Originally Posted by
OneEyedMonster
Ill add this...
Our group of schedulers have been always very professional and polite towards me with any interaction I have had with them (the only exception being Mr G. from a few years ago). This isn't the same kind of scheduling experience you would see at a regional where the relationship is confrontational between pilots and schedulers.
I have never seen them try to trick me, and most accounts of "tricks" are because the pilot did not know their contract and agreed to something that they didn't have to. I shake my head when I hear these loud mouths on the crew shuttle with the "Yeah, I told those schedulers I aint doing anything for them..." or "I told them call me back when they can offer 5 times pay for that trip, and I hung up on them." When I decline a trip, they always reply with 'Thank you, Captain, have a nice day."
I think its great that this may allow new hires to pose questions regarding the contract/work rules, but the overall responsibility is on the pilot to know their contract; whats required, whats optional, and whats not allowed.
Spot on. Most schedules are just trying to do their job, get pilots to airplanes. Most of the time they have management breathing down their necks. Like you said, sometimes just answering the phone and saying "No Thanks" makes their job easier.