Originally Posted by oldmako

Kilder,

The guys on the Blue Team already went to fuel school years ago. Now, we get to go through it a second, mind numbingly boring time because "Continental" management wants it to be a group hug. They want it to be a team building exercise so the guys on the Black Team don't have to do it by themselves. I can understand this logic and look forward to the delicious and nutritious "box-o-crap" and a soda. Oh, and the fuel saving tips.

I submit that the vast majority of pilots on this property need zero education on how to save US tons of fuel. They only need the incentive. Unfortunately, as long as the golden shower continues, there isn't much incentive. Brow beating ultimately costs fuel, it doesn't save it.

For example, the Blue Team had the opportunity to show the old UA management just how fuel frugal we could be just prior to the bankruptcy filing. Back then, most of the employees were pulling hard on the rope and were scared little sheep. After all, who wants to lose their job? No one. From what I recall, our burns decreased significantly and this was well before "fuel school". All the while the company (and the pilots club) were telling us that the A fund was sacrosanct. What a bunch of suckers we were.

Then FRONTLINE (Can You Afford To Retire? | FRONTLINE | PBS) publishes a bit with James Sprayregan smirking as he explains how the pilots were duped and it was planned all along. We sure showed them.

Fuel school.
APU on a hot / cold day.
Constant light chop at Cruise or smooth as glass 4K below?
Pilots discretion on a descent clearance or start down now?
Direct or FP route?
SE Taxi or not?
Fly schitt or pepper?

Believe me, I want this place to be a steamrolling mofo so they have to dig deep to make those PS payments. I just think they're overlooking some really obvious ways to maximize profits while licking their pencils.