Commuting
 

Does anyone on here commute from another country? Would it be possible from Year 2 FO in a Junior Base to waive minimum days off, cram 75 hours of credit into 2-3 Weeks and have 1-2 weeks off at the end of one month and then 1-2 weeks off at the beginning of the next month?

Or would it be easy to credit 85-90 hours as a Junior FO over 3 weeks and then drop trips to have 3 weeks off and credit less in the following month?

We have had people commute from the Netherlands, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Azerbaijan, and mother Russia. (I’m sure there is more too).

You could waive down to one day off and try to get like 7-9 days off on reserve. If you are a line holder you can do what you want as long as it’s legal and senior enough to do it.

azerbaijan? Are you gd kidding me?

it wasn't for very long he told me.

I have flown with people from all around the world at Spirit.

As a line holder you can also back load one month and front load the next if that is what you desire, keeping within Part 117 limits of course. This is all done manipulating your schedule after your award. Keep in mind that if you are a low seniority line holder you most likely won't be able to drop around major holidays.

I would imagine he is making that up, Halon is a frequent troller.

sorry to burst your bubble, but there are lots of pilots from all around the world that fly here at Spirit.

I flew with a CA a couple months ago that lived in Ireland! Others live in Jamaica, Columbia... all over Latin/South America and the Caribbean.

I know people from Mizzou that lived in Columbia, Mo. I know people who live in Colombia, the country in South America. Sorry, spelling pet peeve of mine.

I flew with a CA a couple months ago that lived in Ireland (the country)! Others live in Jamaica (the country), Columbia (the country)... all over Latin/South America and the Caribbean (the continent and geographic locations residing adjacent to the Pacific Ocean [the ocean], the Gulf of Mexico [a body of water] and/or the Atlantic Ocean [the ocean]).

Fix it for ya :)

The country is spelled with an “o” not a “u”. Don’t feel bad. A lot of people have this misunderstanding.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colombia

Ireland?!? Don’t say that, you will be called a troll.

Hip? Hip-hop? Hip-hop-anonymous? DAMN YOU! YOU GIVE HIM THE EASY ONES!

I'm sure there is, I just wouldn't use you as an accurate source of information.

What followed next can only be described as a introspective moment of deep self reflection. Halon quietly deleted his APC account and dedicated himself to using his trolling powers only for good.

Legend has it though, on those quiet late nights heading west out over the flyover states, if you tune 21.5 and listen carefully, you just may hear a meow…

The public school system obviously failed me :rolleyes:

Scuba Steve: "It's not his fault he CAN'T READ!"

or a LGB on guard...

What do you have against the TQ community to not include them?

they owe me some money.

If you want to commute from overseas, it is much easier at Atlas, Kalitta, etc. They both have lots of pilots living overseas.

Kind of off topic, but isnt Atlas and Kalitta the same company or am I misinformed?

You are misinformed

if only a Spirit pilot could just jumpseat on Atlas, or Kalita...🤔

Its Atlas and Southern I am thinking of isn’t it?

What makes Spirit attractive to long commuters is the schedule flexibility after you are awarded your schedule when you have a line. Yes, with those places you only have to commute a couple times a month but if that gig is not your thang than Spirit is the next best thing. All you have to do is get through FO reserve and you are home free for the rest of your career (don't upgrade until you can hold a line).

What country do you live in? They don't have an airline?

Probably won't get a response since OP never said anything after initial post.

Thank you for all the replies so far I really appreciate it. I am a dual US/AUS Citizen - I am looking at my options to move back to the USA. I own property in a very beautiful small town on the beach hence my questions for commuting. Before anyone says what about Qantas - this is why I have never had/never will have any desire to fly for Qantas in Australia is 1. Almost impossible to get into .if you aren't a certain breed. 2. Qantas has been going down the road of cost cutting and out sourcing everything even before COVID, During the good times the pay and conditions were already on a down wards trend. 3. Qantas career is boring - you enter as a second officer (not allowed to be at the controls below 20 000'), they barely fly to any international destinations, you can bid onto the 737 usually within 12-18 months of joining but with 10 days off a month, 15-20 year upgrade (forget an upgrade to Captain International if you join after your 25 or even FO long haul is 10-15 years) and their bidding system is not seniority based.

