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Old 05-08-2012 | 09:42 PM
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Default Commuters...how do you do it?

Trying to wrap my brain about moving to a domicile. We love where we live, I have an easy commute, I've never lived in base...how the heck do you guys cope with this? Don't you bash your head against the wall with all the time we spend commuting or am I alone on this?

When I say easy, easier than most. It still sucks the time out of my life.
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Old 05-08-2012 | 09:49 PM
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I got hired at Atlas to fix the problem. We do have a number of former UAL guys that did the same.

We have "gateways", which is more or less like home basing (not EXACTLY the same). I drive 20" to my local airport and have a ticket waiting for me. Usually coach in the 50 states and business or first on intntl flights. It is kind of commuting, but I don't have to worry about getting to/from work and I now have frequent flyer status on AA/UAL/DAL, and will probably get it later this year on EK also.

If need be, they will buy me a ticket/change my itinerary on a one hour notice if my schedule changes or there is a problem with my travel and/or they will upgrade me to business/first if necessary to get a seat on a required flight.

It is BRILLIANT!

cliff
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Old 05-09-2012 | 05:42 AM
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Originally Posted by bearcat
Trying to wrap my brain about moving to a domicile. We love where we live, I have an easy commute, I've never lived in base...how the heck do you guys cope with this? Don't you bash your head against the wall with all the time we spend commuting or am I alone on this?

When I say easy, easier than most. It still sucks the time out of my life.
Don't follow the metal, or move for the company. That said domicile may close, or shrink, and then what? Back to commuting (maybe even a worse one), and you might be living where you don't like.
If you love where you live, and have an "easy" commute, I wouldn't move (just my two cents having been there...)
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Old 05-09-2012 | 07:06 AM
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Originally Posted by Short Bus Drive
Don't follow the metal, or move for the company. That said domicile may close, or shrink, and then what? Back to commuting (maybe even a worse one), and you might be living where you don't like.
If you love where you live, and have an "easy" commute, I wouldn't move (just my two cents having been there...)
That's what I was thinking. Only problem is wife and I are both born and raised in Chicago. Currently live in PHX. I love sunshine and margaritas. I've gone as far as buying tickets on SWA to LAX when they are 50 bucks. Usually when the flights are wide open...
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Old 05-09-2012 | 07:37 AM
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FWIW,
I commuted PHX to either LAX or SFO for 12 years, never bought a ticket and never had a problem getting to work (SFO WX a couple of times) or home. Believe PHX - LAX one of the easiest commutes in the system.
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Old 05-09-2012 | 08:53 AM
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DAL Vegas to LAX or SLC. If I had followed the metal at the beginning (a lot of guys moved to ATL when hired) I would have been SCREWED with no contacts when I was furloughed. While I would love to live where I work we have become happy with the cost of living and my commute is just part of the job (for me it's only about 2-2.5 hours on each side of a trip - wish it were shorter but frequency and good wx means I usually don't have to go in to early and only once have had to fly in the night before). Either get used to it, accept it as part of the job, enjoy where you live or move to a junior domicile (you should have some seniority now) and don't commute.
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Old 05-09-2012 | 11:05 AM
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Originally Posted by atpcliff
We have "gateways", which is more or less like home basing (not EXACTLY the same). I drive 20" to my local airport and have a ticket waiting for me.

cliff
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That has to be the shortest drive to the airport in history!
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Old 05-09-2012 | 01:59 PM
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Originally Posted by CitationD
That has to be the shortest drive to the airport in history!
Got him beat! Takes me 12 minutes to the FLL airport, and another five to be parked and walking through security! Flights to EWR are late quite a bit of the time... 30 mins -1:00, but my commute usually takes around 3:30 or so. Not too bad as I fly with a lot of pilots/flight attendants that live on Long Island, spend 3-4hours in traffic EACH WAY, and have to pay a LOT of tolls to get to work. I prefer to live in Florida and enjoy the easier paced lifestyle!
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Old 05-09-2012 | 02:12 PM
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Hahaha!!!

I got that joke...

12" = 12 inches

Thanks for the laugh!
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Old 05-09-2012 | 02:50 PM
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Originally Posted by captain152
Hahaha!!!

I got that joke...

12" = 12 inches

Thanks for the laugh!
Or he meant the 20" means twenty seconds, not twenty minutes the poster meant.

20' would be 20 minutes. 20" is 20 seconds.

20 seconds is quite the short drive to the airport...
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