SAN Base opening, finally…
12-03-2025 | 10:29 AM
#161
Line Holder
Joined: Mar 2022
Posts: 1,895
Likes: 186
I’d say threatening to close a base because of sick calls is a lot more punitive and this threat is to the entire pilot group at our “union protected” airline.
12-03-2025 | 10:55 AM
#162
On Reserve
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 175
Likes: 1
How you bid matters.
When NYC was closing, it closed with 23 LA CA and 37 SFO Capt vacancies. If I had bid just LAX Capt as #1 and SFO Capt as #2 I would have gotten SFO Capt because there were no LA spots left by the time it got to my seniority. But by bidding NYC Capt as 1, LAX as 2, and SFO as 3, the system recognized I can’t hold NYC, and now displaced me into LAX despite zero openings.
Bottom line, if you’re an extremely junior Capt, bid your own base and seat as #1 and then whatever else you are okay with as #2 and so on.
When NYC was closing, it closed with 23 LA CA and 37 SFO Capt vacancies. If I had bid just LAX Capt as #1 and SFO Capt as #2 I would have gotten SFO Capt because there were no LA spots left by the time it got to my seniority. But by bidding NYC Capt as 1, LAX as 2, and SFO as 3, the system recognized I can’t hold NYC, and now displaced me into LAX despite zero openings.
Bottom line, if you’re an extremely junior Capt, bid your own base and seat as #1 and then whatever else you are okay with as #2 and so on.
12-03-2025 | 10:57 AM
#163
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 44,882
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From: Engines Turn or People Swim
It's higher because every other base is basically an opposite flip of commuter/local. At one point, almost every base was 80% local pilot except SFO, which was 80% commuter. Locals in SEA on LCC getting converted every other day isn't as big of an impact as the majority of them are locals.
I am not saying SAN will see the exact same percentage of this, but if the commuter percentage is higher than SEA, sick calls will be higher than SEA, I guarantee it.
I am not saying SAN will see the exact same percentage of this, but if the commuter percentage is higher than SEA, sick calls will be higher than SEA, I guarantee it.
12-03-2025 | 11:02 AM
#164
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Engines Turn or People Swim
You can call out sick, but if you do it too much it's going to be a problem.
That's just the reality of having a "job", you have to come to work sometimes... not all jobs are full-time remote.
Except nobody thinks for a moment they'd close SEA, PDX, ANC, or HNL. Odds of LAX closing is 0.001%. SFO? Might be 70%.
12-03-2025 | 11:30 AM
#165
On Reserve
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 175
Likes: 1
Exactly this.
The trip mix out of LAX will have significantly more options than SAN.
Getting to SAN from LAS, PHX or anywhere is measurably more difficult. (No CAT III, for example).
Unless bidding San Diego reduces your drive by 30 minutes or more, I don't see the appeal.
12-03-2025 | 11:51 AM
#166
Mmmm wine
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 1,791
Likes: 351
From: The Jet
Depends on what you can hold, where. Also, for the time being, SAN is the only base that isn't another mainline pilot base. There is a huge commuting advantage to that. If I lived in LAS or PHX, I would take SAN over LAX any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
12-03-2025 | 11:52 AM
#167
Mmmm wine
Joined: Feb 2020
Posts: 1,791
Likes: 351
From: The Jet
Exactly this.
The trip mix out of LAX will have significantly more options than SAN.
Getting to SAN from LAS, PHX or anywhere is measurably more difficult. (No CAT III, for example).
Unless bidding San Diego reduces your drive by 30 minutes or more, I don't see the appeal.
The trip mix out of LAX will have significantly more options than SAN.
Getting to SAN from LAS, PHX or anywhere is measurably more difficult. (No CAT III, for example).
Unless bidding San Diego reduces your drive by 30 minutes or more, I don't see the appeal.
12-03-2025 | 01:16 PM
#168
On Reserve
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 102
Likes: 53
I must be missing something, if you have sick time - it’s yours to use. If you don’t have sick time, you go to work or you don’t get paid.
If there’s a staffing issue - that’s a management problem, not a pilot problem.
At what point did AS figure out they could start using sick time as ammunition against pilots and where’s the union? 😂
If there’s a staffing issue - that’s a management problem, not a pilot problem.
At what point did AS figure out they could start using sick time as ammunition against pilots and where’s the union? 😂
12-03-2025 | 01:26 PM
#169
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 44,882
Likes: 681
From: Engines Turn or People Swim
LAS and PHX do have a lot of flights. But commuting is like tracers... works both ways, lot of ex-Navy folks in SAN commuting *to* LAS and PHX.
12-03-2025 | 01:32 PM
#170
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 44,882
Likes: 681
From: Engines Turn or People Swim
I must be missing something, if you have sick time - it’s yours to use. If you don’t have sick time, you go to work or you don’t get paid.
If there’s a staffing issue - that’s a management problem, not a pilot problem.
At what point did AS figure out they could start using sick time as ammunition against pilots and where’s the union? 😂
If there’s a staffing issue - that’s a management problem, not a pilot problem.
At what point did AS figure out they could start using sick time as ammunition against pilots and where’s the union? 😂
Shops with PTO, you can use at anytime for sick but subject to the same practical realities above. Typically you can also drop with pay when ARC+ exists... that's what PTO really does in my experience.
But recall, this is all in the context of the company getting annoyed with one base which apparently had significantly lower reliability than the rest. If it's a demographic thing (ie VX long range commuters) closing SFO won't fix it, but it might dilute the problem if the offenders disperse across multiple other bases.
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