Dispatcher Commute?

[jspeed87]

So yea, can a dispatcher commute to work instead of living on base? How far from base can you live? I'm considering a career in airline dispatch and was just curious. Also what dose their schedule look like?

[mtsu_av8er]

Originally Posted by jspeed87

So yea, can a dispatcher commute to work instead of living on base? How far from base can you live? I'm considering a career in airline dispatch and was just curious. Also what dose their schedule look like?

Yea, ummm, about that . . .

Dispatcher typically work in shifts, similar to grocery store clerks and legal assistants . . . hehehe. So, commuting might not be a very good option.

Just because you have non-rev benefits doesn't mean that commuting is an option!

[jspeed87]

Originally Posted by mtsu_av8er

Yea, ummm, about that . . .

Dispatcher typically work in shifts, similar to grocery store clerks and legal assistants . . . hehehe. So, commuting might not be a very good option.

Just because you have non-rev benefits doesn't mean that commuting is an option!

aww ok But I thought they had like 4 days on 3 off? with 4 days off in a row it's commutable.

[mtsu_av8er]

Originally Posted by jspeed87

aww ok But I thought they had like 4 days on 3 off? with 4 days off in a row it's commutable.

Even if you do work 3 on/4 off . . . are you going to maintain two households?

Possible, but it would be challenging!

[ljg]

It's doable and not terribly challenging...I did from LAN to IND and there were 2 more in the SOC who commuted.

Disclaimer...the airline we worked for has 6 codeshares.
Double Disclaimer...nobody has a commuting clause. Missing a work shift because you were jumpseating in would be a disaster to explain off.
Triple Disclaimer...I had a cheap sububan apartment during the week, and then went home to my parents during the weekend. There would be zero change to maintain two real households on regional dispatcher wages.

[mtsu_av8er]

Zero chance, you mean?

[ljg]

Yeah, zero chance.

Sometimes I don't proofread as well as I should. Luckily, there are ball-busters such as yourself out there.

[Queboat]

what would even be the point if you could be home every night? pilots usually commute because once they get to a base they fly a trip that doesn't return back the same day. so if you're aren't going to be in your base much anyway i can see how it makes sense to commute, although i would never do it myself. but if you are home every night why bother? just move to base or look for a different job.

[jspeed87]

Originally Posted by Queboat

what would even be the point if you could be home every night? pilots usually commute because once they get to a base they fly a trip that doesn't return back the same day. so if you're aren't going to be in your base much anyway i can see how it makes sense to commute, although i would never do it myself. but if you are home every night why bother? just move to base or look for a different job.

It's good because I could live anywhere and commute to work. 32k-40k could go a long way in a island somewhere in the Caribbean.

[N8389P]

Know a guy thats dispatch for delta and commutes CVG to ATL almost everyday, not sure if hes still there.

[N826AW]

My roommate commuted to IAH when he worked for CO as a dispatcher. He hated living in Houston so he started to commute. He had roommates in both cities to keep the rent low.