Mainline service out of LGA is rather limited these days. Aside from the hourly shuttle flights to DCA and BOS, the only other mainline destinations are CLT, FLL, PIT, NAS, AUA (Sat), SJU (Sat/seasonal), and STT (Sat/seasonal).
Which East Base(s) will get the ax?
- Thread starter flyguy121
- Start date
Mainline service out of LGA is rather limited these days. Aside from the hourly shuttle flights to DCA and BOS, the only other mainline destinations are CLT, FLL, PIT, NAS, AUA (Sat), SJU (Sat/seasonal), and STT (Sat/seasonal).
I remember when HP had lAS & PHX n/s to LGA!!very sad... but how many HP/west flight's are there (US/EAST)? We all at US are one now right???? So they say! Just wish it were that easy for all of US!!!!!!
N903AW
Veteran
AWA did fly to LGA for several years, but not nonstop from LAS or PHX. When we first began flying to LGA we had to make an intermediate stop in cities like Wichita, Omaha or Kansas City to comply with the LGA mileage perimeter restrictions. The same was for Washington-DCA back then.
Eventually, with the opening of our Columbus, Ohio hub all LGA flight stopped there before continuing westward nonstop to PHX or LAS (and even LAX). When the CMH hub was dismantled, LGA service was discontinued for AWA.
I'm sorry. I guess I missed the company rule that says if your are based in LGA, you have to live in NYC. Most of the crew members who are based here and drive to work do not live in any of the 5 boroughs, so I suppose they missed that rule, too.
Sure, NYC is expensive. That's not the company's problem. PSA never gave their crews a "stipend" to live in SAN (which is every bit as expensive,) or SFO (also very expensive, possibly more so than NYC.)
There are some 8-10 pilots/fa's to a crash pad. There are also many very comfortable ones with 4-5 in a 2 or 3 bedroom apartment with maid service, cable TV broadband internet. Most crash pads DO NOT require a commuter car which turns out to be a GREAT savings over CLT or PHL. It all boils down to the fact that those in the "Amistad" crash pads CHOSE to live their commuter experience that way. You can spend $150/month and sleep in a hot bed, or $350/month and have a very nice "home away from home." NYC is quite liveable for those of us who choose it as a home, and for those who must show up here for work only. I will admit that it is a place where it is a rarity to find someone ambivalent about the city. You either love it or hate it.
But the bottom line is that the company does NOT, and will NEVER, give a hoot about the cost of living here or the conditions of crash pads. If one wants to work at USAirways and the only place left that it can happen is LGA, then that's the fact. If it is as bad as you seem to think, when employees get displaced here there would be many quitting (doesn't happen with pilots, and rarely with flight attendants) or many would take extended leaves of absence (also not happening.)
LGA as a crew base is here because it makes economic sense for the company. It is your opinion that LGA should only be a satellite of PHL. (Did you even know that LGA (for pilots) is already a satellite of BOS? There is no chief pilot assigned to LGA; Ed Schmidt, the BOS CP, covers LGA matters.)
LCC_#1
Veteran
Well, we can agree on the company not giving a hoot about cost of living.
Actually, most of the f/a's live on Long Island, are established residences that have been there a long time (think Trump/EAL), while many live in Queens and a sprinkle in Manhattan and Jersey.
You cannot compare renting in CA to that of NYC. I have lived in both and can tell you that renting is much cheaper in LA, SD, and well, SFO is getting out of hand. Now BUYING is another thing.
You cannot compare the salary of a b scale f/a to a pilot, so you are wrong to compare the living conditions in commuter pads AND most are not looking for luxury.
MANY f/a's called back HAVE quit than to live in NYC but most put in their transfers to get out while grin and bearing it. Again, I was there and saw it all the time. AND if so many are ok with being based there, how come there are 40 openings every month with only 2-10 actually going in?
One doesn't have to live in NYC but Long Island ain't cheap.
The BOS cp DOES cover LGA base but is still not considered a satelite base. US Airways is too cheap to pay a CP to go to LGA. Satelite bases would be a part of a contract and please show me language in the pilot contract that says LGA is a satelite base. US F/a's have no current satelite bases.
You know, I was only giving my opinion. I could give a good gd what the company does. You seem to have a tone that somehow I am anti-LGA. I loved the base when I was there and I will always carry a special place in my heart for NYC. I had many great experiences and fun times. I learned much from my 12 years there and will never regret living there. I feel every person should experience NYC for 6 months of their life. It IS a life changing experience. But as I have gotten older, I tired of the big city nuances and wanted a better quaility of life.
Unfortunately, not all those forced to be based in NY feel the same way as me. Regardless, like you said, a decision will not be made on cost of living for the employee. I will say that every month there are an average of 40 openings in LGA. Either displace or reduce the base size, but please..no more TDY.
But the bottom line is that the company does NOT, and will NEVER, give a hoot about the cost of living here or the conditions of crash pads. If one wants to work at USAirways and the only place left that it can happen is LGA, then that's the fact.
While I'll agree that the company does not give a Hoot about the cost of living in NYC they don't need to they have a contract with a labor union that feels the only reason an employees should be paid more is based on senority. The union does not care about cost of living of a station either.
I am not sure about non-union jobs at US, but most companies have an esclator for wages based on COL. But I doubt you will ever see that in a union contract.
Yes it does save the company money on hotel rooms at LGA to have crew based there and the company should take advantage of that if the contract allows it, if not the company is cheating its shareholders.
