I fly from Phoenix to Dallas, so about a two hour commute. Heres the thing for me, its not so much the time that it takes to commute or even the schedules, as the I am able to build my schedule to allow me to commute it without losing very much time. What causes all the stress, at least for me, is the added pressure of booking the flights, figuring out the time change differences so that you check in on time, verifying loads and so on. Its all the small busy work details.

When you take all of that into account and THEN add in the fact that AA has no problem overselling their flights by 10-20 seats, the stress really picks up. I have gone to bed at night with 30 open seats and by the time I wake up and check the loads, it is oversold by 10. I now have to shoot out of bed, make a mad dash to the airport several hours before I really need to, just to try and catch an earlier flight, all the while praying that a jump seat remains open and an AA guy doesn't decide to take the same flight. This is frustrating and ****ty if you ask me, but it won't change anytime soon.

Commuting is doable, I do it as do many others, it just adds extra time, effort and un-needed stress to the job. Hub to Hub commuting is much worse then outstation to hub commuting so if you can do that, you will have a much better time. You will be traveling on your own metal, which gives you priority and the loads tend to be lighter and more consistent.

On that note, it is 6:30am here and I am now already starting to get ready for my commute to Dallas for my 6:30pm start time tonight. Do the math, thats 12 extra hours of dealing with work stuff that a local guy/gal doesn't have to worry about.

 

I live in PHX, but was trying to decide between ENY and PSA. Giving a more serious look at PSA, because of the SAP. How easy of a commute would it be from PHX-CLT. Probably the same difficulty, since it's hub to hub, right?

Any other base in PSA's system wouldn't work for me, because it would be a two leg jump.

 

Given that both PHX and CLT are both ex-US hubs, that sounds like a particularly bad commute. Out of PHX at MQ you'd have both ORD and DFW as options, as well as the possibility of LAX down the road. Plus you'd avoid the history of PSA, but that's a discussion for another thread...

 

Thanks to all who responded. I truly appreciate all of the candid responses.

 

I'm not sure what that guy that posted above is thinking, but I've done PHX-DFW and ORD in my 4 years at Envoy. I would never commute earlier than the required time. As long as you list yourself for 2 flights that are scheduled to arrive before your show time, you're covered by the commuter policy if you don't make it on. There's no reason to head to the airport 10 hours before your show time.

Going home is a different story, I'll do pretty much anything to get home ASAP. Usually there's a seat or a jumpseat available. If not I look for 2 leg options that are a sure thing. I've never been stranded in DFW for the night not able to get home.

Commuting is a mind set. You can either live where you want and commute to Envoy for 7 years and end up home based at AA, or live somewhere less desirable (to me) and hope your base doesn't close. I'd much rather put up with commuting that have to move to DFW, but that's just me.

Not sure how PHX-CLT would work for you. I sure do wish we had SAP at Envoy, but personally, I would sign up for a transcon commute for it. Commuting from out west to the east is hard on the body. I'm not sure I'd want to make it any harder by adding an extra hour on the time change and an extra 2 hours on the flight.

 

2 time zones would be pretty brutal.

 

You are doing a good old fashioned over kill, dude. Give yourself a little more time to become experienced at the commuting game. It doesn't need to be as stressful as you are making it out to be. There's guys out of DFW that commute from the most random of places who don't sweat it nearly a fraction as I think you are. Come to think of it....there are a handful of guys who have been commuting out of PHX since the mid 2000s. Maybe find one of them and ask for some advice? One of them is a CA on the 175...you'll probably fly with him soon enough if you haven't already.

 

Perhaps I over stated. I understand the commuter policy, used one already. When I said getting ready it was generally referencing the fact that I was already thinking about the logistics of getting there, not that I was walking out the door. The commute to DFW is doable no doubt as is evidenced by only needing one policy so far, but my point to the person I originally responded to is that if you can do this job without commuting you will be better served, in my opinion.

 

Thanks for your guys' helpful insights. I'm also leaning very strongly towards Envoy right now. I currently live in ELP. I was thinking this would be an easier commute because it's not a hub, but has multiple direct flights to DFW. Anyone have an opinion on something like an ELP to DFW commute?

 

Lots of flights to DFW. Besides maybe PHX it's probably the best option if you choose to commute out of ELP. You might have to do a short stint in ORD when you get hired but it wouldn't last forever and you'd probably be able to bid out relatively quickly assuming you can stay off the CRJ