Originally Posted by
gliderguider
I’m not sure that I am quite following you here, but at the risk of sounding like a kool-aid drinker, it boils down to this: deadheading crews, in the eyes of the company, are a cost. Deadheading crews in seats that otherwise could have been sold at premium prices compound that cost. When HVC’s provide feedback that indicate seats, and or overhead storage, were not available due to deadheading crews, that further compounds the cost. Because our deadhead language at mainline isn’t all that robust compared to other carriers, this is the reality we face. It would only seem logical that it trickles down to DCI, since mainline has even less control as to the number and type of deadheads being scheduled.
To address what casualobserver said about alcohol; my opinion only, let’s not waste the negotiating capital on this and take our eyes off the ball, when we can target training and vacation pay, R&I, JV scope and a multitude of other, more important issues.
Bottom line; deadheading sucks, but our fellow fare-paying passengers who we ride along with ultimately allow us to collect a paycheck, so I think that is what we should keep in mind here.
We (mainline pilots) can’t book directly into FC. The only way we get into it is by upgrade at the gate less than an hour prior to departure and in priority order. To the complaining HVCs, I’d say they had every chance to take that seat. If it was going to be unfilled, there should be no problem with the next person on the list getting the seat.
As for the Comfort seats, same basic principle or argument , though, we add in the “cost of doing business” angle if we get the seat before we show up at the gate.
Now, regarding the baggage issue, the company is complicit in that now that we have the ridiculous safety vest requirement for ramp access everywhere. More crews will not be taking their bags down so that situation will get worse.