MrBigAir

First, calling in sick isn't always as easy as it sounds. It might look easy on paper, but the reality on the ground is that calling in sick rarely goes unpunished. One way or another, through either sick occurrences, more scrutiny, or intimidating calls from management (especially when calling in fatigued), a sick/fatigue call gets some sort of underhanded punishment. Not on paper, not by policy, but in reality it does. End of Story.

Second, long commutes happen. Life happens. I now commute trans-con, and that wasn't my original idea, and lucky for me, it's not forever. But guess what? My base got closed, my new base would have absolutely destroyed my QOL, and other life factors got in the way to where now I commute across the country. Not ideal, but that's how the cookies crumbled. Also, sometimes you have to go get a job, and if that means it's across the country, it's across the country. If you're in a relationship with someone else that actually HAS A JOB that PAYS WELL, guess what again, folks? You're not displacing yourself and family for an under 20K job at a hell-hole. Also, I fight for that jumpseat against enough mainline pilots to know that it's not only regional guys schlepping across the country. Sorry, but there's just as many if not more mainline pilots who trans-con the commute.