Sucks dude. Not that it's ANY consolation, but the new 320 rate is above the old 767 rate is it not? I know, pales in comparison to contract 2000.

I have a two leg commute each way. That makes four flights--$80--for the privilege of flying United's passengers home to their little outstations and into the hubs for whatever their reasons are. It's a good thing I did not move to my first base like I had originally planned because ...it closed four months later. As was previously mentioned, with my pay rate it's basically a break even game in the recession proof, famously low cost of living city in which I reside in Oklahoma. I can't imagine trying to live in EWR. I can't even afford a crash pad and that's just fine. I don't b*tch too much because I'm here to build time and gain experience. The commute leaves me with next to no life and it takes a minimum of eight hours each way but I love where I live and have received a strong first impression of this industry leading me to stay put. I will, however, start to b*tch when UAL accounting majors I went to college with decide I am a member of the perfect target market of travelers who can help offset the $7million gap claimed by that document (which I have held in my own hands at work). "Whoops... these few seats on the RJ are unsold. How can we 'close that gap?' How about we charge those commuting crew members $20 per segment since they'll end up in those seats anyway? It's perfect!" In the meantime, loads become incredibly skewed due to "ghostrevs" just showing up to utilize CASS instead of the travel network set up for just such commuters (and traditional nonrevers, of course). If I pay the segment fee via payroll deduction on a typical commute for a typical four day trip, I will take a 14% hit to my GROSS pay for that trip. If I commute out for the crappy stand ups I'm assigned because my company/management/scheduling/lines/who knows sucks, I will incur a 38% loss in GROSS pay for that string of stand ups (without respect to monthly guarantee). It's infuriating and a slap in the face to those quiet crew members who fly in well in advance of report time by necessity, fly their airplanes, and wait around for hours to start the eight hour process of going home (hopefully for more than 24 hours). "Live in base!" "Go work somewhere else!" "Talk to ALPA and mangement!" Yeah, yeah, yeah. All valid ideas but it's just not that easy. Fun times ahead.

That would not be unprecedented. Major carriers have had different tiers of non-rev programs for their regional carriers in the past.

Well I'm on 3rd year FO pay at a regional and I bought a home. Many people say this is dumb, but when you spend $150k on a 4/2.5 brand new house and your total payment is $100 less than the 2/2 apartment you were in it makes the decision easier. It also helps to be a dual income household with no kids even if my better half is in the same industry.

Im sure back in 2001 the housing market was much more expensive and renting was lower.

I guess you can't ever plan this stuff. :/

Not everybody in this is single and in their early 20s. You asked why anybody would commute and I told you why. I have never advocated using the jumpseat as a weapon. I don't think you will find any commuter that would. In fact I have argued for the opposite.

So dumb question, but.. Does this apply to jumpseating? As in walking up to the gate an hour prior and listing as an OMC? This is what I do to commute on United (cannot list using id90 when I am commuting).

No. Thumb through this thread for a few minutes and you'll find your answer.

Somebody in management is a real idiot then.

Regional pilots are often financially dependent on their spouse, outside jobs/businesses, or military reserves. Forcing pilots to move all the time would ensure that they have to live on their REGIONAL pay, further aggravating any pilot shortage.

Commuting is actually a boon to airline management and I think most of them know it. They don't have to pay massive COLAs for high-cost areas, frequent moving expenses, etc. Spouses who can maintain a a stable job/home/friends are far more willing to put up with airline BS. Commuting is a net positive all around.

Not a commuter, or on the JS Committee, but ...

I thought CMR and ASA were able to maintain status quo from their days when they were subsidiaries of Delta, Inc.

A Jumpseat War does not work because declaring war on Iraq doesn't change the way they eat meatballs in Sweden. Or, in other words, if a commuter can't get to work the first person to feel the heat is the commuter. It seems at ALL airlines the Chief Pilots are simply there to take the cram downs from upper management and put those mandates into pilot friendly talk (and sometimes threats) to execute the orders given them from on high.

I would think it would be more effective for the UAX guy to refuse to pay and call their own Schedulers and state "I don't have $20 to get to work." IMHO the real problem is that the UAX pilots do not have effective representation (which the ASA guys did/do have) to raise their concerns at an appropriate level to get action.

As several posters have pointed out, UA depends on UAX for feed. Park an RJ on a first flight of the day and the phones are going to ring somewhere.

But, don't take the issue out on innocent jumpseaters. They have the same problem UAX commuters do. Rather than make enemies, make friends. Carry copies of the memo and hand it out to the mainline UA pilots ... most will blow you off, but there are some good guys who will elevate the concern.

Yes, except gas costs 4x as much, cost of living is way up and they are basically stuck as regional pilots for 10 yrs or until they give up.