1. Not a Time Saver. Even though my commute flight went from 3-ish hours to about 60 minutes, I actually spend as much time “block to block“ commuting. Primarily because PHX-DTW, I could book a jumpseat and know i was going to get on the flight. Since it’s all connection or off-line commuting, I have to leave enough time for ”Plans A-E” and often time I end up spending hours on end in LAX before my flight leaves which often exceeds the amount of time I’d spend getting to DTW. Most of the flights in the 320 package end after 10pm and there are no options to get back to PHX. The only options at this point are sleeping in the quiet room in the pilot lounge or getting a hotel. The first (viable) flight is about 0630 so, considering statement #2 (below), it doesn’t make any economic sense to get a hotel. However, I’ll spend 7+ hours at the airport in order to wait for an hour flight home. Compared to DTW where it would range from running like a madman to make a 20 minute connection home, to about a two hour sit before flying home. A shorter flight does not mean a shorter commute AT ALL
2. Fewer Hotels at a Much Higher Cost. I averaged about a hotel and a half per month in DTW and even staying at the nicer places on the Marriott program, my costs rarely were more than about $70. In LAX, it’s been about a room per month which generally START at $150 and a majority of the trips on the 320 arrive after the last connection to get back to PHX.
3. Better Food Options. You’re about a 15 minute walk from the terminal to Westchester with coffee shops, ramen shops, sandwich shops, Sushi, that famous In N Out Burger and a grocery story that airport food is a worse case scenario option.
4. Crowded! Hot damn, it feels like literally everyone industry-wide that based in LA appears to be living in PHX. So if you’re one of 15 jumpseaters, it’s fairly normal. Often, you’ll arrive at the gate and the other pilots have been trying all morning to make it out of PHX or LAX.
5.. West Coast Best Coast - CHANGE MY MIND!
6. Southwest - Best jumpseat and most pro-jumpseater policy in the business. They shouldn’t pay for drinks on OAL when non-revving, AT ALL.
2. Fewer Hotels at a Much Higher Cost. I averaged about a hotel and a half per month in DTW and even staying at the nicer places on the Marriott program, my costs rarely were more than about $70. In LAX, it’s been about a room per month which generally START at $150 and a majority of the trips on the 320 arrive after the last connection to get back to PHX.
3. Better Food Options. You’re about a 15 minute walk from the terminal to Westchester with coffee shops, ramen shops, sandwich shops, Sushi, that famous In N Out Burger and a grocery story that airport food is a worse case scenario option.
4. Crowded! Hot damn, it feels like literally everyone industry-wide that based in LA appears to be living in PHX. So if you’re one of 15 jumpseaters, it’s fairly normal. Often, you’ll arrive at the gate and the other pilots have been trying all morning to make it out of PHX or LAX.
5.. West Coast Best Coast - CHANGE MY MIND!
6. Southwest - Best jumpseat and most pro-jumpseater policy in the business. They shouldn’t pay for drinks on OAL when non-revving, AT ALL.
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