Originally Posted by
mtbguy
Anyone flown with the new ACARS yet. I did yesterday on a roundtrip. Pay now is no longer linked to door closure or beacon on. Official out time is now tied to brake release, and on arrival, brakes being set. We doubled checked it and watched the ACARS send the "on" and "in" message as soon as the brakes were set. One engine was not even finished being shut down and door didn't open for another 4 minutes. The crew personally left the plane about 14-15 minutes later.
Pardon me if I am wrong, but aren't we still held responsible for aircraft until passengers are off, doors open and checklists complete? This is a sneaky way for management to get another .3- .5 hours of pay for free from each crew, each leg, system wide.
ALPA needs to not just "look into" this but actually do something about it.
Our contractual pay is from first movement of the aircraft for intent to fly until the last movement of the aircraft arriving at the gate. What would you have DALPA do? The contract survey is coming out in a few months. Make it a item you want changed. There is nothing at the moment for us to do since the company is in full compliance with the contract. Actually the parking brake change will more then likely net pilots more block time then having it tied to the beacon. In Europe if you leave the beacon on at the gate the ground crews will not approach the aircraft and they will not bring the jetway up.