Originally Posted by
Airbrake
As the title says I’m a 717B living in DTW. I’m considering a change and a Captain I flew with recently said I’d be crazy to not bid NYC330B. I’d be 80% BES. His advice was to either bid/pickup trips that start with a DH, or drop my sched in NYC and rebuild it with OOBWS in DTW. Worst case scenario I commute (told myself I never would) which wouldn’t be terrible since the vast majority of NYC trips are commutable on both ends.
1) How bad is the DTW-NYC commute?
2) Should I expect to sit RES with several SC’s a month?
3) Wide report seems to show I could hold a line easily in Jan, what about the rest of the year?
3) I know OOBWS is somewhat frowned upon, is that strategy even feasible and if so will it upset people?
4) I assume trips that start with a DH will go Sr to me correct?
5) SWAG on when I could hold DTW outright?
Any advice would be appreciated.
The Captain is crazy.
1) The commute is ok, just not a lot of flights. JFK is often full on the RJ (so you can't book the JS). LGA is fine, but EWR is far from JFK and a pain or expensnive to get to from EWR.
2) If on reserve, SC is a usual thing unless you have a trip, unless you have less than 3 days of availablity.
3) A line is probable at 80%, because reserve goes senior in the winter I'm guessing. Summer the reserves are going to be flying, so no benefit for senior people bidding it in the summer. But more flying in the summer so more lines.
3) OOBWS is a pipe dream at 80%. It comes after in base reserve, and I rarely see them in trip coverage. I was previously 330B in DTW just doing WS in base was hard to fill up when I dropped a few trips. Anyone who is OOBWS is very senior and basically sitting reserve because you aren't getting them until 2 days prior to the trip. Go through DTW 330B coverage and see how many OOBWS get awarded.
4) Trips with a DH will go very senior, as often you can deviate and arrive the same day as the departure, saving yourself a trip. So a senior pilot basically gets paid a 4 days but only flies a 3 day. Also, many 330 pilots are commuters and will gladly pickup swap a trip without a DH for one with a DH. Or bid them to start or end a trip.
Finally, you'll make more money as a 717B in base riding the GS train rather than being 330B. Yes, higher pay rate but lower vacation bidding, and you much higher 717B seniority will net you much more GS action, esp in base where you can easily do a shoter notice GS.
Bid DTW 330B if you want the lifestyle, it will come. I commuted to NYC 7ER B for several years, before I could hold it in DTW (I live here), I was home 2 more days PER WEEK when I held it in DTW. (because not having to commute in early or sitting SC in NYC). That adds up. Also, for a 4pm show in NYC, I had to leave my house at 8am to commute in - back when there were many more flights. Add in the time commuting home after a trip too..