CVG/CLE next base?
 

Everyone I fly with now has been saying the same thing... they hear CVG/CLE being thrown around as the next base, leaning towards CVG... just heard from a recent upgrade a director of something pretty much confirmed thats what they were looking at. An FA told me they heard from good authority that CVG will be announced in 2-3 months, but not sure how much I trust that source.

Seems like the general consensus here is CVG because the cost of winter weather in CLE would be rather expensive, but we don't seem to have as much CVG flying.. although it flip flops seasonally?

Anyone know what the wives and other sources are saying?

I have heard all this as well, but I also heard from a CP that CLE has cost advantages over CVG as a base. ie, tax breaks associated with CLE as a base makes it more advantageous to have it as the base while continuing to operate in CVG rather than vice versa. I don't know if this is true, just adding to the swirl of rumors

Been a rumor for 8 years, nothing new. Not going to happen.

Been a rumor for 8 years, nothing new. Not going to happen.

With the history of opening bases recently, I don't know how anyone could say not going to happen.

I'll say that after a CVG/CLE and or some sort of Chicago base, I'm not sure what would be next. That would be 10 or 11 bases, and *gasp* they might actually have to grow bases.

Isn’t it obvious? Dublin, Honolulu, or Lima of course!

Actually in all seriousness if we are hitting Puerto Rico as hard as we are and have a maintenance base there it’s probably a much cheaper way to head to South America and many of the Caribbean islands than gate space at Miami. Well until a hurricane destroys it…It wouldn’t be easy to staff but it could be a small base.

Another recent upgrade I talked to (can you tell I'm junior?) said someone came into class and said that if they could find a way to open a SJU base they would, but haven't found a way yet.

FWIW BB came to our new hire class in the first few days and said they are looking heavily into CVG but it wasn't written in stone yet.

According to a quick internet search, the economy is much stronger in Cincinnati. I would also believe that Cleveland and Cincinnati offer huge potential for market share.
The weather in Cleveland could pose to be challenging and expensive at times. I would guess Cincinnati would be the winner. 🤷🏼‍♂️

Exciting to see... They did say there was another plan for a midwest base opening this year IIRC?

Why do we need so many bases? I would prefer to see us grow our existing bases, starting with Denver. Let’s face it, we still have a huge percentage of our work force that are forced to commute away from Denver.

It was explained to our class last year as a cost saving measure, if something breaks or a crew times out etc then it's easier to fix the plane or replace the crew if it happens at a base rather than an out station. I'm with you though, it would be nice to just build up the bases we have.

The company is loyal to where the business is. Not to Denver just because it’s Denver. Either adapt and act accordingly or go to United. Not trying to be mean here but the company won’t grow Denver so people don’t have to commute. I was DEN based for years and I hear you and feel you I do. But this is not a Denver company anymore.

Signed a Denver guy.

correct. Den is a high cost airport. We don’t do high cost airports. Den is not going to grow, even with Barry’s outdoor gates that will cut turn times “in half”

Fuel cost has went up significantly in Denver according to the release. I’ve been noticing tankering a lot more fuel into Denver as a result.

ps
I don’t even know if those fuel numbers we see are even real? 😂

Denver is not the one that needs to grow. It’s MIA TPA ATL PHX. All the bases that are under a 100 crews.

The company is reducing or outright eliminating company hotel expenses.

Couple months ago wifes said CVG. They cant be wrong, right?! They predicted PHX and DFW. I have been hearing CVG much heavier than CLE. Personally I think were going to hear an announcement in April or May since it would go along with the frequency of base openings/announcements of about 2/year since late 2021 announcement of ATL opening. At the moment we do more flying out of CLE like you said but the flying is increasing for CVG in the coming months. CVG probably an easier commute for crews since the high volume of cargo flights. CVG also seems to be a much more economically thriving city and more potential for growth according to several news articles.

You are absolutely correct. The company is slowly transferring their hotel expenses to the employee. This needs to be addressed in the upcoming contract.

I too believe CVG is the sleeper.

