to leave one commuting reg. for one @ hm

[maxforwardspd]

Too all out there -- I know that this has been discussed many times on here and I just want to get your opinions -- especially those of you that have seen the changes that have taken place since 9-11 in the market...

I have a chance to be based at home with a good regional and have the opportunity to put an end to this commute that I am doing now. I have been at my current regional for just under one year. Commuting is no fun at all and has not been as easy as i thought that it would be...

ASA has offered me a spot on their team -- I would end the commute -- lose one year of seniority -- be at home -- be on reserve again -- (those are the pros and cons)

My thought process right now is that we may want to pick a home for the time being that will provide a QOL that is better, as the ride to the majors looks like it will be a lot longer and to be honest, I am thinking that some of us may call the regional home in today's setting...

--- thoughts --- send 'em my way!

 

[General Lee]

Give us a clue where you are at.......We can weigh the good and bad of each.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[maxforwardspd]

I live in Dallas but, will be commuting to ORD. Any input?

 

[bailout]

I cant answer totally with exp because I have never commuted, but I set out to work at ASA from the start because I live in ATL. If they would have placed me at DFW, I probably would have quit. This is not to say I wanted only ASA, but they just happen to be in ATL. If I lived in CVG, I would have wanted to go with Comair, in DFW, then Eagle, etc. My point is, I dont know how those guys do it. They miss a ton of home life. They all say "it's not so bad". But most of those guys are young with no family. Well good for them and I hope its not, but the last thing I would want to be doing is constantly worrying about getting back in time to catch the last flight home etc. Someone who commutes can chime in because Im sure not all commutes are bad depending on how far it is, etc, but from someone who doesnt, Id go with QOL. And yes in my book reserve at home is a better QOL than commuting with a line.

Just my .02

 

[General Lee]

I agree. Go for QOL----the pay difference may not be that bad, and ASA seems to be expanding at DFW--so you might be a line holder quickly, on a nice jet(maybe CR7----very nice jet), and DFW is the junior base. Take ASA.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[wil]

Come on over my friend!! Commuting stinks. Period. I stopped last month and I now vow never to do it again. Too much wasted time sitting in airports praying to get the last seat. I think the 50 seater should see good expansion in DFW. I believe most 70 growth will be ATL. And, since my mission is to feed Mainline, I hope that as loads increase we see more Mainline flights. All the best and welcome aboard. ASA really is a great place to be and I think that if you need to you can make a career here. PM if you have any questions- Cheers, Wil

 

[Saabslime]

I commuted for 3 years from DEN to MSP. My son was only 6 months old when I started here and I missed out on A LOT (first steps, first word, first day of preschool, ...you get the picture). Now I've spent the last 3 years living in domicile in DTW and it's like a whole new job. People told me I was crazy leaving DEN for DTW but I'd do it a thousand times over again. Feel like I'm actually a dad and a husband again. I still find it novel that I can finish a trip and drive home like a normal person instead of stressing out over whether or not I'll make it home for a whole 36 hours on those two days off. Go for the QOL man, you're time is too precious to have it wasted sitting around in airports and begging for rides when it could be better spent with your loved ones. But...everyone has their own recipe for happiness I guess.

 

[LegacyDriver]

Ditch the commute. You'll thank me later.

I am leaving my airline for the same reason. In fact, I'm looking to get out of the Regionals altogether... Commuting is the single biggest waste of time in one's life. If you can live in base you are much better off even if you cut your pay in half to do it...

 

[captainv]

it depends on the commute, i suppose. i think mine's pretty easy.

I live in ATL but work for Comair. i fly four 4-day trips a month. getting to work takes about 5 hours, coming home takes maybe 3. plus we have lots of layovers in ATL that are 20 hours or more, which is like getting an extra day off...

working for ASA would save me the commute, but it's not worth switching at this point. ASA's new RJs will bring their fleet numbers up to ours, but am i willing to go through training again, sit reserve again, until i can finally bid halfway decent trips? no thanks, not with a chance i could get assigned to DFW with no commuter clause.

don't get me wrong, ASA is a great place to work, and I am hoping that they will soon have an industry-leading contract, with work rules equal to or better than ours. but their growth will stagnate after they get these new jets, just as ours has. just take that into account as well.

the main reason i think like this is that life at Comair and ASA are very similiar. if the QOL at your current job isn't that great, absolutely make the jump. If you can get into ASA now, you'll at least be a lineholder by the time they get all the new jets.

 

[maxforwardspd]

thanks

Thanks to all of you that responded to this post. It is making the decision easier and easier. I am close to starting a family and all and will be at least 2 years away from an upgrade here, at Skywest... Then, once I make captain, I will be sitting reserve away from home again waiting on more growth and honestly, it makes me miserable...

Again, I thank all of you for your imput and I wanted to hear from those of you that have been involved in this career for a while... I am glad to see that you told me exactly what I was thinking. It is so easy to get caught up in the UPGRADE race and lose track of life and what is important in it! Again, thanks!

General Lee -- I knew that you would help me out!

 

[LegacyDriver]

Being at home is definitely more valuable than upgrading quickly. The absolute reduction in stress living in base is so much more valuable than you can possibly imagine. Like you said, it's easy to lose sight of the forest for the trees. I will never commute again, I can assure you.

Put some numbers to paper sometime. You will be ASTONISHED to find out how much time (at a minimum) you waste every year going to and from work. It's amazing.

 

[DDpaysoff]

I live in Dallas but, will be commuting to ORD. Any input?

Just a heads up, the DFW-ORD a/c are being transferred to ATL this summer to take some of the comair flights so they can take some of Chautaqua's flights in JFK so they can take some of comair's flights in cvg. ASA will no longer fly DFW-ORD, nor will any DCI carrier. Could be a competitive jumpseat on AA with all of their displacements and DFW being more senior than ORD at least it used to be. Also, APA only allows one jumpseater per cockpit jumpseat, but there is pretty much hourly widebody's from DFW-ORD.

 

[cvoav8r]

HHMMM??...The time away from home commuting, the Pay, the unlikelyhood of actually making to it a major airline, all this is making me wonder why poeple actually compete for these jobs.
It has occured to me that albeit possibly brief, the life an Ag pilot seems considerably better in every area of consideration. What is the point boys, your union takes your money, and in return that is the life you lead, why bother. Although you must carry a cell most of the time the corporate ranks sound significantly better as well. So what makes you stay???