Domicile Location questions
 

So i'm a bit confused about how the structure of domicile locations work with some of the regionals. For ex. Skywest...FAT on EMB prop, TUS or COS on CRJ. Isn't a domicile a air crew base?

So if Skywest has a domicile at Fresno flying under United Express to SFO or LAX, are the crew actually based in LAX/SFO or FAT?

Same with CRJ domicile in COS, or TUS....does the pilot actually have to communte to TUS before his route begins...in which he'll just turn right back around and fly back to Denver under United Express or SLC for Delta....

Why would an airline do that if the domicile city is not a hub for the airline they're contracting with?? Please explain...Thanks

Just trying to get a perspective from a new guy possibly coming in.

Crew domiciles are not always major partner hubs and vice versa...

Maintenance bases play into this also.

Usually a large major partner hub is also a regional crew domicile, but not always.

Regionals often will have crew domiciles at Mx bases since they will flow a lot of airplanes through for periodic checks. This is the case for FAT, FAT, and PSP. Also it's cheaper to have crews based...

1) Outside CA
2) Rural CA
3) SFO / LAX as a last resort => very high employer taxes.


Additionally some majors will have mini-hubs served mostly or entirely by regionals...FAT used to be one of those, maybe still is somewhat.

An airline can always flow crews in from other locations if that makes sense...they might end up with a bunch of crews overnighting in hotels but sometimes that's easier than opening a domicile. SFO used to have a LOT of overnight crews, and only a tiny handful of reserves actually domiciled there.

Reply to Domicile
 

Makes since that the costs would be cut down, why don't majors do the same?

So if you're a pilot based in Tuscon, is that where your route begins?...or if you a commuter and based in Roanoke...would you have to commute there before you're rig/reserve time even began?

Also how does it work for pilots that work for an airline that partners with multiple carriers...Ex. if you're based in Den and fly for United...are you under a contract with United and your regional...or can a pilot fly for both United & Delta? Thanks

Doesn't make sense to fly a lot of large airplanes to small town Mx bases. Small airplanes you can fill with revenue pax.

You duty starts in domicile at every US scheduled airline (I think some of the ACMI's have home basing). Whether a trip or reserve, you have to non-rev/jumpseat to your domicile unless you live there.

Some regionals segregate their pilot groups by domicile and major partner, others will mix and match. Reserves are likely to get assigned all over the map, in any system.

The advantage of mixing and matching is that the regional can then justify travel benefits on multiple partners for all flight crew. SKW crew get both DAL and UAL benefits (except for niche-market crews who cannot easily be linked into other systems, US Air for example).

Domicile
 

Wow that totally blows for someone on reserve, lives in Tulsa and is based out of cos. Gotta jumpseat to Denver, then wait for another leg to cos....before your duty time for that week even begins?? Dam...and the world thinks this career is glamouus and overpaid. Nice!

But I'd imagine it's a small number of pilots when compared to the entire pilot staff so ...get a little seniority then upgrade to Denver or slc and have more direct flights from your home.

But on alot of flights from a hub to a small mx city....couldnt a commuter fly there on jumpseat, sign In on duty and hop back on the same plane with no much time waisted?

Is there different classification categories for reserves and lineholders? obviously a Lineholder that starts a rig on a Friday as opposed to one who starts on a monday is a different category.

You're starting to get the idea.

That's why COS is somewhat junior...two leg commute.


That's what people do, right up to the point where you hopped back on the same plane...

When you are on reserve you are on a 15-120 minute call out, so you have to stay either at the airport or within two hours for 12 hours each day, 5-6 days per week. So no, you can't sign in and then go back home.


Lineholders have trips, not rigs.

Reserves have reserve duty periods, which may get turned into one or more trips.

Lineholders and reserves are different categories, but it's all based on seniority...you can go back and forth between line and reserve from month to month, usually involuntarily but sometimes voluntarily.

More people end up on reserve during the slow periods (mid Sep - mid Nov, mid Jan - late Feb.

Reply to Domicile
 

Which airlines segregate their pilots based on base and airline?? Not really relevant but just curious. I would think that mixing and matching between carriers would cause a conflict of interest...if a pilot is flying passengers to o'hare under United Express...then turning around and flying to SLC under Delta?

For a lineholder that has a trip...when do you typically have to be signed in by?

What i meant by category is say your a junior lineholder and your trip starts on Friday - Monday, verses a senior lineholder who starts on monday - Thursday. Is there like a rating for those differences?

And how does Jumpseat and non-reserv work if you're regional doesn't partner with the major carrier. I thought pilots for all airlines could commute on other airlines planes as long as they are all part of the same jumpseat aggrement. Ex. Skywest doesn't partner with American, so does that mean I could not ever commute on a AA flight to my base?

How does that create a conflict of interest for the Pilots? They just fly the airplanes the same way they always do. Sometimes majors will limit their regional partners from operating flights for another major out of a hub that both majors share. You do have to remember to use the right airline name when you make announcements.


45 minutes before departure.

No. You just get what your seniority holds.



With very rare exceptions any US 121 airline pilot can jumpseat on any US 121 airline, including UPS and FDX. You have higher priority on your own company and then on your major partner(s).

Domicile reply
 

I guess commutting wouldnt b too bad if you lived in a city that has a hub and flies direct to your domicile. Do airlines base a certain percentage of pilots on reserve?

And I would assume that if your on reserve and have to commute, you flip the bill for your own hotel or crash pad? Hotels prolly give you a decent rate as a pilot but still it sucks to have to pay out of pocket.

For crash pads, I'd assume that's a pilot that has a home there and rents it out to other pilots to stay? That'd b a better option than hotel except for you having to pay for transportation to the Airport.

For per diems, do they start the time you go on duty until your trip or reserve week is over? Or does it stop once your off duty for the day?

10-15% but that can be 0-30% depending on staffing and seasonal variations.

Yes.


Usually it's owned by a flight crew. If you only spend 2-3 nights a month in domicile then hotel is probably cheaper. Much beyond that the crashpad looks better. Many crash pads are on bus/train lines, others you need a car.

Usually reserves will need a crashpad, along with junior lineholders who cannot hold commutable trips on either end.

Lineholders who can commute same-day on one or bothe ends of the trip are better off with a hotel.

Usually runs the entire duration of your trip, unless you duty-off back in your domicile (irregular ops or split trip).