frmrdashtrash

Sign me up! As long as I don't have to go near Chickenville.

higgi8f6

So a benefits question,

Does anyone know what the pro's and con's are to the Flexible Spending Account VS the PPO plan? Can you only use money once deposited into your account for health issues or is it similar to the PPO where they cover a certain percentage and you cover the rest. Trying to make an educated decision. I'm tired of going to the doctor and getting bills stating my insurance did not cover the visit.

DrivinTheDash

It's not an either/or choice... Your best bet is to use both. You're probably already familiar with the PPO, so I won't go in to that. The flex spending money is used to cover medical expenses your insurance doesn't cover. You can use it to pay copays, meet deductibles, and pay for expenses that aren't covered by insurance at all. There is a flyer in the open enrollment stuff that explains eligible expenses for flex spending money, but it includes a lot of OTC type things that insurance doesn't touch at all. Even Tylenol and other OTC drugs are eligible if you get a note from your doctor that says you need it. I find the flex spending most useful for dental, since our dental insurance has high co-pays and a low annual maximum benefit.

When you make your annual election for flex spending funds, the money is all available to you to use immediately as of January 1, and can be used to pay 100% of eligible expenses. It will come out of your paycheck, pre-tax, in equal installments through the year. The savings comes from the fact that you don't pay tax on the money you contribute. If you don't use all of the money you put in by 12/31, it disappears, but you can always find things to buy with the money at the end of the year if you have some left. You also can't change you contribution for the year after open enrollment ends, so there's nothing you can do if you realize you put in too much or too little.

dashtrash300

New FIL regarding Originating Flight Delays

Recently, we’ve observed an increase in originator flight delays, many of which are being attributed to flight crews. The delays are minimal in timeframe and generally fall within 1-4 minutes of scheduled departure time. Regardless, it casts a negative perception of our operations team made up of pilots, flight attendants and dispatch team. The Company is attempting to determine root causes of the delays so we may make adjustments to our procedures and reduce the number of delays.

Are they serious!?!?! TAMDAR TAMDAR TAMDAR is to blame! The gate agents have the flight closed out 10 minutes prior just so we have a chance of being on time. Most of the time though it doesnt work and we are late 1-4 minutes. With the originating checks and longer checklist it is bull they are trying to blame it on the pilots/station. They need to change it from 50 feet to door closure if they want to see any kind of a change. I was in PHL and the agent brought out paperwork out 6 minutes before departure time. I could see a passenger in the terminal waving to us. I told her there was one more and she said no that she couldnt afford to take a delay. I told her we had 6 minutes left and she said that there wasnt enough time. Great customer service Piedmont! Putting the fear in our agents and not thinking of our customers.

BSOuthisplace

I never understood why they made it door closed and 50 ft other than to F us over on pay. Now they are complaining about on time performance? They can't have their cake and eat it too.

I don't see why they can't change it to just door closed either. That's when the LOBD clock starts anyway.

PDTPILOT

Most other airlines go by door close. I brought this up to John buchannans attention at CQ this summer, told him we r late out of the gate on originators because of all the checks we do. He said there was a spike in late departures at 1st but it had leveled off. What a bunch of BS! I love the last part of the FIL where it talks about getting mx, crews, and csa's to all work together when all that ultimately means is the flight crews will be reporting an hour early to all stations.

dashtrash300

They can make me show up an hour ahead of time but I will stick to the FOM saying:

First Flight of the Crew Pairing.

PDTPILOT

I haven't looked at the fom lately but I believe your suppose to be checked in 45 mins before departure time for an originating flight in outstation, the 20 mins for a 100 and 25 for a 300 apply to boarding times

dashtrash300

45 minutes is check in time...20 minutes for the 100 is the time you are suppose to be at the airplane. Doesnt say anything for being ready to board.

First Flight of the Crew Pairing.
Report to the aircraft at least 20 minutes for the 100 series and 25 minutes for the 300 series prior to scheduled departure time

FixTheMess

PDT Fun Fact of the Day

FOM Chapter 3: Commitment to Safety contains 4 pages of information. FOM Chapter 18, explaining how to shave, and wear our uniform has 5.