Originally Posted by
MidnightHauler
No, it's not always simply a "choice" to live out of base. To uproot the family, have the spouse quit their job they've had for a long time, have them start a new job, and expect kids to start at a new school across the country is not easy, especially for an average paying regional airline job. If the company needs, or is desperate for staffing at a new base they've suddenly opened, they can't just expect everyone to drop everything and move in base on their dime.
That's why many, including myself, commute. I always have a backup plan, but am not moving for a regional job.
This is the fact of airline life. Not commuting is great if you can swing it but not everyone can. People who consider commuters callously and have no empathy for them are tools... and they might find karma is a you-know-what if their base closes after they get all nice and cozy. Fact I knew such a guy, he was so anti-commute that he constantly tried to come up with excuses to not share the jumpseat in his small turboprop. After his small town base closed he stuck to his guns about not commuting and started planning the move. Then he got his divorce papers.