80,
South hire. Can't hold a LINE at LAX, and temporarily the same at SLC on first two AE of 2010 when we mixed the south/north bids. I'm satisfied with my current ability to commute, was trying to illustrate that had I instantly moved to base in the past, I would have been ousted from whatever base I chose as a decent line-holder, had I actually moved there, and been forced into commuting again.

I'm actually OK with current commuting ability, though it could and with 50% of pilots commuting SHOULD be better. It's just the foolish assumption of a simple choice being responsible for commuting that irks me.

When I consider the options and lifestyle for folks junior to me, 2007 and on hires who may be in my position or worse and worse seniority, it really makes me feel for them and shapes my opinions on commuting more strongly than my own situation.

What would I change for commuting?
1. short call increased credit to make it attractive to in-base.
2. Delta pilots being able to book JS on all DCI with at least equal priority as DCI pilots (first come first serve).
3. Better would be PS for commuting EQUAL in monetary value to parking spaces given to in-base folks. Difficult to argue against everyone getting the same $$ to get to sign-in, and using it as they desire.
4. Ability to put trips back to back more efficiently in PBS bidding, making first one "commutable up" and 2nd one "commutable home"... just a software filter tweak for that.
5. Application of the "Unable to Commute" policy so it was a good thing, as it sounds NWA had (could be wrong).