Morning - I'm looking at JetBlue as a possible career destination, and I'm curious about commuting. I've spent all my time at 135s, so talk to me like an idiot who doesn't know any of the lingo here...

How bad would life be trying to commute from about a 5 hour drive/a place with 2 company flights and a couple other non-company flights a day to/from a JetBlue base? Is life as miserable as it seems from reading posts on commuting? Would I be spending half my days off getting to/from home, and the rest of the time worrying about how I'm going to get back to work? Is driving something that would be in the picture as a backup?

Last, is commuting basically the same deal at any of the airlines, or are certain ones better (discounting how many flights a day in/out of a base)?

Any insight would be great! Thanks!

 

5 hour drive is too much IMO but commuting would he relatively easy as long as you have a crash pad.

 

As a former charter and fortune 50 corporate pilot I can tell you that your QOL will improve on day one. It’ll be tough at first but very hands off as you gain seniority. The minute you can hold long call RSV you will spend more time at home than you want. I just had to request a trip to stay landing current.

Where are you commuting from specifically? That’ll make a difference

 

I've been commuting for 4 years between my last company and here. Commuting isn't the most fun but it really isn't that bad. At b6 you have to have 1 option on own metal. 2 if you are using other companies. The flight must arrive 1 hour prior to report. With short call here you can't be notified until at least 10am (2.5 hour call out) on day 1 and the last day on short call you are auto released at 6 hours (except it can't be before 11am or the latest release I believe is 5pm) if nothing is on your schedule. Long call is 14 hour call out can't start on day 1 before 2pm and last day auto release is 0800 if nothing is on your schedule. You can also preference bid any trips that match your days on call if you want to work a trip.

 

I'm curious how that translates into crash pad usage. Is it possible to commute without having one? It looks like for short call, I'd have to be in one, since I don't live within 2.5 hours of a base. For a regular trip, it looks like I'd need one if it's an early start, since the earliest B6 flights wouldn't get in until afternoon (so I'd have to commute in night prior). And for long call, it seems like I'd be fine being at home, since there would always be 1 option on B6 that would arrive within 14 hours?

I feel like an idiot trying to figure it out - I'm so used to the 135 world of just an 8/6 schedule, but no reserve or regularly scheduled trips.

 

It’s a big change but don’t get too bogged down with the details. Plenty of guys do it. You’ll feel out what’s right for you as you go along.

You’ll commute in on your first day for your rsv block for that week. Go to your crashpad and if they call, they call. If not, go to the gym and hang out. Try and have fun with it.

 

The full answer to your question would be very long, and hopefully someone will do it full justice or a combination of posts to paint the full picture.

I will say personally that I lived in base for 5 years at my previous regional airline and have commuted to JB for more than a decade since. I've been much happier, every day, for the last decade commuting to JB than I was in base at my regional. Now, of course in base at JB/ any major would be even better.

Each commute city is different, some are much better than others. And each person is different, some handle the extra stress better than others.

Also, unfortunately the pairings (trip construction) has been getting much worse in recent years at JB, especially for commuters. Doesn't hurt as much if you have a lot of seniority, but is more or less intolerable for junior commuting line holders. JB is really shooting themselves in the foot with these uncommutable pairings, as I believe it is a big source of their retention problems. Commuting is hard enough, stressful enough on its own, but commuting to uncommutable trips is intolerable. Why would someone junior stay here in that situation?

So, it's not necessarily a non-starter. Half the airline roughly are commuters. For a junior to mid -junior guy in seat, Long Call reserve might be the best option as the pairings are not commuter friendly.

Others will add their 2 pennies.

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“Does commuting suck” is essentially an unanswerable question. It really is so specific to *you;* it’s like asking a group of people what band or music genre they think is the best. Or what flavor ice cream. Nobody is ever going to agree because everyone has different tastes.

Personally, I refuse to commute. I can’t stand it. Positive space *really* takes the edge off, though, and so does long call. My advice is always to live in base, though. If it comes down to working for airline X in base or commuting to the #1 top tier widebody hat wearin’ double breasted profit sharin’ this that and the other, I’d always stay in base, unless airline X is legit about to go bankrupt. Some will agree with me, some will think I’m a fool for not flying widebodies with my hat on. I don’t care because it’s my life, not theirs.

 

Commuting for me wasn’t bad pre rona but F commuting after that. I was driving to PIT from Morgantown WV. During rona sometimes I had to drive to DCA…..fun…haha. We moved outside BOS last December, love driving to work again. Hopefully I never have to commute again.

 

Sorry to bump this - I would likely end up commuting out of SYR.