January, as per crew resources news letter

 

Thank you.

 

Good to know…thx!

 

Looks like I'll be a temporary commuter from S. Florida for a couple of months, as my wife takes her horse (and, only incidentally, her husband) down to Wellington for the winter season. I'm in ATL, brand new to the 320B category.

PBI will be my easiest drive by far (~15 minutes), but FLL & MIA are in striking distance if the need arises. I've heard bad things about FLL for commuting, but nothing one way or another about PBI or MIA. Looking at schedule alone, PBI looks pretty good: 11 mainline flights per day, with a couple of SWA flights for good measure. Of course, that may not be the whole story, so, on to my questions...:

1. What am I in for, jumpseating PBI - ATL & back? Tips/tricks I need to know? Lots of commuters? Sitting on the JS doesn't bother me; not getting on the flight at all does!
   
2. Parking? Do we have a FA base there? If so, how do I get a parking pass? If not, should I expect to need FLL often enough to be worth pursuing a parking pass there? (My commuting airport is not a base; I have to pay for my own parking, so my parking privileges are "unused," if I find myself at a FA base.)
   
3. If I'm on my own for parking at PBI--options/suggestions?

Thanks for any help/ideas/advice. Cheers!

 

Hey guys, I begin initial training for a different category this month that spills over into January. I have 1/2 the month of January with the shadow period.

Any suggestions/strategies on how to bid? Much appreciated.

 

Get rid of the horse!

 

At least she is taking you. My wife is going to Fla for Jan/Feb with two of her horses and leaving me in VA to take care of 5 horses, 5 dogs and a cat.

 

I don't know, if you got to get rid of one I'm thinking the horse is gunna be cheaper in the long run

 

Neither FLL or PBI is bad if you are Jonny on the Spot with booking the jumpseat. Loads seem subject to fluctuations, so always book the JS despite what the loads say.

There is a FA base for MIA and FLL, so parking is "free"...you still have to pay but the CO reimburses you. Not sure if that extends to PBI. The setup in PBI is easier in and out and is just less hassle than FLL or MIA, especially during cruise days. In either case you need to see the station manager to get set up. Just ask one of the agents.

I wouldn't bother with MIA unless you are in a serious jam. From Wellington, that's an easy 90-120 minutes with no traffic to MIA...and there is always traffic. Also, going east-west in PBC is a pain, especially during rush hour. Plan extra time.

By that same token, I-95 traffic is like Death Race 2000, except during rush hour, when it's completely stopped. I've seen it take 2 hours plus to get from PBI to FLL. Recommend the Turnpike from Wellington to FLL as the primary.

Nu

 

It's been a year since I commuted out of PBI but the parking was realitvly inexpensive. Go to the airport authority across from the Starbucks and California Pizza Kitchen, closest to terminal A. Tell them you would like to use the employee parking, they will give you a paper to have signed by the Delta station manager. The cost was about $50 a year and $2 a day in the employee lot. It might have changed but I thought it was reasonable price.

Getting from PBI to ATL was 90% on the jumpseat. The first and last flight of the day from ATL to PBI was almost always a real seat in the back. The afternoon flights required a jumpseat.

Maby you could train the horses to list you for the jumpseat at 12:00

BFS