Future of CLE 737 pilot base
 

With the shifting of flying in the UA system and the re-thinking of the hub & spoke system to more leisure destinations, how secure is the CLE base for 737 pilots. I heard some time back that they are letting attrition close the base, and now with around 13 flights/day, is this base going to stay open.

I'm not sure your logic is quite correct. While I admit I am surprised CLE is still open 10 years after the merger, there are some signs of life. The last 2 bids have had Captain vacancies, therefore the death through attrition is not the case.

The point to point leisure flying is probably good for CLE, but this flying will probably dry up as the flying picks up and we return to more hub and spoke model.

CLE is also a good backup for both ORD and EWR and sometimes IAH. We don't get huge delays the big hubs get and are able to get flights out when needed.

CLE has a great maintenance base and does a lot of work on the overnight aircraft.

Will CLE outlive ORD or SFO as a base, no. Will it enable the current pilots to drive to work and provide for the families that want to continue to live in Ohio for at least a few more years, I hope so.

If you want it, bid it.

That is great to hear such positive news, over here on the west coast, we were thinking that with the removal of the chief pilot position in CLE, it was meaning the demise of the base, but time has proven otherwise.
You guys are lucky to have such a good 737 maintenance base in CLE, seems like their reputation for excellence has spread throughout the system, if fact a few years ago, the CLE techs. were training the ORD techs on overnight checks.
CLE sounds very tempting on the bid.

I think the recent NB purchase announcement and corresponding pullback in 50 seat flying is a very positive sign for CLE remaining a pilot base. It may not grow much in total flights, but it could certainly see much more mainline flying. Today there were 25 total UAL/UAX departures. Twelve of those flights were UAX, and all but four were to hubs. The four oddballs went to HHH, FLL, etc.

A few years back I was dumbfounded to see that we served CLE to BOS with 50 seaters while JB (and I think Spirit) served it with mainline. No wonder we cancelled that route… and of course DAL immediately added service. Now, with NBs coming for all my friends, we will be able to compete head to head on any route out of there. At least we’ll be able to serve all our hubs with mainline aircraft for starters. I’m saying there’s a chance….

CLE will be the main base for the Boom and the electric flying taxi thing.

Old school thinking says domiciles have to be hubs... Cleveland has proven that doesn’t always hold true.
With PBS and the commonality of our 737 domestic fleet type it’s possible to place a domicile almost anywhere. I’ve often wondered if our lack of a southeastern domicile hasn’t limited interest amongst potential new hires.

I hope CLE hangs in there also, especially for guys like yourself. I like going through there and got to fly some Florida to CLE flights recently. And when in the holding pattern somewhere east of ORD, it’s a relief knowing a drop into CLE will cover everything. Some excellent CLE based flight attendants I’ve worked with recently also. Had a mechanical on a ANC-ORD that cancelled the all nighter last month. The company wanted us to ferry the airplane after rest period….all the way to CLE.

The company wanted the plane ferried to CLE since they knew it would be fixed in a timely manner. I have heard of other unique stuff like… plane ferried to CLE for a potable water disinfection…..ferried a plane to CLE for a rivet needing to be installed for the R1 door slide… and the list goes on..

posting while high is frowned upon