Could someone explain this to Fletch, I'm too tired and he is too WE TODD DID!!!!!!
You both have points, but the main problem is that the rules required for a virtual base would make the company unwilling to do them.
My man, are you seriously that obtuse? Yes, a day trip would be more effective in mitigating the need for a hotel (in comparison to a 3 or 4 day trip) but 3 and four day trips that begin and end in the domicile/virtual base also mitigate the need for a hotel.
Yes, good lines out of MCO and BWI would "steal" some of the good lines away from ATL, where many live. However, the majority of our pilots are commuters, so there would be some popularity for them, too.
Again, you would have to create rules to keep the flying somewhat even, give 90 days notice to open or close a "virtual" base, etc, and, by the time you were done, IF you protected everyone properly, the rules would probably kill the cost savings to the company in hotels.
It's either that, or let the company have "free reign" over what they do with a virtual base and we'd live to regret it. Guaranteed. No WAY the company will do the right thing for crewmembers if it costs ANY money; our senior management has proven that time and time again, and in recent history as well.
Is it really that hard to understand? I mean Atlanta has no day trips that I know of and they somehow manage to not send us to a hotel.
Actually, they put people up in hotels all the time with re-scheduling due to lack of crews. Summer flying is worse because of the increased schedule, but it still happens.
No, a virtual base would have reduced hotel costs but, by limiting the types of lines they build so that they can't "cherry pick" everything and leave ATL natives with crap trips, the company would save on ONLY hotels, and not everywhere else (like line efficiency), so they'd likely not want to sign an LOA with proper protections for everyone.
No one should have to suffer while someone else benefits.