And I agree everyone should live in NYC for a year in their lifetime.
While I'll agree that the company does not give a Hoot about the cost of living in NYC they don't need to they have a contract with a labor union that feels the only reason an employees should be paid more is based on senority. The union does not care about cost of living of a station either.
I am not sure about non-union jobs at US, but most companies have an esclator for wages based on COL. But I doubt you will ever see that in a union contract.
Yes it does save the company money on hotel rooms at LGA to have crew based there and the company should take advantage of that if the contract allows it, if not the company is cheating its shareholders.
And I agree everyone should live in NYC for a year in their lifetime.
PITbull
Veteran
The issue of "cost of living" for LGA has been discussed with the company in the last negotiations specifically for those who have been forced or "displaced".
Company negotiators wanted no part of that.
At the time of negotiations (in the f/a arena) there were only 97 f/as in LGA. Currently, it is close to 200 or maybe over 200. This is due to the thinning out of PIT base. Many junior f/as in other bases will be forced into LGA as the more senior group get displaced from PIT.
There seems to be confusion from non-crewmembers about flying out of a city and a crew base. For example the LGA crew base does not just fly to the handful of remaining mainline destinations and back, they circulate through the other hubs like all of the bases do.
Also though the size of US Air in a city doesn't have much to do with the actual airline. Look at DCA... people tend to be surprised at how large the presence is there, but look again, the terminal is full of navy blue jets, but they are Republic Airlines US Airways Express EMBs (and the few remaining mainline/mda planes). Same in PIT, the A terminal is full of blue planes but they are all express planes operated by other airlines. So they have no impact on where the real life US Airways has crew bases.
DCA LGA and BOS pretty much ARE ALREADY all Express with the exception of the shuttle, the flights to the hubs, and a handful of oddballs. I think at one point the only mainline (not shuttle) LGA service was to MSY. zThe shuttle could be run out of two of those or even one... DC has more service but LGA does seem to be the heart of the shuttle operation. BOS would probably be the first to go. They could close one of the three smaller non-hub bases tomorrow and service wouldn't be effected.
What they need to do is open satelite bases. Open FLL LAX and LAS and it would make for a less painful integration, move people up, cut down commuting. Those cities have plenty of mainline service to the hubs to support bases.
Also though the size of US Air in a city doesn't have much to do with the actual airline. Look at DCA... people tend to be surprised at how large the presence is there, but look again, the terminal is full of navy blue jets, but they are Republic Airlines US Airways Express EMBs (and the few remaining mainline/mda planes). Same in PIT, the A terminal is full of blue planes but they are all express planes operated by other airlines. So they have no impact on where the real life US Airways has crew bases.
DCA LGA and BOS pretty much ARE ALREADY all Express with the exception of the shuttle, the flights to the hubs, and a handful of oddballs. I think at one point the only mainline (not shuttle) LGA service was to MSY. zThe shuttle could be run out of two of those or even one... DC has more service but LGA does seem to be the heart of the shuttle operation. BOS would probably be the first to go. They could close one of the three smaller non-hub bases tomorrow and service wouldn't be effected.
What they need to do is open satelite bases. Open FLL LAX and LAS and it would make for a less painful integration, move people up, cut down commuting. Those cities have plenty of mainline service to the hubs to support bases.
Southwest coming to Dulles will probably spell the end for DCA. What is the point of DCA, no corporate HQ?
"DCA LGA and BOS pretty much ARE ALREADY all Express with the exception of the shuttle, the flights to the hubs, and a handful of oddballs"
I think DCA has about 50 non-hub, non-EMB, non-shuttle flights. I'd guess about 15-20 go to
PHL/PIT/CLT. The others: Florida, IND, BDA, NAS, some upstate NY. A little more than a handful. I don't know about BOS and LGA.
I think DCA has about 50 non-hub, non-EMB, non-shuttle flights. I'd guess about 15-20 go to
PHL/PIT/CLT. The others: Florida, IND, BDA, NAS, some upstate NY. A little more than a handful. I don't know about BOS and LGA.
You're kidding, right? What's the point of DCA?! Well let's see...its across the Potomac River from a large capital city with thousands of bureaucrats. Its adjacent to the largest office building in the world (Pentagon) where 25,000 work daily. The Crystal City office complex alone (not talking about the old US headquarters building, talking about the office park itself) employs 70,000. DCA is not about a "corporate headquarters", its about smart busisness. DCA is one of the most convienient urban airports in the world. Dulles is INconvienient for the vast majority of Washingtonians (and more importantly, the United States Government).
FlyUs
Veteran
- Jul 28, 2004
- 610
- 45
Yup, I remember my Grandma (lives in Kansas) flying in to visit ICT-DCA on HP. I still can't believe Wichita used to have nonstop service out of National.
Of course, Dulles is on the border between Fairfax and Loudoun county, VA. You know, the richest county in America (per capita income) and one of the fastest growing counties (#3 IIRC)? Inconvenient to some, much more convenient to others.
I for one hope we keep LGA as a crew base...I'm a US West FA and commute from NY and it's getting harder and harder to commute, getting tired of the jumpseat, sit for a few hours in PHX before checking in...than have a long duty day. Lately I've been going in a day before and staying at hotel just so I wouldn;t have to commute the same day, and also working 7-8 days, putting trips together. And thats hard being away from home that long....hopefully when we're one airline, I will be looking where to sign or bid for the transfer, can't come soon enough.....so here's hoping the small crew bases stay open....
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