yardstick

Evening all

I’m a military pilot looking to retire in the next year or so and United is my top choice. However, due to some unusual family circumstances, we will be needing to live in the central VT area. Obviously this will necessitate a commute. My question to you all: is this a remote possibility? Does anyone here have experience with this? My quick research shows that BTV has multiple nonstops a day with at least one on mainline equipment. MHT has a few per day as well with BOS being another strong option too.

Based on my quick research, this would seem somewhat feasible in theory. Does anyone have any concrete data on how realistic this is? Also, I’m not trying to turn this into a commuting vs living in base debate; being from an airline family, I’m well aware of the lost days, income and opportunity that commuting represents. Thanks all for your inputs.

Tailwindsareamyth

From my experience not as a pilot but as a passanger living in the Newark area. Ewr is my usual airport. having taken many flights to smaller markets similar to ur spot in Vermont. I would advice u that it may be possible but you will have great trouble if u try to commute same day. You would have to create travel days before and after ur scheduled day. This is because flights are always delayed on the ground coming into New York airspace coming from these smaller regional routes. As for returning home you would have much better luck leaving on time. Assuming ur flight u were working didn't get delayed coming in.

So yeah it's possible but I would plan for more days away then just ur working days. Those are my two cents

Grumble

Flown with a couple of Captains that are VT commuters. So yes it’s possible.

SGRogue

How long of a drive is to EWR from where you'll live in VT? By the time you drive to your commute airport, wait for plane (or 2), and fly to EWR, you could be in the EWR parking lot. Burlington to EWR is only 5 hours.

pilotgolfer

Don’t get tunnel vision of only working for United. A commute to BWI for Southwest would be very feasible. I know quite a few who do that.

Deafguppy

I would stick to mainline service. From what I hear MHT and anything else served by express carriers isn’t a reliable option.

If pay isn’t an issue, you can just make sure you have two flights to get you to work, and if you don’t make it, no problem, just no pay.

Or just buy a throwaway Hyundai and drive it.

yardstick

It would be in the Woodstock/Norwich area. Google maps says that would be about 4.5. Do guys really drive that far in lieu of flying in? I get that you don’t have to rely on getting there by air, but man, that drive would get old...

sovt

I commute from Benington on a regular basis. If I were to push it it would take about 3.5. Instead I take the Taconic and it runs just shy of four. I commuted by air for 16 years with another airline. The drive is easy compared to that.


PM me if you want to get inti specifics.

dmeg13021

Honestly your best bet may be Hartford. It’s 2 hours and if flights aren’t looking good, keep driving. Good news is you wouldn’t be on reserve very long in EWR.

rnav2dlrey

UA cut all EWR-BDL service recently. it was even mostly (if not all) mainline in thw run up to the route being axed.