I haven't met many people that commute and are happy. The 4 days off can quickly turn into 2 days off if you commute and you end up working like 6 on 2 off.
Beetle,
Maybe allowing a commuter to comment on the subject would be more appropriate.
Many who are commuters will consider the following as everyday knowledge, but for those of you that do not and are considering commuting:
Commuting is less desirable than living in base. No matter how easy the commute, how short the flight, how many flights there are to choose from, etc. That said, there are many different factors that affect the ease of travel and QOL of a commuter.
The greatest indicator to an "easy" commute is really summed up by to questions: Are there multiple non-stop flights between you and your job? Do you have a significant number of flights to choose from throughout the day?
Lesser (but still important) factors: Is the route covered by your own airline? What jumpseat agreements does your carrier have with other carriers along the route? Are your carrier and the aforementioned others CASS? What is the distance/flight time between you and base? Do you cross multiple time zones?
Okay, that covers the flight part. Now the other factors: Do you have adequate/affordable parking at your "home" airport? How far do you live from your "home" airport?
What about your base? Do you have a need for a crashpad? What about transportation? Considering your company's scheduling characteristics, what chances do you have of commuting in/out on the same day as trips?
All of the above information will obviously vary depending on the individual; the provided information is generic and can be applied to anyone, anywhere. So, Beetle's observation that "all commuters seem unhappy" is not valid, IMHO.
As for my experience commuting at Spirit, I can offer the following:
I live in an area that benefits from many of the "commuter-friendly" answers to the above questions. I also benefit from bidding in the top third of my position in my base. That said, most lineholders would be able to bid similar to me, if they so chose to.
I have found that I can normally commute in/out of base on the same day on at least one side of a block of work days. I do generally spend one night in base either before or after a pairing, due to the fact that the pairings I bid are either early shows throughout or late shows throughout. This equates to an average of 3-4 nights a month in base.
It should be noted that if you bid West Coast flying or back-side flying, you can easily commute in and out on the same day, both sides. I don't choose to do so due to personal rest desires. These lines do tend to go junior, so if you want it, you got it.
Contrary to what you read on this board, there actually are numerous lines built that have greater than the minimum 4 days off in a row. They tend to have 5 and sometimes 6 days off between block days. They are usually found in lines with a greater number of days off. I bid these, and normally end up at home for 4 days in a row or more.
I do have both a crashpad and a personal car in FLL. I consider it a necessity. Hotels in FLL can be very expensive, and public transportation is inadequate and unreliable. I also prefer to have my own wheels for going out to eat, beach, etc.
For those that were interested, I hope this helps. Commuting is dynamic will tons of factors to consider. If you've never done it, don't rush to the decision before pouring over the details both alone and with those that it would affect. It works for me; I love where I live and refuse to live where I'm based. Quite simply, the pros outweigh the cons.
blue skies,
gator
