hoping that most displaced pilots do not take the moving package and choose to commute. The last AE MD'd about 200 pilots, that would be over $6 million if everyone took the package.
Lets assume the average domestic one-way fare is $200. That is 155 legs the company could positive space you on and still come out ahead. Used in conjunction with responsible commuting that amount of passes could last more than a career and still have plenty left over for family vacations.
In the spirit of compromise, lets disband the commute policy and say that a pilot gets their choice of a paid move or 150 positive space passes to be used anytime they wish during their career. I'd take that deal.