Do you get to choose your hub?
 

Starting as a new hire, do you get to choose your hub? For example Atlanta. If so, how is the commute between Orlando-Atlanta?

I don't work for 9E, but it's pretty much the same for any airline. You can certainly choose ATL but it doesn't mean you will hold it. It just depends on your seniority, vacancies, etc. As for the MCO-ATL commute, lots of flights but all full and lots of jumpseaters.

I think DL runs a lot of 321s which means 2 jumps. SWA and B6 also have 2 jumps available. Spirit and Frontier also run flights. So lots of options, just pretty full with a pretty extensive nonrev list. MCO used to be a DL base and ATL is well ATL.

This. It also depends on your equipment, too. You bid for your preferred base and equipment at the beginning of class, but you might not get a say on which you get if the company assigns your entire class to one base and equipment. Once you've been assigned, then you can re-bid to change your base at each vacancy. Generally, you can't change your equipment for eighteen months.

On the last vacancy, it took almost two years for an FO to hold Atlanta on the 900. Atlanta on the 200 took just a few months to hold. YMMV.

Sounds like you're new to the industry too, so I'll try and add some detail quickly.

Firstly, welcome!

Positions are split up by aircraft and base
ATL 900
ATL 200
DTW 900
DTW 200
etc etc.... CVG, MSP, NYC

When you get to training you put your preferences in order from what you would most to least

Ex
ATL 900
DTW 900
ATL 200
NYC 900
DTW 200
NYC 200
CVG 900
MSP 900

So based on your seniority in your class and what the company needs you will be assigned in order IF IT'S AVAILABLE.

It would seem right now that most new hires are getting NYC with a few scattered around the other bases. I wouldn't be surprised if the next couple classes ended up getting CVG just because we have a vacancy right now that may not fill it up.

GETTING TO THE BASE YOU WANT

A vacancy is released 4 times per year (not contractual. Could be more could be less) in that time you can bid for those bases and positions the same way you did in initial. However you are likely seat locked in whatever aircraft you are in, so you can only bid for a new base.

The vacancy will post how many positions are open in each base and you can see where you fall on the seniority list.

When the initial award comes out, you will see if you are moving. It might not be your first choice, so make sure you have them in the other you actually want. You might get your 4th choice.

If you don't like it, you can withdraw, but you will go back to the position you currently hold and can't bid again trim the next vacancy.

Withdrawing happens a lot, so there will be a revision and you might get something on a revision that you didn't have on the initial. These are typically referred to as secondaries (positions that open because other people left them)

You may even want to withdraw when you see where you fall on the seniority list. I'll put the trick to this at the bottom

The final award will come out and show you where the chips fell. And it will have a move date or training date. It's not right away.

The larger the vacancy, the crazier it gets. There will be multiple revisions.


There's a good bit more to this, many contractual things, tips and tricks to reading them, odd little scenarios. But that's it

THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON
Make sure your bid card really really reflects your actual preferences. Double and triple check it before the bid closes, and ask yourself whether or not you'll be ok with your 5th option. Then readjust.

Good Luck


***Figuring out where you fall***

Look at the award and figure out four things
How many above me left
How many below me left
How many above me came
How many below me came

Look at the most recent bid pack and see where your seniority falls, then adjust it up or down. If you had a net gain above you, you moved down, net loss above you, you moved up.

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Oh and FYI everyone thinks that if they live in Florida that Atlanta is the best option but in most cases it's not. Commuting to New York out of Orlando can actually be a lot easier than committing to Atlanta in many cases especially during vacation seasons. I'm originally from Florida, though I don't live there now, and I can tell you that commuting to New York out of Orlando and Jacksonville is usually much easier than commuting to Atlanta.

Usually....

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I know several people who attempted to do the MCO-ATL commute, they all elected to go back to commuting to NYC. From what I hear pretty much anywhere from Florida to Atlanta is a nightmare from a commuting standpoint. Not sure about DTW though, with all the growth coming there, that might be viable.

Thanks for the reply! So I’ve definitely been learning a lot within the past few days about the airline industry, and I noticed that if you’re based out of NYC you’re responsible for LaGaurdia as well as JFK, is that true?

Also, a thing about crashpads. Do you rent one in the NYC area specifically for pilots and FA’s and pay about $200-$300 a month? Are you able to go there any time in case you want to get ahead of your reserve schedule?

Another thing about reserve (sorry, again, I’m new to this) is it recommended to get to your crashpad before your reserve schedule starts due to the long commute of MCO-JFK? (Because you have to be there within two hours) If you’re on reserve schedule and you get a call will it be for the NYC area airports?

For example, if today is the 9th of January and reserve scheduling starts on the 11th, would it be advisable to commute to NYC on the tenth and do an overnight in a crashpad? I know it’s more time away from home, but could you do that?

Responded inline


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Thanks for the clarification, I really appreciate it. If you get P2 reserve you have to be at the airport and check in by 12:30 pm (first day)? For the rest you have to be at crashpad by 10 am on call?

You don't necessarily have to be there, but you have to be within 2.5 hours of both airports.

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