As far as I can tell in the contract, a purchased ticket isn’t specifically covered. During Indoc this year however a certain domicile chief pilot did mention that we’d be covered purchasing tickets - but there isn’t contractual language to support that - and commuting multiple times a month makes purchasing tickets a bit pricey.

 

Have you or anyone else based in ANC had to pay for a confirmed seat on any of those pax carriers when commuting to/from ANC? Or have jumpseats on those pax carriers been easy to come by?

 

ANC can be extremely tough to JS on, especially during the summer time. Most people I know buy tickets up there.

 

I shudder to think how much we would have to give up in section six to achieve that sort of quality of commuting life gain.

 

What does section 6 have to do with a better commuter clause?

 

Because we won't get a better commuter clause outside of section 6 negotiations and would likely have to give something up to see any gains.

 

Look in the contract
Article 5.S.2

“Cancellation or delay of a commercial flight”

So you’re not protected if you don’t get a seat assignment but as long as you have a boarding pass, whatever happens after that is out of your control and discipline is prohibited.

 

Thanks. Guess the hardest part would be finding an affordable crash pad?

 

As a younger dude, I know plenty who simply JS on UPS. There have been enough flights recently getting you to the lower 48 and I have yet to see someone get bumped off a flight ANC-SDF. In the past year of commuting to SDF-ANC however, I've seen maybe 1 or 2 guys get bumped from SDF-ANC commute, but they were able to get the next flight out. I have no doubt that CAs just buy a ticket, as they exist in a tax bracket that allows ownership of properties in multiple different countries...but most of us are not there yet.

The morale of the story is to give yourself plenty of options and time buffer when commuting on Brown SDF-ANC (especially first year), and you'll be ok. If you pick the very last flight to make it before your trip, you're rolling the bones. IMHO It's far better to spend the extra hours in an ANC crashpad or hotel than to be stuck in SDF at your ANC departure time.

 

Can anyone speak to what the company means in the bid packs (75/76 domestic or Airbus) by calling some lines "Base Trip Lines?" I notice they are all at the bottom of the bid pack just above reserve and VTO lines and look very commuter unfriendly (7~ish reports per 28 days, short turns between trips, etc.). Trying to figure out as a prospective light twin new hire (commuter) if these would be a part of my life and for how long. Performed a search on the forum and couldn't find much. Thanks!