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

FL base jokes aside - if CLE can hang on as a regular base with an ORD CP, then there is potential for a couple of others along similar lines. When the 757s ride into the sunset the growth of the MAX fleet might tip the scales. BOS, MCO, and LAS all have more mainline departures than CLE. A BOS base with an EWR CP and a LAS base with LAX CP come to mind. Not sure if an IAD CP could cover MCO. Hadn’t thought about this in a long time… but the impact of all those new MAXes could actually make it worthwhile for the CO to open some new bases. We’ll see in a few years, I won’t hold my breath though.

Do we know when the drop in 50 seaters begins?

Your guess is as good as mine. If you want to keep an eye on things for your own entertainment, this fleet website might be a good place to look. https://sites.google.com/site/united...fleet-tracking

One thing I think we’ll need is more mainline capable gates, and the only places I know we are getting more soon are DEN plus some in the new EWR Terminal 1.

Outsider looking in. What's the most junior number in CLE CA for this most recent vacancy?

6403.
Filler

Wow. What’s the most junior CLE CA right now, before 22-02?

I think this dude is a weird plant or really asks a lot of odd questions for someone who doesn’t work at United. His posts remind me of those HR e-mails that say “hey look, open this attachment.”

It looks like it’s going to be around for a while looking at this vacancy bid. Good for the Cleveland guys.

There are times where having a small pilot base is tactically important to the company.

Take, for example, the Azores flight that launches on the Max next summer. You think United is going to do ORCA training and qualification on the whole EWR base for just one oceanic trip? That trip will probably be flown by CLE pilots via a EWR layover and UA saves on training hundreds of pilots.

A small base like CLE has value in that alone.

The fleet is already ORCA qualified. Just take the Atlantic WOM exam and the captains will have to do a supervised trip just other airports. HI isn’t base specific, it’s oceanic, and just as far.

That’s not correct. Every pilot has to do an Atlantic crossing with a LCA to be qualified.

Don’t know that they’ll consider half way as a crossing, but even if they do, it’s a non-event. Go with an LCA and check a box. It’s not like oceanic flying is difficult. I’d rather do that than listen to a bunch of children meowing or talking about Brandon on guard flying domestic.

Will azores be flown as a turn by one crew?

The CLE base is now up to 27 mainline flights/day, started in November, When this thread started, 13 flts/day was pretty good,

Hedley, you are right about Guard 121.5, sounds like kindergarten...

CLE 737 FO, 27 Unfilleds.

Is CLE offered to new hires?

Normally, no. It’s been very senior historically with not a lot of movement. But, with unfilled vacancies they could be offered. Not a guarantee, though.

continental probably did

I was a United pilot, furloughed, and came back on the Continental side before the SLI was complete. I was third most junior in my class (mostly furlough returns and 2 new hires) and got Cleveland by choice - the other Cleveland slot went to one of two new hires in the class.

This was in 2013.

Open an Orlando base and I'll apply the same day.

I know I'm just one person but... everyone in my new hire class at NK all chose NK for the bases...

FWIW

If we opened an Orlando base, no one under 50% would be there lol.

So you're saying... there's a chance ! {insert meme that wouldn't populate....}

Post 22-04V, able to hold a line in CLE CA at around 6300 seniority?

I have to ask…. why does this matter to you? That’s so far into the future for someone not employed by United.

Any updates to this in 2025? Thanks in advance.

most recent vacancy bid had two captains leave for the 787 but were backfilled. Zero attrition.
FOs are also being backfilled if they leave. Will that continue? I don’t know. I’ve been worried about it since the early 2000s but I’m still here. Do whatcha like.

After the most recent vacancy bid it shows 143 Captains and 135 FOs.

In the last year it has shrunk by about 10 Captains and 10 FOs. This also happened at several other bases as we were way ahead on 737 staffing and then the deliveries stopped with the Boeing debacle. So, at some of the pilots that bid out of the base were not replaced. That seems to be over as anybody that bid out recently was replaced.


I don't think there is any plan to actually shrink any of the bases as we are finally getting 737s at a faster pace again, so while I don't think it will grow significantly, I also don't think it will shrink. With all the 737s coming I see the most likely outcome as a small amount of growth.

No indication of any near-term risk. The question is long term. Are you worried about finishing your career in Cleveland in 2035 or 2055?

I just started at AA a few weeks ago, I live in PIT so I can drive 2 hours to cle and sit reserve at my house. I have little kids so that makes me want that more than anything. If UA calls me soon I just want to be able to make an educated decision about what the future holds there. I know it’s hard to tell and nothing is guaranteed. Just trying to get as much info as I can. Thank you guys.

There's no indication that Cleveland is at any risk anytime soon ... certainly not while you still have little kids.

Cleveland is a small base and there's not a ton of movement - pilots are typically there because they want cleveland. junior FO currently about 1500 off the bottom. Current prediction is over 2000 pilots hired in 2026. FWIW.