I really can't believe pilots (Regional FO's to be more specific) have gotten used to and have justified the sacrifice of commuting. Spending a whole day getting to work and back or doing the carpet dance when something occurs that is out of your control is hardly worth 20 bucks an hour. What a culture. Talk about living to work. I try to work so that I can live. Otherwise what is the point. I guess telling skeezy chicks at a bar that you are a regional aviator is still worth it .

 

To add to that point, I don't know why anyone would drive to the airport, park in the employee lot, get on the bus, pass by the crew room in ATL, where you would normally be dutying in, on their way to the gate to either DTW or IAD and play the wonderful game of how and the f@ck do I get to work today on my glorified buddy pass. Only to play that same exciting game 4 days later as you try to get home.
Didn't some 80's butt rock band have a song "don't know what you got til it's gone"? For all that are thinking about commuting when you already are living in ATL, listen to it. Unless you can hold top 20%, reserve in base kicks the crap out of commuting to a line.

 

Ding ding ding ding... We have a winner.

 

Yeah, kinda wish I knew that before I signed up... Honestly, if I have to go back on reserve and commute, I may resign first. That was miserable. Making it worse is that because our bid packets are screwed up, I don't know my actual in-base seniority.

 

Thanks again, ATL. One more example of the pure iSht coming out of that place.

 

In 20 bucks/hr are you talking about new hire FOs or FOs upgrading to Captain for an additional $20/hr?

Because after 5 stagnant years, I would commute to Hawaii from ATL if it meant an upgrade

 

Even on Captain pay it's not worth it, at least on the regional level. My QOL and spending time at home is more important.

The issue with DTW is there are very few commutable trips. Lots of early duty ins before 7am and even some late duty-outs like 10-11pm. You get a couple of non-commutable 4 days, add a day before/after the trip and you're now at a 6 day trip. So much for your extra days off as a line holder.

I can already see this unfold, because it's already happening. Lots of people *****ing about the commute, lots of people trying to trade/swap for the few commutable trips and the commuter calls will increase and more people will be put on reserve and once again the junior guys get screwed.

 

Well personally, I hate living in ATL. I can either live where me and wife want to live and commute to a line, or live in base on reserve.

Everybody's situation is different. Being able to commute to work is a privilege.

 

It gets better man. (or less worse). Captain at a regional isn't all it's cracked up to be though. The amount of work you have to do at a regional airline just for one hour of pay is crazy. FO or not. You would be surprised at the difference between what you have to do for your company when working for a regional versus a legacy carrier. Trust me.

Commuting via aircraft is sometimes the only way to do it, but honestly I can't justify living in an airplane over getting used to the home I have made a short distance from the airport I'm based out of.

I wonder if my dad could find a way to get used to sitting behind a desk before he came to work for 12hrs not even knowing if that desk would make it to the desk he needed to go to. Then rush through all of his work cutting corners disregarding important life critical things so that he can stress out about there being a seat behind this desk that might be able to bring him to his home for another 12 hours. Only to find that this desk has a broken leg and 8 other desk people waiting for that ergonomically positioned seat. Better luck tomorrow.

Seems stupid. But at least he gets paid for every minute he does work and is respected for what he does for his company. And he didn't have to to invest years of his time and money just to do it.

I think it's because he has self worth and never allowed his employer to know that he really likes his job. Two things they will play against you.

Just another view of life from a different set of eyes. Don't hate.

 

A favorite story from ASA.

My commuting FO enters the flight deck, sweaty, out of breath and disheveled. Says his commute was a nightmare. I reply "this job isn't worth commuting for." He deadpans, "if it isn't worth commuting for, it sure isn't worth moving for."

He was correct.

Done it, did it, have the T-Shirt. Would not want to have to again. Someday it will be worth it though.