Pilot Commuting

sigmanu499

New Member
I plan to become an airline pilot. When I graduate with my BS in the summer I will start on my CFI, CFII, MEI. I would love to work for Continental Express or American Eagle. I plan to commute from Mexico City(hopfully). What are the rules for commuting? Do all airlines allow it? What happens if you plan to take flight 123 to work and flight 123 is delayed or canceled, does that count against you? Any info about this topic would be helpful. Or any info about getting a job with CoEx, or American Eagle would be helpful.
Thanks,
Aaron
 
Sup bro,
I am probably the least knowledgeable to answer these questions but i'll give it a try. From what I hear American Eagle wont be hiring for a while. I dont they have called back any furloughs yet. And for Coex, someone posted that they plan on recalling all their furloughs by the end of they year.

As far as communting goes, I do know that you are responisble for not getting to your domicile on time. Even if it flight 123 was delayed or canceled. I know a former FA for United who was based out of chicago. SHe would commute from LA, excpet in the winter because thats too risky becuase of weather delays and stuff.

And I dont know anything about commuting internationally. But if you have to go thru customs each time, that might too big of a pain the butt!

-Brian
 
Some airlines have "commuter" rules where they will work with you if you're not able to get on a flight and you've made your best effort.

Actually, I know some GDL-LAX commuters at Delta, besides a long ride to work, I don't think MEX would be impossible under normal circumstances.

American Eagle might not be hiring for a long time -- they're in the process of working on a seniority list merger (staple) with American Airlines. I don't know if it's going to happen or not, but if it does, whew!
 
Thats good news. I have one other question. Do you have to commute on your own airline or does that privilage extend to other carriers? Like what if I got a job at SWA, they dont fly to MEX? If you must commute on your own carrier, then does a codeshare carrier count?
Thanks,
Aaron

P.S.
Doug this is the best pilot web page ever! Keep up the good work.
 
You can commute on whoever you want, however I think most of the airlines commuter clauses if you get stuck only apply to travel on your own carrier.
 
Do most airlines allow you to back-to-back your duty? For instance, instead of working 4 days on, 3 days off, can you work 8 days on, 6 days off?

-Sean
 
How does being on reserve work ? Lets say your two hours away from base by plane .. how would that work ?
 
If you have the senority to do it then you can bid schedules that put your duty 'back to back' and give you a greater stretch of days off BUT there are some FAR's that limit how many days you can be on duty. You can only work 6 days in a row - you must have a day free from duty every 7 days. There are also various flight time limits - 8 hours in a 24 hour period and 30 hours in a 7 day period so if your trips are high on flight hours you may not be able to 'back to back' your duty.

Reserve depends on the airline. Most regionals have a 1 or 1.5 hour call out. Some of the majors have a 'long call' reserve where it may be 12 hours or even longer. Basically the airline doesn't care how long it takes you or how you get there as long as when they call you can report to duty within the airline's call out period. If you're 2 hours away from base via airliner then there is no way you could sit reserve from home unless you're on a long call reserve.

Jason
 
[ QUOTE ]
American Eagle might not be hiring for a long time -- they're in the process of working on a seniority list merger (staple) with American Airlines. I don't know if it's going to happen or not, but if it does, whew!


[/ QUOTE ]

Good Lord. If American and Eagle merge the list, Eagle won't be hiring until after you retire, Doug! <grin> I feel bad for the junior Eagle guys. If the lists merge, the backflow from mainline as they reduce their schedule will put ALOT of regional guys on the street with little hope of getting back on with Eagle. This could get very, very ugly.

Paul
 
This has sparked one more question. When you are flying reserve and you are scheduled for a 4 day period, and they call you on the 4th day does that mean you will start a multi-daytrip on the 4th day? Or does that mean that you will be back at your base at the end of the 4th day no matter what day they call you on?
 
That would depend on your particular airline's contract but generally you would be home that night. There are usually provisions in a contract where you could be extended into your days off but they usually have to pay you more. And remember that they can't fly you into the 7th day so on day 4 you could only get a 3 day trip at the most(days 4,5,and 6) and then you would have to have at least one day off.

Again, depends on the airline but most crew schedulers are intelligent enough to realize that it's better for everyone involved (themselves included) not to put a guy that only has one day of reserve left on a 3 or 4 day trip.

Jason
 
[ QUOTE ]
How does being on reserve work ? Lets say your two hours away from base by plane .. how would that work ?

[/ QUOTE ]

It probably wouldn't!
 
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