You want to commute from Australia?

Ideally yes - spend 2-3 weeks in base flying and then spend 2-3 weeks at home in Australia. I was seeing if that is at all a possibility with the schedule flexibility and cramming at least minimum credit into 2-3 weeks a month to have the block of days off (i.e. 1 week off at the end of 1 month and 1-2 weeks off at the beginning of the next month).

I mean theoretically anything is possible. But the moment you have a red reserve day it's pretty much game over.

Thanks! I probably wouldn't attempt commuting to Australia on reserve but that depends whether reserve stays at 9-12 months or reduces to only a few months in the most junior bases. At this stage I am looking at all my options and won't be applying to anyone until the end of 2022 due to family commitments in Australia.

So, I have close to 1.5 M NM commuting over a 7 year period, (without Covid). You do you. My advice: Live where you work, so either be happy living in the USA, or be happy working for Qantas.

Trust me when I tell you that you don’t want to commute from Australia. There’s not a word in the English language that could describe how deeply miserable you would be.

The way the reserve grid here works is the company has X amount of reserve buffer on top of the typical. So long as open time that day doesn't cut into that buffer, the day is green and you can drop. If open time cuts into that buffer the day is red and you're stuck with whatever pairing you have that day even as a lineholder.

Like I said, in theory it can be done but living in the real world I think Mainline and Symbian got it right. Either be happy living in the US or be happy flying for Qantas as there aren't words in the English language fit to describe that kind of misery.

Yeah and hear I am *****ing every time I have an hour commute into base lol. I couldn't fathom the hell that a 16 hour commute would be. I mean sure, once your senior enough you could in theory drop a bunch of your flying and then build a line around the red days/trips, but even having to do that commute twice a month would be soul crushing to me. I suppose we are all different though and one persons hell is another ticket to paradise. Good luck on whatever option you choose.

Do NOT do this!!! It may be possible but I don’t want to be flying with you. You won’t be sharp even after you’re acclimated because you’ll be working nonstop for weeks at a time. Do NOT do this!!

Thank you for all the replies - it seem's commuting would not be an option despite the flexibility in schedules afforded by Spirit. Are there any FLL or DTW FO's that would mind sending me information on their schedules - typical overnight length/port and legs per day? Would be interested to know how senior West Coast overnights go. TIA

Not sure there is a “typical” schedule.

Foot print of trips:

1 day: -turns greater of 5 hours credit or actual block

2 day: -red eye turns 5 credit or actual block
-Single over nights(2 duty period) 10 credit or actual block

3 day: -two overnights (3 duty periods) 15 credit or actual block
-something like Lima, late flight down 22 hour layover, red eye home. 2 duty periods but actual block is 12 so it pays that

4 day: -three overnights (4 duty periods) 20 credit or actual block or duty rig
-two overnights with a transcon red eye somewhere in it that typically credit between 16-18 with duty rig

Duty rig is time away from base / 3.5

Layover cities shift around a lot between bases, but the footprints stay the same. 1-4 legs a day. Layovers typically 12-19 hours. Short stays of less than 17 are airport hotels, long stays are “downtown”

“West Coast” layovers aren’t really junior or senior, it more depends on the pairing footprints you bid for, commutability, aversion to red eyes, etc. You can end up with 6-8 LAX overnights a month as a junior line holder for no other reason but they are pairing footprints that no one else really cares for.

The only things that go really senior are easy day turns that you can make a Mon-Fri 9 to 5 no weekend/holiday line from, or occasional unicorn trips like 48 hours in Santo Domingo that happen once a month.

Defo be a bloody stuffed drongo to commute from woop woop for this job, mate.

well played, very well played