The Future is Day Turns
 

So it seems the future here is day turns. Im sure over half of our pilot group (myself included) is quite disappointed
in this as this is not what we want as commuters. The unions hands are tied as far as being able to do anything about it.
Yes the simple solution is just move to a base, unfortunately thats not an option for a lot of people.
This is a very frustrating situation for me, as Im sure it is for a lot of others. So much for great hotel language, and the
increased cost we commuters will be absorbing in crashpads, hotels, ubers, reduced per diem, etc.
I'm happy to have my job, it could be worse and I count my blessings. The situation still sucks though.

The company only cares about 1 thing and that is total cost.It is allowed per the contract and we didn't adequately protect against it.Be a senior Fo in base, commute and buy a condo, get a crashpad/hotels, or move to base. I agree miserable solution for all pilots but good for the companies bottom mine.

It’s working for now, but when demand returns they will quickly turn from low utilization turn lines back to high utilization like we were pre Covid. It would be interesting to know the numbers of what saves the company more, turns or high utilization. I’m guessing it’s utilization. I really don’t think turns are in our long term future.

Can you elaborate for us outsiders. Have you gotten some official correspondence from the company on future plans, or just assuming this based on February lines?

I actually happen to agree with you. I think we will see more multiday trips to keep utilization up. I do think it will be less than we had before and will be more undesirable flying(multiple redeyes). That being said I really hope I'm wrong.

Don't judge the future based on today.

Things will be very different a year from now. We can't serve 100 destinations doing only day turns.

The airlines are in survival mode right now

Exactly. 100%.

Not to mention that we can’t put 150-200 airplanes to bed every night using only available space in bases. Airplanes will have to RON at outstations.

The company might want and love the v as apposed to w but they’re just not going to be able to do it with the current number of bases. Once demand comes back they will need more then double the bases we have to make that change.
and has been mentioned when demand returns aircraft utilization will dictate the type of flying we’ll be doing.

I too love the v. Huge fan, in fact.