I think most FO's are commuting to JFK. You can't really live in the NY area on FO pay. :(

I do, but then again I've always lived here and know how to spend my money to get by in NY. And NY living is definitely not for everybody... I understand man.

Done. Thanks!!

Yeah, my Heifer likes to graze while she eats, I mean works the 70 seater.
I hear the W&B goes to hell as she pushes her cart up and down the aisles. On the Concorde, the W&B would change so much they would move fuel around, not sure how Comair does it for this Holstein.

Thanks all for the replies, and hope your new prez makes Comair more "Song" like. If your ever flyin the 70 seater into JFK from CVG, its' okay to feed the animals, er animal.

Vacation
 

Does anyone know how the vacation bids work? I have about 40hrs vacation time, so does that mean I have a week? Also, how much vacation time are we allowed to roll over to the next year?

Thanks for the help.

The Chow

Then if that is the case, why is Comair sending nearly all of their NH's to JFK? Is it because of the shear amount of flying out of the NE corridor that demands a presence at JFK? BOS?

In addition, a few months back, I eluded to the possibility that Comair may get the 900. I was told that they wouldn't due to scope and other issues. Well...they got the 900.

On another occasion, I asked is it possible for Comair to establish an FO base in ATL or DFW. It was pointed out that the airline didn't have much of a presence at either airport. Wouldn't it be feasible and good economics for the airline to open a base in either of these cities because of the lower cost of living?

I'm sure there quite a bit of other factors that go into determining pilot domiciles that I'm not aware of. IMO, however, logic and prudence points to cities where an FO could possibly afford some type of QOL , be able to afford a home/condo/apartment and of course where there is a demand for service.


atp

Vacation? What's that? :D

Remember! Comair doesn't say where we fly or what bases we open/close. It's Delta!

atpwannabe,

The whole base thing here at Comair has been frustrating for years. They close and open bases and then close them affecting hundreds of pilots and spending money on moves for all those displaced out of a domicile.

It's clear to me after 11+ years at Comair that the decision to open a base has absolutely nothing to do with the concerns or wants of the pilots. I think this true industry-wide. There is no economic advantage to open a base in a city that has a low cost of living if there is not much flying out of there. Building trips that start and end in DFW and ATL is not worth doing if the flying isn't sufficient to support it. I'm no expert on trip building by any means, but our closest chance at another base right now from what I hear is BOS, but when they tried to build trips with the flying we do now, they weren't productive enough to satisfy the contract and efficiently use the manpower that would be based there.

The company doesn't care if you can afford to live in a domicile. Delta tells Comair where they fly and where they put a domicile and that's all management thinks about. Whether or not the pilots can afford it is the last thing on their mind and having a base in JFK is proof of that. We're lucky we have a commuter policy to cover commuter's butts when they can't get to work.

I'd love a base in BOS because that's where I'm from and where family is, but as a fairly senior captain I can barely afford to live within an hour of the airport.

You're not allowed to roll any vacation over voluntarily. Only a partial week will roll over. If you are out on medical leave or some other type of absense and your vacation falls when you are out, it gets put back in the bank and you can use it in the next year. If I remember right, this wasn't always the case, but this is the way it is now.

Ha. I can just picture a room full of Comair management worrying about how first year FO's are ever going to make ends meet in NY. Hopefully they'll come up with something soon!!