Port System List

[alexmacdonald3]

Hello all. I know there are many many threads on the port system and I've read a bit, thank you all for the contributions. I've recently applied and am trying to get a better understanding. Is there a list of current port cities someone could publish on this forum? I apologize if this has been asked and answered already.

[KAG]

Halifax
Toronto
Winnipeg
Regina or Sask? Can't remember which
Edmonton
Vancouver
Victoria

The western ports work better then YYZ, but that will change with time. YYZ is a focus for the company to make it work better. YHZ is seasonal in terms of effiency.

[LisaS]

Kelowna.

[McDoo the Irish Navigator]

Yhz Numbers are steady. What KAG said was true when we had a Transat contract.
There is also a Port in YOW and a Flight attendant only Port in Montreal.

[stickontheice]

and almost Comox! Just need some more FA's to sign up!

[KAG]

How is YHZ working these days?

[Old fella]

How is YHZ working these days?

Great......... WX is getting better, lots of sweet young things strolling the waterfront and the Keith's is just as cold. Simon and Garfunkel are in town over the summer, ditto for Black Eyed Peas, Port of Wines is stocked up with 2005 Bordeaux(one of the best years). The Split Crow/Halifax Ale House/Privateers(Lower Deck) et al are just as lively. Oh....... and a couple of new spots to eat as well.

Sitting on the Dock of the Bay : Summertime and the Living is Easy.....

[alexmacdonald3]

Perfect, thanks all! Hope to see you at some of them soon.

[alexmacdonald3]

Thanks again for the replies, now to ask for a little more:) Would a WestJet porter be willing to share a current or past pairing from one of the port cities (yvr or other) with me. Please feel free to PM me, I understand if you're not willing. Having spent some years at the regional level I have a pretty darn good idea of the commuting to 2-5 day type pairings, but WestJet is the only airline I know of who is willing to build these "commutes" into the system. I think it's very very cool and just would like to see it in the pairing format. Thanks in advance.

[337]

The commute is not built into the pairing. If you bid port checkin as your #1 choice (of 16) you should get as many pairings starting and ending in your port as possible. But it is not guaranteed that you will get all port flying. If you do get a Calgary pairing you need to get yourself to YYC. However we now have the ability to travel to YYC for work at no cost so long as it does not infringe on your total duty day.

Also if a Pairing starts or ends with a dead head I can change the DH to start out of my port. IE first leg of a pairing is DH YYC-YWG, I can call crew sched and change it to DH YVR-YWG assuming the timing and duty day work out.

Also we have a shift trade system in place to do full or partial trades. It is very common for a pilot who lives in YVR to give up the last leg of a pairing if it is YVR-YYC. A commuter could then pick up that leg and get paid straight time to operate in to YYC to start a shift. Again, obviously, timings and duty have to be respected.

I port out of YVR and have to make my way to YYC about once every 3 months it seems. Only had trouble with loads out of YVR twice in 4 years but solved it with a drive to fly out of YXX.

[alexmacdonald3]

Thank you 337. That's exactly what I was hoping to hear. The shift trade and DH swap adds such a great variety of ways to make it work. Once every three months is just enough to get your commuting fix right?! I'm guessing the larger frequency ports have much more of this variety than the smaller ports as well.

[Xander]

Is there a Port for Pilots in Montreal?

[FriendlyBear]

I think that this may actualy be one of the best systems I have ever read/understood in commercial aviation. I am almost thinking that it is impossible in this industry to have such an intelligent system in place... no wonder it is so competitive to get a foot in the door at WJ ... regardless if I ever do manage to get in or not, it is nice to read that there is a company out there
that cares enough about the employees (owners!) to institute such a system! Enjoy it gals and guys!! I have seen enough of aviation on a global scale to know that the Teal Team has it good!
FB
infact, truth be told... I am rather jealous!!

[Xander]

Does it cost money to commute at WestJet?

[moe]

To and from yyc and your port city is free while in uniform.

[SMP]

Is there a Port for Pilots in Montreal?

Not at this time. There is only one pilot currently on the port petition for YUL.

Cheers,

SMP

[Bede]

I port out of Toronto, but I never ask for anything out of YYZ. I find for my purposes, the flying is as good as it get out of YYC and I still get everything else I want.

I know a few pilot who port out of YEG, but never ask for any port flying. The commute for free to YYC, ask for YEG overnights and are home every night.

[hypoxic]

I think that this may actualy be one of the best systems I have ever read/understood in commercial aviation. I am almost thinking that it is impossible in this industry to have such an intelligent system in place... no wonder it is so competitive to get a foot in the door at WJ ... regardless if I ever do manage to get in or not, it is nice to read that there is a company out there
that cares enough about the employees (owners!) to institute such a system! Enjoy it gals and guys!! I have seen enough of aviation on a global scale to know that the Teal Team has it good!
FB
infact, truth be told... I am rather jealous!!

I think it's great that WJ is using the port system. The reason why you don't see AC or many other airlines using this type of system is the different aircraft types that make up the fleet. When you add 5 different types and all of the crew movement between types it gets tricky to plan a port type system. I know of one airline in the US that DH's pilots pos space to the start and end of their pairing. You can live anywhere you want and your pairing can start from any of the quasi-bases that the company has.

[FlyingClimber]

Hello everyone, thanks for all these good words. I have two questions for you concerning that port system. Is it possible to use the port system when you start with WJ, or you need to put some times in first? And, how is the YOW port working out?

Thanks and have a good flight!

[KAG]

To use the port you need 60 or 90 days (can't remember) and the yow port is going ok. Keep in mind you can do yow layovers (lots of them) and drop legs on flica creating a port pairing. With all that in mind be prepared to commute cause some times
You can't drop a leg or don't get the sched you want.

[Wheels]

Would it be posible to live in YUL and port out of YYZ or YOW or both?
I wonder if the Q400's being deployed on the Triangle will make it easier for commuters in those 3 bases.

[Raybanman]

I port out of Toronto, but I never ask for anything out of YYZ. I find for my purposes, the flying is as good as it get out of YYC and I still get everything else I want.

I know a few pilot who port out of YEG, but never ask for any port flying. The commute for free to YYC, ask for YEG overnights and are home every night.

YEG is a pretty good port for F/O's. There are a tonne of the above pairings, as well as some good warm overnights in the winter. I bid YEG port and sometimes only have to go to YYC for sim every six months. The majority by far of my flying is out of YEG.

PP