utahpilot

ONT would be the easiest commute for me, wondering how schedules could/would be for a newbie

thx

Naven

On the bottom of the list in ONT you most likely will have what is called a baseline. You will be multiple short trips a week. Commuting wont be fun. The good news is you should move up fairly quickly.

utahpilot

thanks. After moving up quickly then, what kind of schedules could one hold in ONT? Is it senior?

FTFF

A bunch of SLC guys are based on various fleets in SDF vs ONT. They had reasons but can't recall anything specific. Maybe that the commute and schedules are easier out of sdf?

FTFF

Just texted a SLC guy, here's what I got:

http://inside.ipapilot.org/tools/jumpseats/index.php

Lots more options and frequency on UPS between SDF and SLC than SLC and ONT. Looks like DAL is the only pax carrier between SLC and ONT (beware of RJs and commuting) but there are no directs between SLC and SDF making it a two legger if you don't take a browntail. DAL direct flights to CVG and BNA out of SLC if you get in a pinch. UAL and SWA have direct flights to sdf out of DEN and SWA from LAS and PHX, not sure how easy it is to get to these places.

SLC ONT backup through LAX is problematic. Rental car with drop off fee, use company limo service = $$, or intra airport shuttles between LAX and ONT. Nothing easy and/or cheap.

Archie Bunker

Is it senior? Well...it's senior to you, and will be for a long time. That means you will have absolute garbage left over at the bottom of the bid.

I'm ONT based, with 10 years seniority, and I've already bid back to ANC to escape the lousy schedules. That's how bad it is...I'd rather commute to ANC, than deal with the ONT bid package.

If you have to commute to ONT being super junior, I feel sorry for you. I've looked at some of the Base Trip Lines, and counted no less than 14 report times in a bid period. I live in domicile, and that would be heinous...I can't imagine commuting to a line like that. Basically, you'd be living out here, so you might as well move here.

I have no idea if SDFZ or domestic are any better. I don't know if reserve goes junior out there or not, but reserve would probably offer you the best QOL, if you can hold it. Maybe FTFF can comment.

FTFF

Not sure of the avg number of reports/bid period out east for the junior guys. Depends on fleet and what you bid to fly. Guys in and around my class time frame vary from 2 week on/off reserve, VTO's, base trip lines, turns, and an occasional normal line. I would say a good majority commute and on average do it twice to sometimes three times per pay period (4weeks). Assuming a large number of those reports in ONT, as they are in SDF, are turns (pairings of out and backs, locals, day trips, whatever you call them) and on the base trip lines, then the actual number of times you would have to commute is much less since they block the pairings together. Lots of commercial DH's on base trips that reduce the number of commutes as well. A guy on the MD from ONT once told me something along the lines of that he is home way more being based in SDF on the MD bidding base lines than he would be as a somewhat senior lineholder in ONT. I heard guys around my seniority in ONT were getting a lot of HOTs (airport ready standby or dozing for dollars) for what that's worth.

Something to consider if you get on here: the 75/76 gives you options - sdf, sdfZ (intl), MIA, and ONT, whereas the Airbus, MD, and whale are largely restricted. New fleet (long term) training sux especially if you commute so having the flexibility of the 75/76 can pay off especially if things get stagnant again.

FTFF

It's too lengthy to post here but we do have language in our contract that requires UPS to build commuter friendly schedules. At least to a certain extent.

Missed Service

Just like our language for hotels, catering, layover times to manage sleep? Ya that has worked out well in the real world.....

FTFF

Well, UPS doesn't create a large number of lines with big blocks of days off out of kindness....