If anything opens in Texas, you will be lucky to be the plug. Just like Florida, it will take a lot of years seniority to hold anything. I would fly a kite if they based it in MCO.

 

Let me have my dreams. I think yours is closer to a potential reality than mine though as I saw Mco discussed as one of the possible virtual bases. Along with Vegas and Boston. I didn't see much about virtual basing in our new opener.

 

Virtual basing is a company want, not ours. It wouldn't be in our opener.

 

True, I saw a lot of other company wants addressed though, such as proposed changes to sick leave and LCA trip buys. Not trying to be argumentative, but I've been curious as to how virtual basing would work and if it would be a terrible thing for pilots. Haven't seen a lot of opinions on it positive or negative.

 

For the company it's great -- all the benefits of another base without any of the associated costs or contractual protections to the pilot group. For some commuters it would obviously be great. For somebody who made the sacrifice to uproot their family to live in base it sucks big time and is a major concession.

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one seeing the gaping hole in Delta's network and selfishly hoping for an AUS focus city/small hub.

 

I dont know what contractural protections would be lost with a virtual base. But I do know itd be great for me (and probably you as well) because a ton of folks above us would bid it. There are a lot of Fl commuters based in ATL. MCO opens and we'd get a crazy boost in relative seniority.

I dont know if its the right thing for us to do or not, but at the team me level I know it would be a win.

 

Well Mike,
I hope for your sanity you moved to Atlanta because almost any other base could be subject to closing or drawing down. I think you are a pretty new hire so I don't think you were here right after the merger. A lot of guys moved to Atlanta only to find out they were getting displaced due to aircraft realignment after the merger. So it can even happen at Fortress Atlanta.

That being said, a virtual base may not be in the best interest of the pilot group and if that is the case then everyone needs to vote appropriately.

 

Why hasn't the company made SEA a domicile? There are benefits to us and costs to the company for making a domicile, virtual basing allows them to circumvent those.

VB makes the company more efficient. A more efficient company means less hiring required to fly the schedule. There shouldn't be a single pilot that thinks less hiring is good. I recognize how awesome not commuting would be to somebody who happens to live in a VB location and I certainly don't blame them for thinking it a good idea.

As for you becoming more senior, I doubt it. VB (afaik) is not growth, it's just spreading things around a bit. Sure, a few people above you might bid out, but what about the trips from the bid package that also go away? A commuter doesn't bid the same way somebody in base bids, I doubt you'd gain as much as you think. What about premium trips that those guys from MCO couldn't make it to before, but now they just go straight to their VB?

If VB is something that ends up in a company counter it's certainly not a deal breaker for me but we'd better get something for it in return. I'm happy to negotiate, I'm not happy to just give.

 

Well, let's hope we don't merge anytime soon . At least my commute to NYC would be easier than it was before I moved!

Brings up a slightly interesting anecdote. Flew a Tranny in my JS last month. 16 years at AT/SWA. After being an ATL 717 captain he only recently was able to get back to ATL as a reserve 737 FO. DOH!