Commuting

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Diadem
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Commuting

Post by Diadem »

SR looks like a pretty good option with my kind of experience, seeing as I could get upgraded relatively quickly into a transport category jet, and I'd be on the PML, but I've hesitated because it's a little far from home. Would it be reasonable to commute to YYZ from out west? Is it possible to bid pairings grouped together? What travel agreements are there with Air Canada and WestJet?
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jpilot77
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Re: Commuting

Post by jpilot77 »

There are Sky pilots that commute from Vancouver Island to YYZ. Also you can request the commuter schedule which has you work more days together and tries to get you more days off together. After 6 months you get AC passes. Jumpseat agreament with WestJet, Transat and a whole bunch of other operators.
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nightbird
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Re: Commuting

Post by nightbird »

Jump seat agreement with Westjet should be available right away no need to wait 6 months
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jpilot77
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Re: Commuting

Post by jpilot77 »

Jump seat agreements start day one.
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CZBBYYZPilot
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Re: Commuting

Post by CZBBYYZPilot »

Commuting is perhaps doable, but there's no actual commuting policy like they have at Jazz, Encore, Porter, or even PASCO. You're not protected if you can't make it to work, even if you've listed several flights ahead of time. If you live out west, you may not get home more than 7 or 8 days a month (one good stretch). It's doable but maybe not ideal.
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sanjet
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Re: Commuting

Post by sanjet »

Sky is a great company but just remember it’s a regional airline. Commuting from the west can become quite tiresome given the expected shedule of a regional carrier.
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GATRKGA
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Re: Commuting

Post by GATRKGA »

The western commute is easier than YUL-YYZ. Never been bumped off, always plenty of options between WJ, AC, Transat.

The great thing about commuting schedules is you load up the flying in bulks, and get big chunks of time off. The drawback is being available to the company in large chunks seems to promote the likelihood of getting 3 or 6 day chunks of reserve as opposed to a regular schedule where they have to give you a reset every few days apart. So a lot of commuters go to the commuter schedules between *8-12* days of max duty during busy months, and resort to the standard schedule build during the slow times of the year. Playing with your vacation is also another great tool. Place vacation during slow months to avoid reserve.

Some guys do crash pads, some others do hotels. Lots of commuter rates in the vicinity of YYZ. Plan to spend between 600 to 800 bucks a month in hotels plus your commuting costs. Crash pad is a cheaper alternative. Or pick up 1 or 2 texas turns on draft (as FO) and you cover more than your commuting costs for the month. Working 13-14 days a month makes picking up 2 days of draft a non-event. The commute out west definitely works.

Jetlag is certainly a challenge. 3 hours is enough to screw with you having to start that 530AM report (230am in Victoria for me). Look at it as a training tool for when you fly the heavies. I have learned to cope with it by sleeping when ever I have to. Sometimes I'll sleep at 6PM and wake up at 2AM and be up for the rest of the day and feel like a million bucks. Other times I make use of controlled rest in the flight deck if I need a small nap. I bid for later starts, it's a mixed bag whether I get it or not.
CZBBYYZPilot wrote: Wed Feb 14, 2018 6:00 am Commuting is perhaps doable, but there's no actual commuting policy like they have at Jazz, Encore, Porter, or even PASCO. You're not protected if you can't make it to work, even if you've listed several flights ahead of time. If you live out west, you may not get home more than 7 or 8 days a month (one good stretch). It's doable but maybe not ideal.
True - But calling crewsched 1 hour before report cause you're stuck in 401 traffic bodes more serious consequences than if I got bumped off a flight 6 hours prior to my report. No different than a DH getting cancelled for an outstation start. They get it, don't think twice of it. That's what they have reserve for. Things happen. If they need you bad enough, they will fly you out positive space. Otherwise you lose the pay credits, shrug your shoulders, apologize, move on. They have bigger fish to fry than an employee getting bumped off standby travel.

YYZ Captain several years.
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confusedalot
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Re: Commuting

Post by confusedalot »

So....If I get this right, commuters have preference over resident crew? Sure wasn't like that when I was there, all I got was minimum rest and barely ever got two days off in a row. Oh wait a minute, maybe I got crappy schedules because I was a resident in my base.......
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CZBBYYZPilot
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Re: Commuting

Post by CZBBYYZPilot »

No, nobody gets preference. You can either be on the default 36 hrs off in 7 days rest schedule in Merlot, or opt into having 3 days off in 17 and working up to 12 days in a row. Then Merlot will try to give you a long stretch of days off together. That's the commuting option. You'll still get reserve days, and other than you're long stretch off, you'll likely only get 3 day resets on the other days off.
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confusedalot
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Re: Commuting

Post by confusedalot »

Not sure that this system was in place pre 2015 but if it was, should have asked for a commuting roster, which I am somewhat sure I would be denied since I was resident in my base. Which comes full circle, commuters are de facto favored by the system. Non commuting schedules were by far undesirable (for left seaters anyway), minimum time off at sporadic times, etc...and I was a relatively senior guy which meant nothing anyways according to merlot.
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CZBBYYZPilot
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Re: Commuting

Post by CZBBYYZPilot »

. should have asked for a commuting roster, which I am somewhat sure I would be denied since I was resident in my base.
I don't think they had that option till 2016 or 2017.
I'm a Toronto resident and opted into the 3 in 17/ "commuter" schedule. I like having the days off together, even though I live closeby. I do like to travel though, and this schedule gives me that option.
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confusedalot
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Re: Commuting

Post by confusedalot »

Thanks for the info, at least some progress has been made since my time.
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