Originally Posted by
gloopy
Because any VB departure would have most likely been an overnight and/or DH into or back out from another base. The only purpose of a VB is to reduce credit and therefore block hours and therefore pilot jobs. That is why they pushed for it. We were able to limit it, and the pull down feature is a great (IMO we should exercise it ASAP) but they will dangle it over the commuters with promises of local trips as well as making it as painless as possible for the transition/trial period in the hopes we make it permanent and expend it to international.
I am not arguing the politics of it, or whether it is good or bad.
You said it would reduce per diem and I am trying to understand how.
The way I see it, the start up a VB is not free and only can be justified in a city where there is a lot of departures that is also performed by a majority of one category, or at least that could be converted to one category like the 75/76.
Now say you stick a 75/76 VB in MCO seasonally, just because you reduce credit time on a 4 day trip because you are flying more block (less credit) since it originates in MCO , you still have the same TAFB but the base happens to be MCO instead of ATL or wherever, which equals the same per diem.
Again, look at the PS passes, hotels etc that are provided to pilots bidding a VB and you realize it ain't free.
Again, I could care less whether we see them as I live in base.