Is PHL a senior or a junior base?

 

It’s junior, but tends to go “senior” in the individual classes if that makes sense.

 

How is the commutability of PHL trips? Do many of them start in the afternoon or late morning and end before 6pm of so? (Talking 4-day trips, not day turns). Thanks.

 

The 4 day trips are more or less the same across all bases, both 737 and 320. Nothing special about PHL in that regard. A mix of 1-3 legs per day across the 4 days. Some have a built in 30+ hour layover on day 3 so you get that day “off” in a random city. LAX trips tend to start with a red eye on day 1, east coast trips can end in a red eye on day 3/4. The company “optimizer” (sodomizer?) builds those trips to get as close to 21 hours of pay/credit (5.15x4) as possible so as to minimize “soft time”. The company would rather build a trip to exceed the 21 hours via hard time flying than drastically under fly and get paid a ton of soft time to bring you up to 21. My Delta buddies say the same thing.

4 days that are commutable on both ends definitely exist, and obviously they go senior. Commutable on one end behind that, and non-commutable go junior. Everyone agrees that there needs to be more commutable 4 days, but then if all of them were then someone else would b—— and moan about something they don’t like about them.

I don’t think anyone is gonna take the time and effort to do some sort of forensic analysis of historical PHL 4 days and sort them by commutable and seniority. If you have access to the APA TASC and scheduling products, you could probably do that project though.

 

Thanks. Definitely not looking for a crazy deep dive, just the general “feel” of things. I am starting class soon and will be a commuter at least for a few years due to family commitments at home. I am trying to pick the “least worst” base until I can get something more ideal for my commute like CLT or DFW. I keep hearing LGA and DCA have almost all 6am starts and 10pm releases. Just trying to see how PHL stacks up and if that might be a better option for me as a commuting new hire.

 

I’ve found that PHL has more commutable lines than LGA. Usually they are commutable on one end. Some are on both ends, even 3 days that aren’t red-eyes.

I’m not sure where you live but if commutability is the same then I’d pick PHL then LGA then DCA. I’ve been based at all of those.

 

PHL will be better than LGA for sure and maybe DCA by virtue of only one airport to cover.

 

Thanks for the good info y’all. Much appreciated.

 

What does PHL 320 International flying consist of? Could I get the Latin America qual if doing OE there? Eventually want to get to DFW on the 320I with the LA.

 

If you get PHL you will get LA qualified. You may or may not get a LA terrain check out.