DAL Class drops
#3291
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2017
Posts: 189
Quick question....is there a base lock after initial aircraft assignment? Seeing how everyone is going to NYC out of indoc how long will they be stuck there before going to a different domicile?
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#3292
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2014
Posts: 4,905
One is never locked into a base. But they can easily get stuck in a base if circumstances are not in their favor. Many initially NYC-assigned pilots have converted to a new base before they are even IOE-complete (and IOE need not be flown out of one's assigned base). Others can be stuck for a year or more. There are lots of variables making an accurate prediction difficult.
#3293
Roll’n Thunder
Joined APC: Oct 2009
Position: Pilot
Posts: 3,509
The catch comes if you want to go to a domicile where your assigned aircraft doesn't have a fleet base. In that case you cannot change aircraft for 12 months, plus once you do bid over you add an additional 12 months to your new 24 month seat lock, meaning you are now aircraft locked for 36 months. The biggest issue here is once your 12 months are up it may be another 4-6 months before another bid posts that even allows you to be awarded something else, and it can still be many more months after that before you even convert to your new base.
Thus for current new hires who don't want NYC long term you should be bidding your aircraft based on portability. The 737 offers the most other bases to transfer to, followed by the 717 (although the 717 tends to be more junior and thus may be easier to transfer sooner so if your desired base has both it may be better to bid 717). The worst is the A220 since your only other option right now is SLC. The A220 guys are the ones who are most likely going to have to wait a while before holding the base they want.
#3294
For example, 320 to NYC has effectively been a (roughly) 2 year NYC base lock if you happen to want ATL. The plane is available in ATL so you can't take advantage of the 1 year exemption and there hasn't been a way to bid to ATL 320B for some time, quite possibly 2 full years. I haven't watched it carefully so somebody in that situation can probably clarify.
#3295
Where are you are where are you trying to get to? Different scenarios so hard to give a solid answer with a missing piece of the puzzle.
#3296
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2015
Posts: 3,117
(1) You can go from NYC320B to ATL320B whenever - never a category freeze to change bases because no training is required. Of course, there has to be a vacancy AND your seniority has to allow it; or
(2) After the first 12 months of your initial new hire category freeze have passed, you could bid to ATL but go to a different category (i.e., ATL717B or ATL73NB) if there is a vacanacy and if your seniority permits. However, that will get you a 24 month category freeze added onto your remaining new hire freeze.
The one thing you cannot do is AE from NYC320B to, say, ATL717B during the last 12 months of your new hire freeze if your seniority would have awarded you ATL320B in that AE.
Clear as mud?
#3299
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2008
Posts: 19,224
For example, 320 to NYC has effectively been a (roughly) 2 year NYC base lock if you happen to want ATL. The plane is available in ATL so you can't take advantage of the 1 year exemption and there hasn't been a way to bid to ATL 320B for some time, quite possibly 2 full years. I haven't watched it carefully so somebody in that situation can probably clarify.
#3300
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2016
Position: Looking left
Posts: 3,242
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