Airport car needed in JFK or BOS?
 

From reading these threads I’ve learned that a new hire can expect a couple years of reserve in JFK or BOS. As a commuter I assume a crash pad is a must, but is a car needed? I’m still in the pool, but am deciding if I should trade in my current car when I get my new one next month or keep it as an airport car for a possible future job.

In NY no car is needed. Company provides a bus from JFK-Kew hourly.

I never NEEDED a car in BOS or JFK. The public transportation is good in both cities. But it would be nice to have access to one.

The major issue is parking. In E. Boston, the parking is horrible and I can only imagine the situation in Kew. You certainly won’t be driving it to the airport EVER.

It would be nice to use for exploring while on reserve. Or better yet using it as an UBER or LYFT while sitting reserve. You could split it with your crashpad roomies for that purpose.

I know I would have loved to drive an UBER while sitting RES in BOS insetead of watching all the seasons of GOT.

Thanks for the input. That’s what I thought, but I have limited experience in the Northeast, so I wasn’t sure. Excuse my ignorance, but what is Kew?

I’m definitely not the Uber/Lyft type guy, so I’ll probably trade it in.

Kew Gardens is where most of the crash pads are.

It’s a magically land where 40 year old men live packed together on bunk beds built for 9 yr olds. And despite the rest of the country being closed, all the establishments and restaurants are open on Christmas. :D:D:D It’s magical.

This made my day! I’ve never gotten off the train here... maybe next Christmas I will!

In Boston, you definitely won't need a car. You're always a 6$ cab ride away from the airport, and a train station is usually not far away from most crashpads. A place near the rental car center will make it a 5 minute walk to a free airport bus. JFK has the company shuttle that's less than a 10 minute walk from most crashpads.

Both cities have decent public transport to get you other places...

RSV isn’t quite a couple of years....for August junior lineholder was 9 months in BOS and 6 months in JFK (on the 190). Keep in mind that is with folks above them bidding reserve, and it could always change from one month to the next.

Junior JFK lineholder on the 320 is about 12 or 13 months, not sure about BOS.

With this new contract reserve will go senior it’s so good. Oh wait...

Thanks for all of the great info. Now I just need to get a class date.

Any estimates on time to get to FLL?

Year or two I’d guess. I hear AA has a junior base down there, a better contract, a better network, and way more retirements than jetblue. Good luck! Hope they call soon.

Junior JFK 320 lineholder is 03/18 hire.

Not 12 months.

Just looked at the Sep awards. Jan 2018 hires are on reserve. A handful of more junior guys got lines who had recurrent or carryover trips. But seniority number 3512 is about where the split is. And frankly I wouldn’t want any of those lines for several pages above him. Maybe they’ll be better once ADG kicks in October 1st. Also, there are a lot of 190 guys who will come in on top of them with the transition in the next bid. I don’t have a crystal ball, but I think reserve time may suck on the bus for a while. Probably will be much shorter on the 190. Anyone hired on the bus today will likely have at least a year on reserve, and I’d guess more than that. Maybe some will get lucky with 6-9 months, but I wouldn’t count on it.

You would be crazy to get a car in BOS...parking, taxes and emissions holy moly...Nah it’s within walking distance in BOS to some really good crash pads.
NYC we got the Kew runner, nobody drives...I actually know one guy who rides a Motorized Skateboard to Terminal 5 for his trips to UVF.

Like guys have said those bottom lines are probably worse than RSV...a lot of times the move up lines give you much more flexibility with controlling your schedule. I’m one of those. I bid rsv and I can drop and swap into a really nice line with the move up lines. Takes work but I barely sit rsv and when I do I usually don’t get called.

Delta guy in a mainly JB crashpad here.

Nobody has a car except one guy who lives far enough out he can't sit short call at home, but still faster to drive than fly to come into work (Catskill mountains area). We're in Ozone Park though. Parking is not as insane as Kew or Boston.

Ozone Park is a reasonably short walk to the Air Train (free) from where most of the crash pads are in the 150th-130th ave area off Lefferts. I've cab'd to the terminal once in 9 months in NYC just because it was too hot to walk mid day.

Is that 24/7 (reserve times can be strange I imagine).

Leaves at 50 past the hour from Kew to the airport starting at 450am. Last one is at 2350. Leaves T5 for kew at 30 past starting at 530am. Last one is extended until 0050. So there’s a window it doesn’t work and Q cab is necessary. Also, it doesn’t go to LGA, but we get reimbursed $18.50 each way for LGA trips, which covers a car from kew.

Thanks, looks like even reserves can manage without a car.

I realize there’s a couple of those commercial “no judgement” gyms very close but if you want a no contract (heck, not even an ID) $5 per day gym (or $25 month no contract, just pay cash) where the barbells go to 125 lbs and the 3 ladies that work out there don’t ever miss leg day, walk (or run, it’s your workout) the 1.5 miles each way to Richies Gym on 101st and 101st.

I hardly ever flew on reserve so I was there 3-4 days a week and got prison fit in 3 months. After a month or two they’ll figure you’re on work release anyway and you’ll have to decide which gang to join. There’s a precinct a block away so it’s a lot of cops, EMS, Fire, and mafioso guys who work out in jeans and a sleeveless white t shirt with a gold crucifix hanging out. Seriously.

But you know what they say about gyms - if you’re the biggest guy there you’re at the wrong gym.:eek: