Usairways Crew Base Closings?

USA320Pilot said:
The Crew Pairing Change will occur with the November 14 schedule change and is permanent. The quick turns, triangle patterns, increased aircraft/crew productivity, and elimination of crew hotel/per diem expense will save US Airways millions of dollars per year and has already permitted one Shuttle dedicated aircraft to be redeployed for other mainline flying.
[post="293381"][/post]​

If this is something that will save the company so much money, why is it just now being discovered? Why was the Shuttle flying ever anything BUT 1-Day trips?
 
Given the size of our operations in LGA, DCA and BOS - coupled with the costs associated with overnighting crews in these bases - it would be highly unlikely that these bases would close. Never say never......but economically speaking, it doesn't make sense to close them if we are trying to contain costs.



LGA 's Short (RAMADA LGA ) and Long (Milford Plaza) are actually two of the cheapest corporate rates for LCC in the system..........................
 
FlyUs said:
It would be in HPs best interest to keep all the east coast bases open. If they ever did close BOS, I'm going to PHX. ;)
[post="293427"][/post]​

Same here. If boston closed my next choice will be PHX.
 
PineyBob said:
OK my ignorance is showing again! What is a crew base? I know that crews overnight in hotels all over so what do they mean by Crew Base??

See it's what you learn after you know it all isn't it? Thanks in advance.
[post="293533"][/post]​

A crew base, often referred to as a "domicile," is where flight attendants and pilots begin and end trips. You may fly out of your base on a 4-day trip on Monday and not see it again until the end of your trip on Thursday. Or you can fly into and out of your base numerous times throughout those 4 days. But the origination and termination of the trip itself are there in your base.

Each domicile is run by a base manager (or chief pilot) and staffed with supervisors and administrative staff that deal only with the personnel based in that domicile. You don't have to live in that city....you can live wherever you want (unless you're on reserve, then you're required to live within so many minutes of the airport).

For most (if not all) carriers, hubs are also crew bases because all those flights in and out make it a convenient place for crews to begin and/or end trips. The same can be said for most "focus cities." Typically, the larger the number of flights an airline has at a domicile city, the larger the domicile is. Well, except in the case of US Airways....PHL has for years been a much larger crew base than CLT, even though CLT has more mainline flights. I never have gotten that one.

Did that help at all? Or did I confuse you even more? :)
 
Also, you bid your base by seniority and that is why at least 60% of US Airways crews commute to work. The company can downsize, displace, or close a base on a whim. It would be impossible to move every time.

An example would be MidAtlantic. Many of those crews, in less than a year, have been shifted from PIT to PHL to DCA and now back to the street. And people wonder why crews don't "live in base".
 
LGA / 037 said:
LGA 's Short (RAMADA LGA ) and Long (Milford Plaza) are actually two of the cheapest corporate rates for LCC in the system..........................
[post="293504"][/post]​


Sky high states: FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY REASONS, I ask that HOTEL LOCATIONS not be POSTED ON A PUBLIC FORUM!

SAFETY!!! :up:
 
Even a criminal would be scared to go to some of those hotels.

The first time I was at the Mildew I thought it might be nice because it had a star on the door like a Muppet Show dressing room. Then I opened the door and nearly knocked the toilet and the bed over. Has to be the smallest room in the system. Location is nice though.
 
There was a particular BOS long overnight hotel (even though we no longer stay there, I still don't like naming the place) that had a wonderful lobby and gave the appearance of a great hotel. Then you'd get to your room and it was the size of a closet. They were quite convenient, however, because you could change the TV station with your toes, gaze out the window onto your view of the back alley, look out the peephole on the doorway to the hall, brush your teeth and flush the toilet....all while lying on the bed! :D
 
StewGuy86 said:
There was a particular BOS long overnight hotel (even though we no longer stay there, I still don't like naming the place) that had a wonderful lobby and gave the appearance of a great hotel.  Then you'd get to your room and it was the size of a closet.  They were quite convenient, however, because you could change the TV station with your toes, gaze out the window onto your view of the back alley, look out the peephole on the doorway to the hall, brush your teeth and flush the toilet....all while lying on the bed!  :D
[post="293856"][/post]​

Okay, I'll say it! (edited by eye...durrrr). On the bright side, they do have fab Boston Cream Pie at the restaurant.
 
SKY HIGH said:
Sky high states: FOR SAFETY AND SECURITY REASONS, I ask that HOTEL LOCATIONS not be POSTED ON A PUBLIC FORUM!

SAFETY!!! :up:
[post="293793"][/post]​

Uhh, sure. I'll just go and get them from the public portions of the ALPA and AFA sites.
 
Us/boston said:
Same here. If boston closed my next choice will be PHX.
[post="293516"][/post]​
I think you'll have to wait for a vacancy in PHX. LAS might be a better bet, but still a long way off.
 
USA320Pilot said:
I understand the company is evaluating other point-to-point flying that includes BOS-SEA non-stop service.
Regards,
USA320Pilot
[post="293468"][/post]​
Guess that won't happen now:

JetBlue to Bring More Low Fares to Boston With New Service to Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
Wednesday August 31, 10:01 am ET
 
LGA / 037 said:
Given the size of our operations in LGA, DCA and BOS - coupled with the costs associated with overnighting crews in these bases - it would be highly unlikely that these bases would close.  Never say never......but economically speaking, it doesn't make sense to close them if we are trying to contain costs.
LGA 's Short (RAMADA LGA ) and Long (Milford Plaza) are actually two of the cheapest corporate rates for LCC in the system..........................
[post="293504"][/post]​

Seems as though we will now be staying at a new hotel and not the Milford any longer.
 
nycbusdriver said:
Strictly rumor, but the word is starting to circulate that LGA, BOS, and DCA will be closing as pilot and F/A bases as the integration of operations begins.

From the pilot side, I think it would be a great idea if only in the sense that we would be rid of the weak-sister ALPA reps and the senatorial-vote supported MEC officers. IOW, Pollock would be sent packing. I'll bet a C-note that if Pollock loses his job as MEC chair that he will find a cushy sinecure office at ALPA National's Herndon office. My guess is that the bronze plaque engraved with his name is already finished and ready to be place on the door.

This is the legacy of someone who almost single-handedly led the pilot profession down the tubes on March 31, 2003. And he has the gall to refer to his constituency thus: "...the ignorant, the self-serving, the lazy and the jerk-offs..." when speaking of those who opposed his blitzkreig.

The AWA pilots should be hoping that these base closures do indeed take place. With only two crew bases of their own, there is little chance that they could unseat Pollock who has unwavering support from these 3 tiny bases, which nevertheless hold 6 senatorial votes.

AWA Pilots: PRAY that LGA, BOS and DCA close. You DON'T want F/O Pollock running your union. Believe me!
[post="293167"][/post]​


AFA MEC E-LINE just came out this morning ...F/A base transfers for November '05 are as follows....if they're closing LGA,BOS and DCA then why would they add people ???---uhhhh, never mind. Who knows why they do what they do---least of all themselves

INFLIGHT SERVICES - TRANSFER OPENINGS BY BASE

THE FOLLOWING FLIGHT ATTENDANT BASE DOMICILE BIDS ARE EFFECTIVE
NOVEMBER 1, 2005 (NOVEMBER BID MONTH)


BOS +15 LGA +20*
CLT +0* PHL +0*
DCA +10* PIT +0*

*POSSIBLE CONTINGENT OPENINGS AS A RESULT OF THE BID