Commuting to work

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PaulS

New Member
If you work for regional carrier that is connected to a major airline (i.e. Delta Connection, Eagle, etc), do you have to live where you are based out of or can you live anywhere you want? I'm considering going to Comair, which as Delta affiliates. Would I be able to live in Chicago and commute to work, or do I have to live at the home base? I was just wondering about the requirements.
 
Thanks. I was wondering, how far in advance of your first flight are you supposed to be there to report for work?
 
The commute policy for my airline is that you have to have seats on two consecutive flights that have seats available to arrive at a reasonable time to check in on time.

But you have to beware of certain city pairs. For example, ORD to CVG has a LOT of commuters so you have to plan accordingly.
 
Thanks. What happens, though, if your first flight of a 3 day trip or so is at like 7am out of CVG and there are no flights from ORD to CVG before that? Do you come in the night before? If you do, are you responsible for paying for your accommodations?
 
Yes, if your trip does not permit a safe commute the morning you report, you would have to commute to your domicile the evening prior. In that case, you would be responsible for your own lodging. Many commuters keep a crashpad (basically an apartment split among a bunch of pilots to be used on occasions like this) in their domicile. If you only will need to do it once or twice a month, a hotel is usually more economical. While you do have to pay for the hotel yourself, as an airline employee discounted room rates are usually available at many hotels, and hotels near the airport usually have a free shuttle van to/from the airport.

Hope this helps!

FL270
 
In answer to another question you had, I believe most airlines require you to "report" 60 minutes prior to your first flight, so that is the time by which you'd have to be in domicile. Example: you are a CVG based pilot (as all Comair pilots are right now). The first flight on your trip is at 0830. Your report time would be 0730. Since it is impossible to make that show time with a morning commute, you'd commute in the day prior. The same thing can happen if your release time at the end of the trip is after the last flight of the night to wherever your home is.

FL270
 
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Thanks. What happens, though, if your first flight of a 3 day trip or so is at like 7am out of CVG and there are no flights from ORD to CVG before that?

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Yup. There were days that I'd leave PHX at 2pm for a 11:30am show the next day in DFW.

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Do you come in the night before? If you do, are you responsible for paying for your accommodations?

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Absolutely.
 
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The same thing can happen if your release time at the end of the trip is after the last flight of the night to wherever your home is.

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Ahh yes. At the end of the trip I'm doing this month, we get in at 2315, well after the last flight to PHX.

So last time, I picked up a one-day turn the next day to 'cost justify' getting a hotel room for myself, but the next trip, I'll proably just catch some Zzz's in the 'quiet room' in the pilot lounge and get up for the 6am America West flight home.
 
Thanks for that. So if you wanted to be cheap and save money, especially when the pay is low, you could always stay in the 'quiet room' instead of getting a hotel?
 
Everyone at our company who commutes as far as I know has a crashpad. Usually they are bungalows nearby the airport with a bunch of pilots from different airlines (ATA, SWA, ChiEx). Cost around $150 a month.
 
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Example: you are a CVG based pilot (as all Comair pilots are right now).

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I thought Comair had an Orlando domicile as well as a few others, is this not true?
 
Their other domiciles disappeared with their Brasilias a couple years ago. Their only base is CVG. MCO closed when the last Brasilia left. If you believe the rumor mill, a DFW or NYC base would be a logical next step. However, for now, it is Cinci-tucky or bust for the Comair folk.

FL270
 
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Thanks for that. So if you wanted to be cheap and save money, especially when the pay is low, you could always stay in the 'quiet room' instead of getting a hotel?

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Ah, the many nights I spent sleeping in the crew lounge in LGA and JFK......There were many commuters doing the same thing as I, and on the nights I actually got to sleep on a couch I was SO happy! You'd be amazed at just what you'll do to get a few hours of sleep. Did you know you can sleep on two rolling office/desk chairs pushed together?
 
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Thanks for that. So if you wanted to be cheap and save money, especially when the pay is low, you could always stay in the 'quiet room' instead of getting a hotel?

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Umm, within reason. The quiet room isn't really meant for anything more than an extended nap. Like if you get in at midnight and your commuter flight home is at 6:00am -- which is still 'pushing' it.

Not all pilot lounges have 'quiet rooms' though and it might just be a Delta-thing.
 
Commuting sounds like a pain in the neck to me. I am an intern with ExpressJet and see people commute all time and I still don't know how you commuters do it. I know a guy who commutes from L.A. to Houston everyweek and crashes on the couch in the place I'm renting. I suppose I just don't like the idea of spending my WHOLE life on a plane... don't get me wrong, I love to fly, but being in one for things other than work or pleasure just seems like a waist of my time. That is just me personally though... I just hope I am based somewhere I can deal with.
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The choice to commute is a balance between sacrificing some of your time off for the commute versus living in the place of your choice. If the free time is more important to you, then live in domicile. On the other hand, many people have family concerns (spouse with good job, kids in school, nearby relatives) or lifestyle preferences that make it more important to them to commute, even at the cost of some of their off days.

As a corporate pilot, I have no choice but to live where I fly. I am actively seeking an airline job so that I may have some control over where I live. Depending on the job I get, and the base I'm assigned, I'll make the commute vs. live in domicile decision at that time.

FL270
 
Commuting to work isn't fun. I've been commuting from the west coast to the east coast for a year now. Forgetting the hassle of trying to get on a flight, the time involved equals a lot of wasted time.
 
I'm curious what the fractional guys think about their commutes. Is it included in the duty time? What are the limits on where you can live (distance from a "commutable" airport and such)?

Anyone?
 
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