I've read through all the ONT and commuting threads but still had some lingering questions. Any help would be appreciated.

I live in SoCal, 2+00 away from ONT traffic dependant. My priority is to be able to spend as much time with my family as I can when not flying.

That being said, would the ideal base/aircraft be the following?

1) ONT 75/76
2) SDF or SDFZ 75/76 (which one?)
3) MIA 75/76
4) Not sure from here on down

I would think after ONT 75/76 then getting 75/76 somewhere is the next best choice, to be able to bid ONT when senior enough.

Also, what would commuting from ONT to another base look like? Are there lots of Brown tails going from ONT to other UPS bases out of ONT each day? Hard to get a seat on those flights? Any protection your probationary year if the flight doesn't make it due to reasons out of your control?

Thank you. Any advice would be appreciated!

 

If you have to commute, best way to do it is on a brown tail. Typical pilot commuting listing opens for us 12 days prior and is fcfs. You can be bumped by higher priority riders but rare, and book early enough and you’ve got no issue. If it’s canceled or delayed you’re not at fault. I commute offline when it’s convenient but I prefer to have a backup on company metal when I do. Never happened to me but otherwise the company can dock from your sick bank till you make it to work.

As for your list—you’re going to get faster seniority on domestic 75 vs Z, so I’d probably put them 2nd/3rd in that order. Just in case for whatever reason the hiring comes to a halt shortly after you start, you’ll have a better shot at holding a decent, commutable line.

As for MIA, I personally wouldn’t flirt with that as a SoCal commuter dude. There are zero direct flights between those city pairs so you’re looking at a 2 leg hop thru SDF and sitting the sort in between. I get that you’d be able to bid over to ONT with a future vacancy, but you’d risk living with that commute for 1.5+ yrs if the music stops. If it’s me, I bid the rest of SDF before MIA.

Argument should be made for ANC 74 to be 4th on your list. ONT-ANC has a direct flight 7 nights a week that’s not typically as full as all the Alaska-bound whales originating in Louisville. Same for the 2 flights back to SoCal. You might even get lucky and catch a 4 hour nap in the crew bunk. You likely have offline direct options available on FDX, AS, DAL if you’re close enough to LAX. Seniority progression in ANC will be quicker than most. Lots of western-US city commuters on the fleet (myself included), and even many in SoCal who choose to commute there instead of fly domestic out of ONT.

Hope this helps. The opinion is worth what you paid for it. Do you have a class date at Brown?

 

I’d go Airbus for #4 if you don’t get the first 3 choices. Apparently there were a few ONT slots in the last class. It’s really hit or miss. ONT is junior at the bottom and senior at the top so there’s always movement within the bottom 30%.

If you get stuck in SDF there’s plenty of flights between ONT-SDF and vice versa. SDF-ONT There’s one whale during the afternoon sort in addition to a 76 usually, maybe an MD and during the morning sort there’s at least 2-3 flights. ONT-SDF there’s usually 2-3 flights in the evening and about the same in the morning. You’ll get where you need to be even on the weekend.

As far as commuting on company metal all you need is one flight. If things are going tits up for some odd reason I’d give an extra option. I haven’t heard of anyone getting canned for commuting practices lately during their probationary year but I wouldn’t press to test. As long as you’re not trying to pull one over on the company and you’re being honest you should be ok.

 

IMO

ONT
SDF 757 (for seniority progression)
SDFZ (You'll be more junior longer on Z)
SDF Bus (for ease of commute, 18mo newhire transition freeze <seatlock>)
MIA a distant fifth due to commute pain

As mentioned, plenty of flights between ONT-SDF.

 

Sick bank? I've never heard of that, I thought you would just loose pay but no disciplinary impact. Seems to me that having your sick bank docked for anything but SIK or FAT goes against their philosophy of what the sick bank should be used for.

 

You are correct. Meant to comment on that too.