Originally Posted by
Dirtdiver
Commuting costs you lots of $ in lost revenue
And A LOT of lost time in life.
I prefer time over money.
Originally Posted by
e6bpilot
Quick question: how long does it typically take to switch bases if you are unhappy with the base that you are hired with? I live in Oklahoma City and would love to stay, but I am guessing that commuting from here is probably going to be tough. My family isn't totally against relocating, but we like it here and the cost of living is super cheap.
The question on time to hold a base you want is ALL OVER THE BOARD. There are some domiciles that are extremely senior, or go junior.
Ex, if, and it's a BIG IF, UAL still had a SEA 737 base, you'd be in your grave before you could hold it. While if you wanted EWR, wouldn't be a problem.
If during the 2005-2008ish CAL hiring spree you were awarded the 75/76/77, you'd be going to EWR. Holding IAH would take a long time. There was a time at FedEx (2002ish) where you'd be sitting sideways for a couple years, guaranteed before moving to a window seat. Fast forward 5-6 years and WB window seat right out of the gate. Albeit, in ANC, etc.
If you wanted to stay in OKC and were hired at UAL and got IAH, there's decent flight frequency. But there is also A LOT of commuters. Sometimes more flights just means more flights you'll get bumped off.