If I chose to move for this job, I would have had to move two times over the past 1 1/2 years and I'd have to move again early next year when I get displaced to DTW. I'm not putting my family through that.

 

WOW,

I'm simply stunned. Play by the rules, is there a rule somewhere that I'm supposed to move to my base? Please point that out in the FOM. If you find that, I want to know what financial adviser you're using that would advocate selling a house in this market and making a move that may or not be a short term move.

You'd have to have several screws loose to move right now with all of the expected upheaval that we're anticipating with SOC and the DAL-N folks. We could all end up in a different base than we want/plan for. So please get over the sanctimonious tone and I respectfully ask you to look at another angle. Either way this is my last post on this particular subject. FTB asked if there was a question I would ask DALPA and that was mine. Sorry it wasn't yours but there you go.

 

I see your angle. I've proposed a solution, one that is already in place for the FAs. What is the problem?

 

I get your angst, I do, but this airline actually has more commuters than people that live in base. I live in base by choice too. It is not where I want to live, but I was not going to play the commuting game. My choice, just like it is someones choice to commute. If my kiddos were older or the wife would have said bs, I would be a commuter too.
Point is that there are going to be more commuters than there are now, and we are way behind the curve on this. DAL is adding flying to the NYC hub. There are going to be pilots getting kicked up there , that do not want to be there. I know you do not care, I get that. Move or deal.

I totally disagree. A better commuter clause that is part of the PWA, a realistic arrangement for intra base transport, (Negative is the guys that commute that have NYC overnights will lose the hotel rooms and or those types of trips), parking et al for anyone who wants it. The FA's do not necessarily like the van service, but it is better than nothing. I can also tell you that on 40% of my overnights that arrive after 2230 we are dropping a FA off at the Krew. Why? Because the bus does not run, or it will be four or five hrs. It is a half baked attempt.

What you are proposing would work, if DAL had a moving policy that did more than move the junk. If they paid for the house, and or provided hub housing until the house was sold, I could see the status quo being enough.
I have flown with so many commuters that hate the commute, but they really have not choice for whatever reason. You are lucky, but many have obligations that make commuting a necessity and not a choice. It is not a choice like many think.

 

I think your idea is great! I don't know why we can't just make the FA shuttle a bigger crew shuttle like JetBlue has.

I would move if I knew where I was going to be in six months. We're thinking about moving from California to Atlanta just so we're closer to a bunch of bases.

 

Q33/Q47 - E Subway - AirTrain (LGA-JFK)

That's the "EASY route". God help you if you're going to EWR.

Trust me on this one . . just pony up the dough for the Q cab when the weather sucks. I'm as cheap (or cheaper) than the next guy, but even I have my limits.

(Which, apparently, are when my shoes are filling up with slushy snow. )

Seriously though, one of the rumors floating around is that DAL might start running a regular bus between LGA-JFK for connecting passengers. As I understand it, DAL employees would/should/might be able to hitch a ride on a space-available basis. Here's to hoping "space available" in the bus is more available than on the planes . . .

 

I don't mean to sound nonsympathetic to the plight of the commuters. I for one said to myself that I would never commute. The trips in NYC (non ER/777) aren't commutable. It is a horrible life.

Originally, I am from NKY. I tried to get CVG during indoc, but the last CVG slot went to the guy to my left. Oh, he was my sim partner and HE QUIT during sims. So yeah, I understand bad deals. I decided to move into base and really it hasn't been that bad. The driving is just damn near unpredictable. So unpredictable, when I was on probation, I would leave 4-5 hours before a showtime just to make sure I was there. Or, if I was on SC reserve, I drove into the city and was pretty much on site.

I think you are right. NYC is going grow ... possibly EWR as well. We have several NWA jets that overnight in EWR. I would imagine that those lines will switch to EWR based flying instead of the company paying for expensive hotels in the NYC area.

If we let the company decide which airport we have to cover, how is that going to work? What if all of the reserve pilots that day have crash pads near LGA? See, that problem affects them too.

I think the situation could be resolved as follows. Negotiate a taxi for callouts to JFK and EWR (737 and MD88 folks). Likewise for ER or 777 guys, you get a taxi if you are called out to LGA or EWR. This would be permitted as long as you were in position to report to one of the three bases.

 

Welcome to the screw job for November.

PBS line count on the 7ER out of NYC for us B's was short by at least 20 from the predicted line estimate.

110 Reserve Lines Given out of 484 eligible gents

 

That about makes sense. In NYC MD88, we are routinely 4-5 lines under what was forecasted. We have 84 pilots in base. So the ratios are about equal.

 

Had a management pilot type on the jumpseat talking about "virtual basing."

He did not have many details, but said we really did not need the CPO infrastructure to have a base these days. Apparently it is getting looked at.