18 gates and counting in STL.That's same as ATL & DAL isn't it?

 

Two vans of crews going to airport for originators in the morning. Big time overnights .

As far as reserve and two hr call out. When I've done am reserve I'll get called or scheduled with less than a two hr push time once a month . Always same answer , I'll do my best and enjoy that close up parking . So being more than two hrs out on reserve is a gamble as it will happen at some point.

 

Rocky mentioned at the June job fair the flight attendants have a virtual base in Austin and that it’s going well. Any chance of virtual bases crossing over to the pilots?

 

Let’s hope not!

 

They need to run upgrades just based on how lopsided staffing is between the two seats. Hell, this summer FOs had less than half the available trips in ELITT than Cptns.

 

That would relieve some of the volume-based problems through MDW. But only after I upgrade! 😉

 

I just don’t see it until pilots have satellite bases (that, I believe is coming). I am honestly surprised they haven’t opened a FA satellite base there. The whole operation there is run like a base, and it has to be our biggest mega station that isn’t a domicile. It is the heart of our Midwest hub and spoke (sorry, intentional connection opportunities) operation since there is very little OE traffic there.
I can guarantee you that our hotel costs are much higher in BNA (currently the most expensive hotel market in the country, higher than New York or Boston) and yet we haven’t opened up anything there.
LA made a lot of sense if you look towards the future. All our growth is in the south and west directions right now. Hotel costs are sky high there too and there is some break even point where staffing a crew base is cheaper than paying those costs in perpetuity. I just don’t know if STL fits that bill.

 

I guess in the age of the iPad EFB I just don’t understand why there is ANY ‘cost’ associated with opening a satellite crew base. You don’t really need a lounge or mailboxes. Just flip the switch and start writing pairings from STL or BNA.

Administrative support provided by the MDW chief pilots office.

Easy peasy. The only people hurt by it are pilots who live in other domiciles that are downsized to build those satellite pairings and suffer the resultant loss of flexibility and open time flying opportunities.


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Not so easy peasy for those guys that have a lot less pairings to choose from in the base that they moved to. With that said, I'd like to see some - maybe.

 

Didn't SWAPA poll on satellite bases? I thought the result was not enough pilot interest to pursue? I'd be willing to consider it despite living in base with no plans to move.