Totally voluntary, I have been a 757 captain in PHX since 2004 (with a 4 year bid back to the a320 from 2010 to 2014). I actually had better seniority in LGA when I bid over last November but since we are shrinking on the 767 LGA fleet I’m slipping backwards. Stuff happens.

Losing the long rate sealed the deal for me to leave PHX. All slash trips to HI out of there and the addition of having to fly 6 sequences to make 78 hours credit didn’t make sense to me. Plus I wanted to do some European trips. I have thoroughly enjoyed this year’s flying. Great crews and fun places to go. Commuting isn’t always fun but it has been totally worth it for me. Once my daughter is out of high school in 2 years we will live wherever I’m based but until then I will commute.

I spend a lot of time in the back of 737s, ours and Delta’s. The new ones with seat back entertainment and big bins are very comfortable. They are just as good as the A320 series from a passenger perspective, plus the 737 doesn’t sound like it is falling apart as it slows after landing. I swear, every Airbus feels like it’s disintegrating under my seat.

 

Would you commute to PHL if the pay was the same and you held equally productive trips as what you could hold in PHX?

Once you are commuting you are commuting so the difference between commuting to LAX and commuting to PHL is relatively minor. Lax is closer with more flights but you also have much greater competition for the jumpseat compared to PHL.

 

SWA is makin’ in rain with the 737-700. Over 500 of ‘em in the fleet

 

Only on the long thin routes though.

 

At least they use mainline on long thin routes. Oh wait....they use mainline on EVERY flight. What a concept.

 

Well, we use our mainline Logo! What more do you want?

 

What??????

 

Are they still staffing those with 3 FA’s, and AS with 4?
There’s a (small) chunk of change.

 

Inside joke.

We use 3 FA’s on our 700’s.

 

Hey Oggie...how ya been? Steve wants to know if he can buy you a soda after the game.