ASA IAD Base - Commute or Move?
 

I am a jr FO with ASA (in the bottom 25). I'm thinking I may end up jr maned to IAD. I'm looking for information from anyone familiar with IAD (the new ASA Base) - particularity with commuting/living there.

What is it like to live in or near IAD. Is it better to live there or commute from ATL. What would the commute from ATL be like? How do you think the new bill (if it passes) will affect the commute?

To ASA people - do you think the base will go senior or jonoir? Do you think it will be easy to hold a line there?

Please no flame bait - lets try to keep this thread on topic.

Thank you.

The entire Washington, DC area is EXPENSIVE...especially for a regional airline FO.

From Oct 06 thru Dec 07 my wife and I lived in a nice apartment in Frederick, MD when I was DCA based at Air Wisconsin. Our place was nice and safe but nothing fancy, and rent was in excess of $1100/mo. Even in Leesburg VA (closer to Dulles) I wouldn't expect rent for a decent place to be any less than $750/mo and really to be closer to $1000/mo (so a roommate might be a necessity).

Its a nice area with a very highly educated populace, with plenty to see and do around...but taxes are high, everything costs more $$$ and you get the bonus of seeing political ads in an election season from 3 (that's right, three) states.

Paws, that's a tough question with no answer right now. The base will most likely included some senior guys, a few in the middle and probably alot of junior guy's at the bottom. Being in the bottom 25 you'd be right there if it went really junior. But you never know what's going to happen. Either way you're probably better off staying in ATL if you can. You most likely wouldn't be able to hold a commutable line in IAD vs sitting the easy reserve in ATL.

a friend of mine bought a house out in WV which was a 45 min drive to IAD. It is a 4 bed two bath right on the 9th hole of a golf course for 200 grand. There are closer areas 20-30 min out that are fairly reasonable to buy and rent. try west of the airport

Hasn't ASA opened and closed multiple bases within the last 10 years.?

Why would you move to a place that may not be a base in a year?

If the CA slots go mid level- i'm up there, if not, i'll simply just move up in ATL....WIN/WIN

WOW.... being from CA and HI 200K for a house like that is a STEAL! 450K in Los Angeles only got my friend a small condo in a crappy area. 450K got my parents a decent house in developing area in HI.

Because it's not a DL base. :D

I hear you on that.

As for the IAD thing. Since ASA only has one base Im pretty sure there are going to be a good amount of guys from the NE that would have an easier time commuting to IAD. I predict it goes senior and you don't get displaced.

you've never dealt with the UAX IAD rampers, have you? you'll long for the days of ATL when the rampers understood their job and spoke english

Considering I'm at ASA... the answer would be no. What does rampers not speaking english have to do with ASA's base changes?

I wouldn't move to IAD until things get settled down system wide. I have a strong feeling an ORD base will eventually open up (if not now then definitely when the RFP results is announced) and it will be another messy swapping around of crews.

It can't be much worse if not better than ATL. Also, IAD is a ghost town compared to ATL

no, getting to enjoy the fun of both IAD and ATL, in both United & Delta paint, i can easily say that IAD is worse.

i've had 5 minute conversations with rampers asking to pull the airstairs up to the main cabin door so i could do the preflight, and the only thing i said was "stairs, door, please" and pointed at each thing, and the only response i got was "i don't understand" in a heavily accented english. i've gotten to the outstation only to find bags in the aft bin that were not on any load report. and then there's the joy of the A gates, where they board 7 airplanes from one door, and no one to guide the poor pax to the planes once they get outside.

IAD makes ATL look like paradise.

He did say West Virginia. Have you ever actually been to West Virginia? ;)

The cheapest single bed room apt anywhere near Dulles is at least $1000/mo. Even basic essentials like groceries are more expensive here. For commuters keep in mind that public transportation is extremely limited as well.

ahhh I missed that part... but still cheap!

NO, if you are in the bottom 25 you will probably be nowhere near a line in either place.

If an ORD base opened it would go WAY above you. I very much doubt a base in ORD would effect you at all. The only way something would effect you is if some even crappier base opened such as JFK.

I was wondering if you could tell the rest of us who aren't in the know what the rest of the ual rfp results are?

30 crews are going to IAD (initially), so if he gets displaced there, and he's 25 from the bottom, he would be pretty close to the top of the list in IAD.

HAHA west virginia is the middle of the nowhere but if you got the hots for a close family relative.... your in the money

Here, I'll help you out. Some people will bid the IAD base because they live there or near there. Others will bid it because they hate ATL. Still others will bid it because it is an easier commute. Finally some will bid it because they can commute to IAD and get a better line than they are in ATL. If you hold 4 days over the weekend in ATL and could be in the top 5 in IAD, maybe you'd bid it in hopes of 3 days. I guarantee that they will not just end up displacing the bottom 30 because no one would bid it. 30 people is not that many out of 6-700ish f/o's. I'd imagine you'd find 20 or more to initially bid the IAD base and then maybe displace the bottom 5 or so f/o's. If you are in the bottom 5 or so you'd still be on reserve. As a reserve f/o, unless you live there, you'd basically be bidding for a massive paycut as you aren't breaking guarantee and living there is ridiculously expensive.

You do realize that information you dreamed up while smoking weed, or downing the company koolaid, or picked up over on FI do not constitute facts.

Well gee thanks for the "help"... did you read what I wrote? Did you read what the OP wrote? He asked about getting dispaced to IAD. He has 25 people below him. If he gets displaced, then less than 5 FOs bid for IAD, and everyone under him would be displaced. If he gets displaced to IAD, then he would hold a line... he doesn't have to worry about getting displaced to reserve in IAD. If more than 5 FOs bid for Dulles, he doesn't have to worry about getting displaced to IAD at all. 30 FOs could bid for IAD, 0 FOs could bid for IAD - anywhere in between - the OP would not get displaced to reserve in IAD, at least during the first round of displacements.

Nice... Now that's funny.

Thanks for all the input.

For those who have experience commuting between ATL-IAD, what is the commute like? Is it do-able or would living in IAD be the only safe option?

SH has said in recurrent that the schedules will be on a regular basis. Does this mean we will have day trips (i.e. nights in IAD & no perdiem?). Or will these be 3 & 4 day trips.

Sadly your reading comprehension is lacking. The OP stated that he was in the bottom 25, NOT that he had 25 below him. Thanks for the lesson on displacements though.

I think he said no flamebait.

Check delta net to see how often flights leave ATL and how full they seem to be. Remember, no flight benefits on UAL so you'd have to take DL or jumpseat. Also if you really do have 25 below you, you'll be fine at least for this first round.

I understand that you have more questions than answers, but why worry about it now? I say wait and see what happens with the bid, then worry about it if you're actually getting displaced.

What?! No UAL bennies with the new flying? Screw that noise.

...airtran it is. The atlanta commute to IAD b-lows especially on the atlanta end. :cool:

Living here is VERY Expensive I pay 1230 dollars a month just for a 1 bedroom apartment

Ha, with the "benefits" we get, you're better off without them... At least then you can jumpseat and not get charged $20 a leg...