This a million times, I never understood if you pick up extra flying you only get straight pay. Why are people not concerend with this?
Because:
1. What we have now is a long standing status quo
2. The airline is currently staffed at this historical current status quo
level
3. To change the "system" will be a productivity loss for the
company
4. The company doesn't just "give" away inefficiencies...they charge
us for them.
5. That creates winners and losers.
6. This is a zero sum game. To "fix" your perceived inadequacies in
the system some will win and some will lose.
What you a suggesting smacks of socialism. Your utopia is a more "equal" playing field. So, why stop there? Lets pay band all equipment and only have Capt pay and FO pay. Oh wait, why stop there ...let's just have pilot pay, ALL pilots paid the same. Personally, i don't like the longevity steps, let's abolish those too. So, 1 pay scale all pilots all equipment and while were are at it lower the alv to 60, think how may people would move up and get a relative seniority boost with all the new jobs created. And while were are protecting us from ourselves, let's change the bottle to throttle rule to 12 hours...no wait, let's really protect us...absolutely NO drinking on layovers. Oh, and how bout that vacation that is pay no credit....let's make it pay AND credit so nobody can "fly back" their vacation time
Pretty slippery slope don't you think? Why do you pose the question as if anybody that doesn't agree with you must be a fool?
So, I am sitting at home with 8 days off between trips and I have plans to paint my house. Estimated days to completion- 5 days. A three day trip comes up in open time and I am legal for it FAR wise and contractually. I pick it up- 1 leg out layover 1 leg back. but I iron man it back. gone 2 days---pay? 22 hours at nominally $300/hr with the plus up for DC makes it approx. $350/hr Total= $7700 for 2 days
So I pay someone to paint my house while I take a golfing retreat with the left over money and 6 days time off. Is that a QOL improvement? I think yes, you are welcome to disagree. Did it affect you. I think not because that is how categories are currently staffed, so nobody "stole" your cheese- you are welcome to feel slighted
So there is my answer on why I am not concerned with it. Why do you want to steal my cheese? Let the system play out like it has the past 10 years. Changes
have been made to level the field ie. abolishing trip parking, no longer pre-sell vacation, and the biggest one is the drastic reduction of trip credit time which is the biggest limiter on excessive pick up. In addition, the FAR limitations also act as a limiter
OBTW. not only does the current system allow some to pick up time which enhances their QOL but the guy that is allowed to give up the trip gets a QOL of life improvement too.