AUS or SAT-ORD commuters

[RobG]

Anybody have experience jumpseating this route to work? I am considering being based out of ORD and curious how the commute is. I can go out of AUS or SAT to ORD (prefer AUS). Looks like there are a few direct flights from both airports everyday. I have rode with American on the MD-80 a few times back and forth from Austin and never seen it full. Any insight from you guys who do it regularly would be much appreciated. Thanks!

 

[bkey79]

SAT-ORD is my normal commute. I work at Chautauqa, and Republic has picked up most of the SAT-ORD flying from AE, so makes it easy for me. Every flight between the two are RJs, no mainline. That being said, its usually pretty close to full every time. I'd say 50/50 on riding in the back or up front. Last flight from ORD-SAT leaves at 630pm and last flight from ORD-AUS leaves at 8pm.

 

[CFIT99]

Shuttle also does AUS-ORD and SAT-ORD daily as United (not sure the frequency though)

 

[RobG]

SAT-ORD is my normal commute. I work at Chautauqa, and Republic has picked up most of the SAT-ORD flying from AE, so makes it easy for me. Every flight between the two are RJs, no mainline. That being said, its usually pretty close to full every time. I'd say 50/50 on riding in the back or up front. Last flight from ORD-SAT leaves at 630pm and last flight from ORD-AUS leaves at 8pm.

Does riding on your own company's metal give you any preference to request the jump seat? Or is it first come first serve / seniority based / PIC discretion....combination of all the above? Sorry, commuting NOOB here.

 

[bkey79]

Yeah you get priority on your own metal. I don't think there is a company out there that doesn't have that rule. But any RAH pilots then RAH dispatchers then Frontier pilots and dispatcher then (don't quote me, I don't have the GOM in front of me) other pilots of different airlines on a first come first serve.

Right now, American Eagle, Skywest, Mesa,(all CRJ 7's) Republic (RAH E175) and Shuttle America (RAH E175) do the route. Republic's E175 has a FA aft jump seat as well (in the aft galley). Our GOM says that only RAH employees can sit in that jump seat, but I know that most captains will allow other pilots sit in it. I've volunteered to sit back there to get other jumpers on to be legal.

The last half of November and so far in December, every flight has been oversold in both directions and I've been up front every time.

 

[RobG]

Thanks for the info.

 

[Seggy]

Commuting from AUS has gotten VERY difficult the last handful of years.

SAT isn't easier.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[turbomax97]

What Seggy said. My mate did the commute for a year then gave up and moved to Chicago.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I717 using Tapatalk