Thank you 321. I'll start looking at what the sc accommodations would be like in dtw.

 

There certainly are quirks, but familiarity breeds…familiarity??? I’m thankful for the choice, as I gather you are as well. Here’s to each of us enjoying the outcomes of our choices.

 

This thread should be a case study in Stockholm syndrome.

 

It's all about what you know. I know in DTW, you'll really only use 2 of the ground freqs (vice the 4 mentioned above) a vast majority of time and there are generally only two tower freqs (east/west). I know that I'll rarely stop on my way to the gate and almost never have to wait to cross an active runway. It's usually never more than a 2 or 3 jet lineup and I rarely ever deal with flow times. I certainly don't have to worry about the baggage handler 500 guys darting in front of me on the ramp. I also won't have to hold on the east line, waiting on traffic to taxi so I can cross to the west line to get to my gate. Generally speaking I only have have to deal with one ramp freq (yes the multi-ramp freq on the south is dumb and a quirk of DTW). I also know that I'll almost never get switched runways on arrival and I don't have the rwy 28 option. I'm sure an ATL guy will have the same level of understanding of his base and could counter it all. Familiarity breeds comfort.

As opposed to an above poster, the only time I've ever been rerouted on the 717 were in ATL or at an outstation where I was forced to fly into ATL. I don't particularly hate ATL, I just don't have good luck down there, especially in the summer. I'm senior enough to bid good trips, so I don't want to be rerouted, I like to stick to my awarded rotation. My keys to success on having few/no reroutes anymore, are to avoid in landing in ATL, don't have sits more than 1+30 and get into the hotel before the afternoon storms that fire up the reroute machine. Just generally try to stay out of the southeast lol.

 

Reminds me of about 6yrs ago getting a couple of free, decent tickets to Daytona 500 (thought it might be interesting to go as it was Danica Patricks last NASCAR race).

Never had been to NASCAR race before and could only name a few drivers that I'd heard in the press. Sitting in the stands, this group of 12 guys with at least a case of beer for each of them cheered every time Kurt Busch was involved in a mixup or was somehow dealt a bad blow. In a moment of relative calm, I asked one of them why they all hated Kurt Busch so much?

He said he wasn't sure but asked around to all his buds over the next 10mins and then next time the noise subsided for a few moments he leaned over and told me "no one knows why, we just do!"

 

Your assessment of DTW is spot on, as is some of your ATL complaints. Like you said, familiarity breeds comfort. I like the kamikaze run into the ramp. I know other fleets get hammered on ATL with reroutes but I just don’t see ugly reroutes on our fleet line I did others. If i am being honest, I’d probably choose DTW over ATL if it was closer. But it’s not, so I stay happy with my lot on life, which really isn’t as bad as it’s made out to be. Atlanta is an expert run airport. Nobody can argue with that.

 

All of this. I'll add that I went on a 3 mile walk this morning through DTW and got slowed by boarding crowds twice despite it being busier than normal. Currently sitting in quiet, a high ceiling terminal with natural lighting and hardly anyone around. There were 6 pilots in the lounge this morning. Maybe I'll have a pleasant experience during my 1:00 turn and plane swap in ATL in a couple of days, but maybe not.

6+ years in ATL, but now that I'm in DTW I may never go back.

 

I don't think anyone is arguing that ATL isn't well run. I mean, they do great for the amount of traffic they push through that place. Being well run and being painful to fly through are two different things. The basis for most all the painful things is the very fact at how much traffic they push through ATL daily.

 

I like Detroit, like I said. It’s probably my second choice of base if Atlanta was to go way (as if). But adding another 2 hours each way on my south FL commute isn’t worth it. If time was equal, I’d do DTW. But those winter storms can really grind things down.

 

How does min day pay work on the 717. I've tried to figure it out but can't find the answer. I would assume with the 717 you sometime make average day value? Sorry if that's not the correct term. I'm used to a flat 4.0 min day pay at the regionals if block is less than 4.