Originally Posted by
Adlerdriver
The authors of that section were attempting to create a set of criteria that would allow as many of our pilots as possible to commute protected while satisfying the company’s desire to protect the operation.
Can they also create a set criteria that would allow as many of our pilots as possible (even if only 20% for example) to commute protected while satisfying the company’s desire to protect the operation as well?
Originally Posted by
Adlerdriver
The simple fact is that given our flight schedule, very few of our long-haul commuters would be able to meet the requirements set out in the commuter policies of the major airlines. So, it makes no sense to say they we should be able to do what they do. Many of their long-haul pilots face the same limited options that many of our pilots have and as a result are not able to commute into their trips with commuter protection either.
Why is this assumption always made that the commute has to be on a Fedex flight? Not all other airlines limit their pilots protected commutes on their own flights.
Originally Posted by
Adlerdriver
There’s a very important distinction between the commuter policies at major airlines and the one in place at FedEx. Our policy was written to allow almost every pilot commuting to almost any domestic trip on our own aircraft to do that protected. Pax guys typically need a flight and one or two back-ups but that policy in no way guarantees them access to every trip in their domestic bid-pack. Our policy also allows pilots to commute to just about any domestic trip they can hold. Do you ever hear one of our domestic pilots talk about whether a trip is “commutable” or not? I haven’t. That can be a pretty significant distinction for pax pilots, both long and short haul types. Many pax commuters with seniority choose to avoid half their bidpack lines because they can’t get there the same day. Those who can’t avoid them have to commute in the day before. Same thing on the back end of trips that don’t give them a chance to get home that same day and would require an extra night in domicile.
Again, another assumption. A commuter policy doesn’t need to be written so as to protect almost every pilot commuting into almost any trip. Like you said, the passenger airlines’ commuting policies don’t have that. So why restrict ourselves to that higher standard. If we had a policy that gave commuter protection to 20% of the trips, it would be a win win. It sounds to me like you are letting the perfect to get in the way of the good.
Originally Posted by
Adlerdriver
We don’t have access to the same flight schedules many of those pax pilots do. Our flights leave at completely different time blocks than their flights and the commuter flight options for a large number of our pilots are just not as numerous.
Another assumption. Yes, we do have access to all Jumpseats on all those passenger airlines.
Originally Posted by
Adlerdriver
I don’t think you’ve bothered to actually consider various commute scenarios for all these “lucky” long-haul pax guys who can commute into their trips with protection. Maybe you’ve got some pals at other airlines who’ve found a niche that works great for them based on where they live and their seniority. But, not every long-haul pilot at those airlines have such picture-perfect commute. Certainly not 95%. I just deadheaded out of ORD on an AA flight to PVG that left at 10:30. My next one goes to NRT at 13:00. Can a Denver based AA pilot commute into those flights? Not the PVG flight. None of the AA or UAL flight gets him from DEN to ORD in time. So, he has no choice but to come in the night before. How about the later NRT flight? Probably – since he’s got one primary on his own metal and a UAL backup. What if he lives in SEA? Then he can’t get to either one. How about those AA pilots who choose to live in a smaller community like Norfolk, VA (very popular with quite a few FedEx pilots). Again, unable to make the PVG flight with a same day commute. The NRT flight? Maybe but he’s not on his own metal, using an offline A319 as his primary and an RJ for a backup that arrives with 4 minutes to spare prior to check-in time. Would that pass the sniff test for the Chief pilot if the pilot misses his trip? I can’t say for sure, but I kind of doubt it. I don’t think I would care to do that for every trip and I seriously doubt a Norfolk resident AA pilot would either.
If we can come up with a commute policy that incrementally adds commute protection to more pilots willing and able to use it, why wouldn’t we?
It just doesn’t make sense to me why we would assume so many things in an argument against something that would help more of our pilots. What is the company’s idea of a best-practice commute for an international trip? Just codifying that into contract language would be better than what we have now, which is nothing. If it helps one pilot make a less stressful commute, it would be an improvement.