CLE Base
 

Is CLE on the chopping block? Asking for a friend

No, why would it be?

I guess flying is shrinking everywhere. So Cleveland is no different

Have you seen the way they manage this company? Every base is on the chopping block.

Management might just close it so they can reopen in a year later.

You forgot to add "because they were ****ed about sick calls"

The real winners in that situation were the pilots based in CHI because they almost all went to UAL and AAL.

As long as they want to run a mostly day turn airline, i wouldn't expect to see any base closures

CVG moreso than CLE imo...

I dont think we will see any base closures in the near future. Probably see another 1 possibly 2 bases open next year, if I had to guess, LA area or NY.

I think they are done then. We have way too many bases already and it is clear the day turn model isnt working how they hoped, judging by the increase to nearly 75-80% day trips system wide originally, now down to closer to 50%.

CVG is a large maintenance base that they are happy with. FWIW

For a base, the location needs to have enough dedicated gates to be considered suitable for a base. All the gates in LAX, for example, are common-use gates. Hence, why RDU is not yet a base. NY does not have enough departures and is not even in he top 15 stations. With the unfortunate fall of Spirit, my money is on another central US base and possibly another east coast base, but not NY. Just my 2 cents, but I could be totally wrong.

Murder Mitten here we come!

between JFK,EWR, and LGA on peak days we have like 40+ departures a day… it will be a co domicile if we acquire and slots from NK.

Totally plausible!

LAX is opening the new south side gates of the international terminal we currently use. It looks like 7-9 gates and they will be open in about a month. There’s an area behind that big AA hanger where you can only fit narrow bodies. It will be the new frontier corner . LAX currently is # 5 or 6 with departures meaning it has more departures than 6 of our bases. And it’s been full planes.

LAX because that is where the people are
LGA (only) because if NK bows out likely we would be first in line for the terminal they set up.

That's what my money is on.

CLE Started great... last few times I was in there It was falling apart and poorly run (par for F9)

I 100% believe it's a top MX base that area of the country has exceptional mechanics, Always has. A strong MX base is enough reason to hold onto CLE.

Again that's what my money is on

100%! Every time I have had a MX issue CLE has been a rockstar station since we opened it as a MX base.

also talked to ops manager in IAH. He says 30+ departures next year and BB has secured 3 or 4 ground loading gates that will come in the the future. I think we move back to A concourse next year though before we transition to ground loading gates….

im just the messenger, but they sounded very confident that was the plan. Possibly could see that become one later on.

just to clarify, we don’t need any more bases on in my opinion. It just ruins seniority progression.

I heard this same confidence from a manager in SLC last August about a base there that was supposedly starting last October. No joy

I will say this until blue in the face, no California bases will be opened. Everything can be served via LAS and PHX.

Plus, asking Barry to pay competitive local wages in California markets is like asking to have jet bridge drivers actually show up when you taxi in at MCO

When we left LAX about 7 years ago they said we’d never be back. Never say never. Yes LAX can be crewed by LAS and PHX but it goes sideways a lot . Unless they start doing more layovers the JFK LAX LAS falls apart quickly with a small delay. Now we’re getting first class and maybe the GRIZ lounge in Denver never say never ….

as far as competitive wages we already have contract everything there. So they must be paying them enough to show up.

I understand your point. I don't agree with you.

LAX is access to the biggest city in the most populous state. Will we pay more ? YES with that we can charge more. that's the only math that matters. Boat mechanics don't work on mega yacht's because they like to they do it because they can charge more a lot more. Which makes it worth dealing with the needy personalities and wanky designs.

Could we staff it out of other bases YES. same with LGA. That move won't work well with day turns. Lastly from what I can see LAX,SFO,NYC and SJU are the places we fill up planes on all seven days a week.

To your point I would expect the bases to be skeleton bases. just enough to get the early flights out and have some reserves for crew issues.

One of the most common premiums in the system though are the redeye LAX flights.

Probably because everyone calls in for them...

I doubt as many people would call in if we had min day and redeye override.

It’s because we don’t have crew staffed there to cover for when people call in. A base would have those reserves.

1. "Charge more " = we just became a legacy and are fighting to keep the ULCC, non-wifi, no-lounges, customer on Frontier, but charging legacy prices.

2. Day Turns? What is this weeks business model? Turns? 3 day trips? Because I can't keep up. Are we are emulating Ryan Air (Barry's stated hero)? Are we targeting leisure markets? WHAT is the plan ?

etc

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