Need Bases

express · Post by **express** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 6:53 pm

Ports are great, but time for bases. At least Toronto. Should have dealt with this at the beginning of last year. Every week that goes by is one too many. IMO, more than anything else this should be addressed with creative solutions right away.

Legacy · Post by **Legacy** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 7:59 pm

no way

express · Post by **express** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 8:13 pm

express · Post by **express** » Thu Mar 29, 2007 8:14 pm

Bill Shatner · Post by **Bill Shatner** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 5:02 pm

Inevitable. adj: impossible to avoid or to prevent from happening.

macho macho man · Post by **macho macho man** » Fri May 04, 2007 9:28 pm

How is this looking anyway? How many YYZ guys are getting YYZ pairings?

Legacy · Post by **Legacy** » Fri May 04, 2007 10:21 pm

If management deems it viable to use ports instead of bases i am all for it. bring in the bases and you will bring in a headache. i believe every captain i have flown with sees it that way too. I would hate to say it but we all knew where we would be based when we got hired by WJ.

Four1oh · Post by **Four1oh** » Fri May 04, 2007 10:24 pm

IMO the best solution is to allow a system-wide virtual base system, IE: the ports taken to the next step. I don't see the need anymore to force an entire crew to stay together for the entire pairing. I think it would save a lot of hotel overnights if it were a more dynamic crew environment. The computer scheduling would then be able to make more efficient pairings depending on a person's locale.

but what do I know, I just push buttons.

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Sun May 06, 2007 8:58 am

Legacy, while I agree that a base opening in YYZ will be a hard pill to swallow, the majority of Captains that I have flown with feel it's way overdue. Most being senior YYC types. I find it funny that it is they that bring the subject up.

The company is expanding with most of the expansion being out east. The Execs are looking for efficiencies and cost savings. If a base brings both then the decision will be a clear one.

I too signed up with the one base concept. But some of the more senior guys I have flown with also signed up with a company that wasn't going to do four or five day pairings and was never going to see a city east of YWG.

I think this thing is coming. It,s just a matter of time.

Four1oh · Post by **Four1oh** » Sun May 06, 2007 7:59 pm

I still like my idea better!

Smitty · Post by **Smitty** » Mon May 07, 2007 7:58 am

This is just my opinion, but a YYZ base is taking the ports to the next level. Namely those porting out of YHZ and YWG are based in YYZ and YEG, YVR, YYJ porters are based in YYC.

The port system is working great everywhere except YYZ because no one wants to move there (insert YYZ comment here

). We are already down to two Captains from what I understand and the issue is they are not getting thier days off requests. None. Satisfaction rating of zero. Until they fix that we may yet lose another Captain and upgrades for those living near Toronto are still a ways away.

I'm all for a creative solution and if there is a better one than bring it on!

P.S. I did the crew swapping thing at Jazz and it created more headaches than it was worth. Personally, I would prefer to avoid that here.

macho macho man · Post by **macho macho man** » Mon May 07, 2007 6:02 pm

Smitty wrote:The port system is working great everywhere except YYZ because no one wants to move there (insert YYZ comment here ). We are already down to two Captains ...

OK, OK, I have a solution. Since I will be in YYZ (due to my dear wife's desires - not my first choice), I pass my interview 22 May, get hired, then I graciously accept an early captaincy in YYZ.

There, a new guy willing to take a bullet for the team. Boy, this thinking outside the box is easy!

Red1 · Post by **Red1** » Tue May 08, 2007 6:21 am

They have looked into a Toronto base and it did not provide as much efficiency as you would think. The problem with a base it it does not have the flexibility of a port. When you construct a base you construct it for a set amount of flying. In WestJet's world this would depend on the season, requiring more pilots in the winter for charters and less in the summer (less in the summer because of better flow through from out west). Actually each month would change, and therefor change the amount of pilots required. So a port allows you to create as many, or as little parings as you need out a certain city.
The other problem with creating a Toronto base, is how will it effect the WestJet "culture". If it's negative, it's probably not worth it.

However, saying all of this I really hope the Toronto port improves, its good for all of us. Who knows maybe they will give people some sort of incentive to move to Toronto. I also think allowing people to port out of more than one city would aid the Toronto port.

express · Post by **express** » Tue May 08, 2007 10:29 am

Fair enough. Then at a minimum there should be some incentives in some form to get some crew's out to Toronto. I disagree about the culture though. I think the opposite is true. Toronto crew would maintain the company culture (who wouldn't, that's one of the reason's we're all here) and foster a little of their own as well...just like the YVR PORT crew's seem to be doing. Side note, the captain's out of YYZ PORT are getting as much OT as they want. $$$.

Red1 · Post by **Red1** » Tue May 15, 2007 6:38 am

It's not really the fact that a Toronto Base would not keep the "culture", it's the getting enough people to start a base which would create a rift. How do you get the captains to go?, just pull the last one hundred and say "have fun in Toronto", not likely. The only way I think it would work is to grow it slowly. Create a base for the number of captains who are willing to move, and then grow it from there.

macho macho man · Post by **macho macho man** » Tue May 15, 2007 9:42 pm

From what I hear the situation is more accute than that - allowing things to develop over time may not be an option as much revenue is being sacrificed to deadhead folks to YYZ.

Some incentives will probably be required. Again, I volunteer to upgrade early if I ever get hired

Red1 · Post by **Red1** » Wed May 16, 2007 7:09 am

It's not as acute as you might think. Remember it's not all about revenue. How do you move enough people there without creating a major rift in the pilot group. That's why if your going to do it, do it slowly. It won't immediately solve the problem, but it will help. Better yet make the port's more appealing.

macho macho man · Post by **macho macho man** » Wed May 16, 2007 4:45 pm

Red 1

OK, I defer to your experience. I can't argue with WJ taking their time to do things right - and it's good to hear "revenue isn't everything"...still can't get my head around that. Being originally from "out west" and swearing I'd never live in YYZ I can see people's reluctance to relocate without incentive. Interestingly, now that I'm headed there I guess I'm viewing its positive aspects