Originally Posted by
MinRest
I mean, you also have NAS Lemoore (I was stationed there), and we have exactly zero pilots in SFO from there. Could there be demand for SAN? Sure, but this idea that SFO is completely unbelievable when Skywest has a large base there. You might very well be right, but again, you are talking about new hires, which means that the company actually has to interview and hire people who live there. We all know how that goes.
I think their reasoning for the SAN is fundamentally hotel costs. Pilot hiring pool would seem like a secondary consideration, but it's not just about hiring, it's also about retention.
Lemoore is irrelevant, almost nobody puts down roots there, it has more in common with Minot AFB in that regard. SAN is a fleet concentration center, you have opportunities for multiple tours over your career, so it's easy to get roots. And a nice place to live.