What's life like as a commuting pilot to start?

[vrromvroom]

How has your experience been starting at AC as a commuter?

Length of reserve? Costs? Lifestyle issues? Anything else you've felt?

[fixnfly]

Depends on where you're commuting from and how senior you are on your aircraft/position. I've heard commuting from YYZ or YOW to/from YUL is one of the easiest commutes. Commuting from the east coast, especially in the winter is pretty difficult. Commuting from YYC or Vancouver island to YVR isn't too bad either with lots of options. YEG, YXE, YQR and YWG aren't too difficult to commute from either as there just aren't a lot of commuters from the smaller cities. Hopefully you can hold a block as being junior reserve while commuting is pretty hellish no matter the company/aircraft/position, but atleast there's lots of movement at AC so you shouldn't be on reserve long. If AC had long call reserve like Westjet or many of the American carriers, commuting on reserve would be a lot more manageable and I'm sure that will be an option in the next contract as it's pretty industry standard.

Crashpads are getting more expensive and scarce. There's a couple airline crashpad facebook groups that can help you find a place. Commuting has probably cost me close to $4000-$5000 per year in AIF's and taxes for flights. I have a place to stay with family so I can save a bit on accommodation. Biggest downside is the time wasted sitting in the crashpad or at airports waiting for your flight. I had a sim partner who was hardly getting called out on reserve and was sitting in his crashpad for 18 days a month with 24 other commuters coming and going at all hours; all run by a couple of slumlord flight attendants who were raking in the money while not even living there or looking after the place. I found bringing my laptop to the lounge and dealing with emails/work/watching documentaries helps the time go by. Overall you have to weigh the pros and cons of your own situation. My core family and friend network as well as side business is in my hometown so commuting will always be worth it to me, plus owing a decent sized detached house with a garage and workshop is far more affordable outside of Vancouver or the GTA.

If you can, try to get on a Widebody as the flights leave at night so you have all day to commute in, and arrive back in the morning or afternoon so you don't waste much time at a crashpad although it makes for a long day. Narrowbody flying starts and ends at all times of the day and is far more unpredictable.

[noreasterYHZ]

How has your experience been starting at AC as a commuter?

Length of reserve? Costs? Lifestyle issues? Anything else you've felt?

I've been commuting out east for a while and I can say a Jr Pilot commuting at Air Canada will be terrible.

No long call reserve, still have to pay for commutes plus even the Jumpseat. Truly industry worst.

[piedpiper]

Commuting now vs 10 years ago is a lot harder due to the loads. Used to be able to get YVR-YYZ pretty easily on any plane as a stby con. These days, good luck.

If you commute from YOW to YYZ or YYJ/YLW/YYC to YVR you'll be fine. Outside of that, you are adding a lot of stress to your life for pretty little extra. WB block holder commuting is probably the easiest out of all of it. So if you want to be a new hire and commute, pray you get 777/787 RP. Even on reserve, with the new 2 days ahead of time awards you can manage a commute pretty well.

Add commuting costs and crash pad costs up over a year, and factor how many less days at home you have, it's maybe not such a bad idea to consider putting that money towards living in base. Even if it costs a little bit more, your overall stress and life enjoyment will be much higher.

[350driver]

Commuting now vs 10 years ago is a lot harder due to the loads. Used to be able to get YVR-YYZ pretty easily on any plane as a stby con. These days, good luck.

If you commute from YOW to YYZ or YYJ/YLW/YYC to YVR you'll be fine. Outside of that, you are adding a lot of stress to your life for pretty little extra. WB block holder commuting is probably the easiest out of all of it. So if you want to be a new hire and commute, pray you get 777/787 RP. Even on reserve, with the new 2 days ahead of time awards you can manage a commute pretty well.

Add commuting costs and crash pad costs up over a year, and factor how many less days at home you have, it's maybe not such a bad idea to consider putting that money towards living in base. Even if it costs a little bit more, your overall stress and life enjoyment will be much higher.