Maybe both will CVG and CLE will become eventual bases. Just like TPA and MCO are in same state and a few hour drive from each other. Just thinking 🤔

Ok serious comment, not just wishful thinking - I’ve heard from some recent interviewees that there are whispers of a Houston base being planned potentially before the end of the year. Yes, this is rumor but this time it’s coming from someone who doesn’t live in Houston and merely wishing it could happen.

Anything is possible. They’d have to build it up pretty quick by end of year if that was the case . Only 1-4 daily flights as opposed to CVG around 9 daily and increasing and CLE 11-13 daily and increasing

yeah Bloomington and Omaha are next on the list too.

Historically, a base has needed 20-ish direct flights to other cities as Step-1 before consideration for base. It has also needed on-site local Airbus maintenance talent, contractor or otherwise, and hangar space for overnight maintenance or maintenance while bad weather existed.

A large number of TDY/RON/overnights in that location was also a consideration, as this cost the company alot of money.

IAH has 6 cities served by Frontier
HOU has 3 cities.

CLE and CVG each have 11 or 12 cities

so...

Can you enlighten me about our hangar space at LAS, PHX, DFW, MIA, and ATL? I know MCO is forthcoming...

People keep mentioning hotel costs... Yet our flight attendants (4-5 per pairing) have 3-4 day trips. So why is the company only focusing on 1-2 day pairings for pilots?

What we were told in training was that is shorter trips are for maintenance purposes. They are trying to bring back aircraft to larger MX bases because of lack of maintenance/staffing in outstations. Hard to believe it isn't more about saving on crew hotel costs though...

That reason is completely unrelated to pilot routing/bases. I’ve heard it before, and it doesn’t make any sense.

hangar space / "pads" apron parking

need place to store tow bars, tool sets, wheel and tire assemblies, parts, etc.

offices for mechanics

enclosed hangar preferred

Flight attendant duty limits are more forgiving of delays
Flight attendant hotels are less expensive

Beyond that, I have no idea and wonder the same.

If you really want to get technical:

CVG - 11 (DEN, LAS, PHX, CUN, MIA, RSW, TPA, MCO, ATL, RDU, PHL)
CLE - 13 (DEN, LAS, PHX, DFW, CUN, MIA, FLL, RSW, TPA, MCO, ATL, RDU, PHL)
DFW - 19 (DEN, LAS, PHX, SFO, ONT, SNA, SAN, CUN, MBJ, MIA, TPA, MCO, ATL, RDU, BWI, PHL, LGA, CLE, MDW)
IAH - 6 (DEN, LAS, CUN, MCO, ATL, PHL)
HOU - 4 (DEN, LAS, CUN, MCO)

I doubt either IAH or HOU will ever be a base. Flying out of either airport has not picked up since Nov '22. We will have nine bases starting in May. IMO, a base would have to be within the top 15 preforming locations consistently before being considered. Let's see where things are starting May through the summer.

they are starting to shrink pairing lengths for FA’s too. Not as fast as they have done to t he pilot but it’s happening.

Speaking of "Barry’s outdoor gates", what is going on with that? Every time I taxi by the east end of the A concourse it looks like nothing is happening out there. What gives?

It's winter?

No construction in winter? That's a new one. I wonder how the airport ever could have been built in the first place if that were true...

Per article below: The first phase of the project including the first four gates is targeted for completion in fall 2023 with full project completion slated for summer 2024, according to Frontier.

https://www.9news.com/article/travel...c-6460afcfc2a7

So it looks like that’s 10 departures per day between IAH/HOU. What about a dual base?

I’m sure others will chime in on this one but I am guessing that will be a company ask in the next round. I think FAs already have it. But this is going to be a big ask so what’s the company willing to give us for it? It had better be big because Chicago, Dallas, Phoenix, Philly, and Miami all could be used as dual bases. Obviously other cities could too but just thinking about bases we had/have.

We have already operated dual bases for pilots in the past.
Chicago used to serve both airports. Convenient for commuters! Lol

I don't believe there's anything in our contract preventing them from doing it again. Correct me if I'm wrong