New QX Bases

SurferLucas

SurferLucas

Southern Gentleman
I'm very unhappy to report that QX has decided to split up bases in the "spirit of limiting 'soft time' and 'hotel cost'" , but more importantly "per diem" cost.

GEG and BOI might be easy to fill due to them being former QX bases with a number of commuters in each (thankfully senior guys mostly). It's funny that those bases were shut down after QX pilots voted in the union and George Bagley (CEO at the time) fired off at the BOI base "I hope you enjoy loosing your base".

Base breakdowns:
Lines by Captain/FO
PDX - 86/81
SEA - 48/46
BOI - 23/22
GEG - 23/22
MFR - 26/25

Just something to take into consideration if you're thinking about applying at QX in the coming months.
 
Don't more bases mean more reserve lines and more pilots needed? So all the savings of per diem and hotel costs are going to hire more pilots?
 
We have 600 pilots, and the "projection" is for 402 lines spread among the bases (regular lines, reserve lines and composite lines)...sounds like funny math to me.
 
skyw82 said:
Don't more bases mean more reserve lines and more pilots needed? So all the savings of per diem and hotel costs are going to hire more pilots?
Click to expand...

That's the issue Colgan would have with out stations. They would sometimes have a CA or FO reserve line at an out station with maybe 6 regular lines. The reserve guy would normally get called into the hub to take over for someone at another out station, and inevitably someone would bang out sick 2 hours before a 530am out station show, with no reserve available.
 
I can remember when Horizon had bases in Spokane and Boise. As far as the reserve thing, I could see them keeping the staffing low in base and having a large number in PDX. In base guys could cover emergencies and regular open flying could be covered from PDX. Also, don't about the contract, but forced reskeds could lessen the need for reserves.
 
Talking with some friends that just did AQP ground, and our VP of Flight Ops confirmed we're about 15 crews heavy with a new base alignment. He's "hoping" that we get enough attrition to not furlough...pure BS. This is all about messing with peoples lives. We have a Captain in PDX that will be bidding #18, with 28 years (!) seniority. To hold PDX as a Captain, you will need atleast 19 years to hold reserve.
 
I was outstation based for a few monthe when I first was hired. Its great if you live there it is a nightmare if you don't.
 
Boise and Spokane aren't really that big of issues for us, we have numerous crewmembers that still live in those cities as they were bases back in the Metro/Baby Dash/F.28 days. We also have hourly flights to Spokane and 7-8 from SEA to BOI.

Medford is the big issue. MFR is a CAT I airport that's at the south end of Oregon...we might have 1 or 2 people that commute from there. We have 9-10 flights daily between LAX, SEA and PDX...which makes for a commuting nightmare. In addition, just one schedule change...say a drop of the LAX-MFR flight, and the 3rd RON goes away. This is part of our company's justification of a base there "Well, we have 3 RON's and we can save monies".

It's a terrible decision on the company's part...but then again, our management has been know to do petty things. Pilot's get control of their schedules and a pay raise from an arbitrator...well, let's just move bases and show them we still can make'em bend over.
 
Do you think you'll get bumped to an outstation? ATL to GEG (or especially MFR) seems like it would be a tough slog.
 
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