Originally Posted by
UnprotectdPilot
What do schedules look like for the A320, E190 across the various bases? I'm curious about expectation management for hard days off and commutability of trips on the various equipment and bases.
I would be a ORD-NYC (or ORD-BOS) commuter initially and I'd likely move my family to live in base (likely MCO since we have family out that way) after a few years. Additionally, is there any insight as to what the A220 coming online is going to do to schedules or if it's going to look like the 190?
Good summary of Airbus trips for the northeast bases (JFK/BOS)...
1 Day Trips can be as easy as JFK-CHS-JFK (05:00 credit) to some very few high credit (senior) turns down to islands, sometimes with a deadhead, crediting upwards of 10:00 hrs. I'd say the average daytrips are probably Florida turns from JFK/BOS bases.
2 Day Trips range from 1 leg out to west coast and back the next day. Some trips are 2/legs a day down to Florida/Islands. Then there are the redeye turns down the islands.
3 Day Trips are all over the place, can be as easy as 1 leg out west or down to the islands, sit 24 hrs and redeye/pinkeye back, or sit as much as 30+ hrs. and fly back on day 3. The average 3 day is probably 2/legs a day, some higher credit 3 days might have 3 legs a day up/down the east coast. Some oddball trips might go out West and have LGB intra-California flying on a day, could be up to 4/legs a day.
4 Days are on average 2/legs a day, if you stay out east/islands. Some 4 days have 30+ hr layovers, and they are usually in places like SYR, CLE, PHL, and sometimes ORD (since you commute from there) etc. Good amount of 4 days have redeyes, probably not as many as the 5 day trips. 4 days can credit between 20:00-27:00, but if you want anything commutable, you'll be closer to the 20:00 credit range.
5 day trips are mostly redeyes with daysleeps (4 transcon flights). They are most popular with the commuters, because they are highly commutable. Late afternoon/evening start and usually finish off with a redeye. Some like them, some hate them. Sometimes there are 5 days with no redeyes, but they are hard to find or not commutable.
I find our trips pretty crappy, even worse after the CBA, but that's just me. The ADG certainly helps, but every major airline has had some sort of ADG/Min day for years. I think a lot has to do with the flight schedules. We have quite a few cities, especially out west where we only have 1 flight/day, and it is usually a redeye. The midnight and 1-3am departures from the islands are just not fun.