En Garde

Thanks for the data, definitely a lot to think about as a JB guy looking to come to AA and be in BOS. Qol is good at B6 in BOS but upgrades look 5-7 years away at best and the throw in the merger uncertainty and it makes AA look like the good bet.

cornerpocket

For the new hires assigned BOS out of training, are there any recent BOS commuters that can offer tips and tricks to surviving RSV in BOS as a commuter? It looks like commuting in the day before and leaving the day after is the law of the land there. Is there a decent crashpad/hotel network up there? Do new hire reserves tend to get used much?

joepilot50

Be aggressive with proferring as a commuter, especially for trips that have early releases.

I was fortunate for my time as a commuter that I managed to profer and get trips that allowed me to commute home same day as the trip ended. Other times I wasn't used at all during my stretch and got released 6 hours after being on SC on my last day thanks to the GTD I built up from flying putting me in a higher group. So any last minute trips that did pop open went to people in the lower groups.

That was just my experience and I certainly was lucky to be able to grab the trips I did( no LC's available, and those trips being available).

En Garde

did BOS seem to go jr. I your new hire class?

cornerpocket

No. 5 or 6 slots available. MIA and LGA are still junior on the 737 side of the house.

AllYourBaseAreB

i would ask jetblue guys about pads

cornerpocket

Noted and thank you!

gloopy

That's a tough call for sure. IDK what I'd do in your shoes either, however what I would weigh more heavily is the plan B especially in the case of small bases. If you lived in DFW or ATL for example, the choice would be crystal clear. In BOS, not so much IMO and here's why.

If plan A is a BOS base, then AA has one right now. A small one. DL does not. DL does more BOS flying than AA (I think) and there's been a strong rumor of a BOS base, but there's probably too much training going on to open a new category right now. It did almost happen right before covid (CP positions advertised etc). Most think it will in the not too distant future.

There's also a lot of transit BOS flying on widebodies. What they call W trips. Like ATL-LHR-BOS-AMS-ATL or something like that (substitute ATL for any base). Almost all of those trips are extremely commutable on both ends and have 24+ hour Boston overnights. Is that as good as a Boston base? Of course not. But then you have to consider:

Your plan B.

In either case it would most likely be a NYC base. I think DL is bigger there too. NYC is huge for DL and seniority advancement is very fast. DL gives you (someone correct me if I'm wrong) a much more robust plan B option from a long term point of view.

You of course can't and shouldn't count on DL to open a BOS base; they likely will IMO, but also may never do so. But you also shouldn't plan exclusively on AA to keep their small BOS base; they probably will, but small bases have a habbit of closing in this industry. DL has a bigger and more robust NYC option that has everything and everything is fairly junior with rapid progression.

Either way its not an easy decision and I don't know what I would do if I were you. I'd just caution you against weighing a small current BOS base so heavily and especially exclusively. Which would you pick if DL also opened a BOS base? Which would you pick if AA closed their BOS base and neither had one? Which would you rather be at if you became a permanant commuter to NYC?

Best of luck in your decision. The good news there is you're having to decide between two good choices so whichever one you pick you should have a great career!

En Garde

Did BOS CA change much with the last vacancy? If a new hire didn't get BOS in indoc would it be better to bid 73 in a more desirable base rather than LGA to make a MBE more appealing to a pilot trying to leave BOS? It looks like there's not many 73 departures from BOS and a bunch of airbus transitioning through, are there any from or back end dhd or long BOS layovers on the bus?

AllYourBaseAreB

BOS went super junior in the vacancy. I would not count on MBE as people generally want to be there and arent forced in to it. If you have a class date before march, you will likely be able to participate in the next vacancy and hold BOS.