Commuting to your base. What gives?
 

I'd like to get some opinions on the negative perception of commuting to your base, both as a reserve and as a line holder.

What's wrong with hopping a jump seat for a 50 min flight down to your base to begin a trip or sit reserve? Is there something I'm missing? I know that all regionals' commuting rules vary but, just general, where does it become a pain in the rear?

A more specific example: Being based out of LGA, but living at home in upstate NY for a few years to get my feet on the ground. Would commuting down to LGA really prove to be a hassle?

Thanks for the insight.

nothing wrong with commuting at all. except possibility you may miss your flight to your base.

Stress increases exponentially for "getting to work on time", especially while on probation. But, if your company has a commuter clause, learn it and use it and try not to stress. Depending on the company, you can miss out on a lot of pay if you can't get to work. It's also much harder on your personal life. Say you have a 700am show, but there's no flights that get you there in tome, now you have to commute in the night before to a Crashpad and burn a night at home. What is the first flight of the day arrives a at 703am, do you chance it? Same for commuting home. You get released at 950pm and the last flight home was at 930pm... Another night in the Crashpad to get up for the 6am flight the next morning. Sounds fun huh? Especially not getting paid for any of it... Enjoy!

Single dude living in mom and dad's basement? Not that big of a deal

I live in SFO and currently commute to IAH to sit reserve. Basically, I have to:

1) Commute out the afternoon before my reserve period, on my day off. That wastes at least half a day.

2) Hope that I can actually get on a flight. There were many times in December/ January (commuting SFO-ORD) where I almost didn't get on. I therefore started showing up at SFO at 0600 the day before my shift started, just to be sure of getting on. On one of my trips, I'm glad I did, since every flight after the 0600 SFO-ORD on United was cancelled due to weather. So that was an entire day wasted.

3) Hope the flight isn't cancelled due to weather, mx, crew availability, etc etc.

4) On the return trip, I just have to pray that I'll get released early enough to make my last flight home. Two days ago, I was literally walking to the gate in IAH to catch my United flight home after sitting reserve for 4 days. The phone rang and I was put on a roundtrip to Mexico City. The only problem? The trip returned to IAH after my last United flight was scheduled to depart. I ended up taking FedEx home, arriving at 0500.

Obviously, some commutes are easier than others. OAK-LAX, for example, or OAK-BUR, is about as easy as it gets. But just be prepared to commute in the night before your trip and commute home the morning after your trip. And be prepared to be stressed about your commute, especially if it's mainline hub to mainline hub with about 100 mainline pilots all vying for the jumpseat, and it's United with "-10" showing in the availability for your flight 3 days in advance.

Also, commuting to reserve...ugh, what an existence. A travel day, plus 4 days sitting around some ratty airport motel or crashpad, all for maybe a couple hours' block time. If they even call you.

Reserve at home? Whole different story, I'm hoping ;-)

Commuting is both time consuming and expensive. Sometimes your show time isn't commutable. There are times where you'll have to commute in the night before and pay for your own hotel room. You both waste your day off and waste money on a hotel room. There are times where your flights will get delayed on the last day and you'll miss the last flight home and have to pay for a hotel room again. There are times where you're just going to get bumped out of the jumpseat and not be able to make it to work, and likely not be pay protected for the missed work.

There's nothing wrong with commuting. More than half the pilots I fly with are commuters. I guarantee you'll be much happier if you don't commute though. It's time consuming, stressful and costs money. The time and money you spend commuting can be better spent on other things in your life.

Commuting can cost you a great deal of money in a year's time, especially while on FO pay. Crash pad, airport car, food, parking, etc... all add up and cost you more money.

In addition, like speaks said, you are potentially away from home several more nights per month. If you start your 4 day trip with an early morning departure, and end with a late night arrival, you will be spending 6 nights away from home instead of 4.

All very valid points and I think you for pointing them out.

This may be one of the dumber questions, but I believe there is a site for open jump seats. Is this open for public viewing or do I need company ID? Point being I could get a look at the jump seat traffic before determining its feasibility.

Sounds like groundhog day

If I'm sitting reserve at home, how long do I have to get to the airport? Probably varies with regionals but are we talking 30 mins or several hours?

Jumpseats come and go. Just because one is open an hour before a flight, it doesn't mean that you are going to get it. Depending on how that company operates, it may go to a company employee flying on his own metal before you, or may go to someone on your metal that is more senior to you.

At my company, I have 2 hours to get to the gate while on reserve. I live 30 minutes away, so I sit reserve in my house. I go about my "normal" life, with the exception that I wear work pants with a different shirt, and there is a packed suitcase in my car. Oh, and I can't drink a glass of wine with lunch.

Are you not pay protected at skywest with a commuter clause?

Are you a captain or FO?