Honestly' haven't read the part of the contract where widebody assignments happen 2 days out? Is that always the case now on rsv for widebody? Thought they still had the standard call out. Can you tell my username doesn't reflect what I fly LOL.

[piedpiper]

Commuting now vs 10 years ago is a lot harder due to the loads. Used to be able to get YVR-YYZ pretty easily on any plane as a stby con. These days, good luck.

If you commute from YOW to YYZ or YYJ/YLW/YYC to YVR you'll be fine. Outside of that, you are adding a lot of stress to your life for pretty little extra. WB block holder commuting is probably the easiest out of all of it. So if you want to be a new hire and commute, pray you get 777/787 RP. Even on reserve, with the new 2 days ahead of time awards you can manage a commute pretty well.

Add commuting costs and crash pad costs up over a year, and factor how many less days at home you have, it's maybe not such a bad idea to consider putting that money towards living in base. Even if it costs a little bit more, your overall stress and life enjoyment will be much higher.

Honestly' haven't read the part of the contract where widebody assignments happen 2 days out? Is that always the case now on rsv for widebody? Thought they still had the standard call out. Can you tell my username doesn't reflect what I fly LOL.

Not WB assignments. All assignments that are known. Any open time has to be awarded two days out. There is still risk of short call but 90% of the flying I get is awarded days in advance and you are released 24 hours prior to check in as well.

[altiplano]

The "2 days out" is bullshit unless you get at the perfect time, with the perfect RAP on your last day off. You still need to be there or you're fucked when they call. They're firing new guys that aren't in base for an assignment on reserve because they assumed they were good. First one is a meeting, second one is out the door.

You're better to figure a way to close to base until you can figure it out and get the seat/seniority you need... there are a lot of affordable options in a 3 hour circle of YYZ.

[350driver]

Commuting now vs 10 years ago is a lot harder due to the loads. Used to be able to get YVR-YYZ pretty easily on any plane as a stby con. These days, good luck.

If you commute from YOW to YYZ or YYJ/YLW/YYC to YVR you'll be fine. Outside of that, you are adding a lot of stress to your life for pretty little extra. WB block holder commuting is probably the easiest out of all of it. So if you want to be a new hire and commute, pray you get 777/787 RP. Even on reserve, with the new 2 days ahead of time awards you can manage a commute pretty well.

Add commuting costs and crash pad costs up over a year, and factor how many less days at home you have, it's maybe not such a bad idea to consider putting that money towards living in base. Even if it costs a little bit more, your overall stress and life enjoyment will be much higher.

Honestly' haven't read the part of the contract where widebody assignments happen 2 days out? Is that always the case now on rsv for widebody? Thought they still had the standard call out. Can you tell my username doesn't reflect what I fly LOL.

Not WB assignments. All assignments that are known. Any open time has to be awarded two days out. There is still risk of short call but 90% of the flying I get is awarded days in advance and you are released 24 hours prior to check in as well.

Cool, didn't know that. What's this 24 hour release about?

Noted altiplano. Seen a bunch of firings on the cmsc bids in the last few years.

[piedpiper]

The "2 days out" is bullshit unless you get at the perfect time, with the perfect RAP on your last day off. You still need to be there or you're fucked when they call. They're firing new guys that aren't in base for an assignment on reserve because they assumed they were good. First one is a meeting, second one is out the door.

You're better to figure a way to close to base until you can figure it out and get the seat/seniority you need... there are a lot of affordable options in a 3 hour circle of YYZ.

No it's not bullshit. It works great, and in my experience I generally got called out two days ahead of time or didn't work at all.

Long call reserve is the ultimate solution but this is not a terrible middle ground until we get there.

And sorry, if you're too dumb to realize you need to be in base when you're on reserve and don't have an assignment or have been released I don't know what to say.

[altiplano]

The "2 days out" is bullshit unless you get at the perfect time, with the perfect RAP on your last day off. You still need to be there or you're fucked when they call. They're firing new guys that aren't in base for an assignment on reserve because they assumed they were good. First one is a meeting, second one is out the door.

You're better to figure a way to close to base until you can figure it out and get the seat/seniority you need... there are a lot of affordable options in a 3 hour circle of YYZ.

No it's not bullshit. It works great, and in my experience I generally got called out two days ahead of time or didn't work at all.

Long call reserve is the ultimate solution but this is not a terrible middle ground until we get there.

And sorry, if you're too dumb to realize you need to be in base when you're on reserve and don't have an assignment or have been released I don't know what to say.

Yeah it is bullshit. What's the advantage if I have to be in base anyway?

You're off Sat/Sun...
Reserve Monday-Friday RAP 13:00-03:00

No call for flying awards Saturday. Sunday they call you at 10am normal awards and you are assigned a 4 day trip starting at 20:00 on Tuesday. You should be in the clear until report, but really you still have to be in base Monday in case they call you or change your trip. So yeah, the 2 day thing is bullshit since you aren't really released. The fact is that the company insists they can still assign you new flying even when you are "released" and fact is you will now be best fit for a single day short call on Monday. Ask your rep about the grievance ongoing. Company doesn't think release means what you and I think it means.

So unless your RAP times and pairing times line up perfect, and they rarely do... you had better be coming into base to waste your time and money sitting in your crash pad or hotel on Monday...

And the fact that 2 days out RAP doesn't apply by CARs, but still they ram RAPs and "best fit" down your throat? What's the point?Oh, and be sure to thank RobW, ErikH, QuinnJ, & MikeM if you see them and tell them to suck it. Best fit is the among the biggest screw ups there ever was in this group, and that's saying a lot.

[piedpiper]

I have been fully released a few times with an award like that. Just by asking.

It's a start is all I'm saying.

So many people love to bitch and complain, but the fact is until last year they would hold trips in open until 2-4 hours before check in. And you knew you were getting it but they refused to assign it. Now they have no choice if it's in open time and not a last min book off. It's a step in the right direction, stop complaining.

[Mekki]

I know they can change your assignment right up until you hit the release period, but after that they cannot change anything and you don't even have to answer the phone no? Your iadp wouldn't even show a rap at that point. I've never been assigned flying while I was inside the release for a check-in within the release period.

I'm not super familiar with the grievance or how people got screwed but nothing surprises me.

[altiplano]

I have been fully released a few times with an award like that. Just by asking.

It's a start is all I'm saying.

So many people love to bitch and complain, but the fact is until last year they would hold trips in open until 2-4 hours before check in. And you knew you were getting it but they refused to assign it. Now they have no choice if it's in open time and not a last min book off. It's a step in the right direction, stop complaining.

There's a difference between complaining and telling it like it is.

Yeah. That was brutal when the awards were supposed to "start" but they were never ending and they just didn't do it so they kept all options open.

I've been screwed by them on this and I know others have too. Like I said, they say you're released but you aren't and if you still have to commute just to sit (and pay) for your crashpad orv whatever, what's the difference. This thread was about commuting. Even with 2 days advance awards it makes little difference.

[30westpirate]

The "2 days out" is bullshit unless you get at the perfect time, with the perfect RAP on your last day off. You still need to be there or you're fucked when they call. They're firing new guys that aren't in base for an assignment on reserve because they assumed they were good. First one is a meeting, second one is out the door.

This is because RP on the last day of reserve thought they can’t be used and decided to be not in base. But turns out the company can augments a single-day turn, either a delayed flight or a long red eye turn (YUL-YVR)

2 day call out works well on the WB. You have few morning departures and majority of it is in evening. Very predictable morning and evening RAP time. Also most of the overseas flying requires a day off due to # time zones, so a 4 day reserve period turns into a 3 day if you’re called out on the 1st day for a 3 day Europe or Asia.