Just to be clear - I'm not suggesting anyone check all boxes of a deadhead to deviate unless 1) it's necessary and 2) they're willing to accept all the responsibility of deviating.
Originally Posted by
pinseeker
Look at it this way. If I deviate on a trip that goes from MEM to ATL and then later decide that I want to take the scheduled DH, can I un-deviate? We all know that the answer is no. Once you deviate, you are on your own.
Yes, you can. See below.
Originally Posted by
pinseeker
When you check in on that deviation, VIPS says that you are confirming that you are within 100nm of XXX airport.
This is what I'm talking about. Pilots or schedulers using old information to apply the contract and draw their conclusions. The next time you deviate and go to the appropriate page to accomplish your Final Check-in, read the screen carefully. It says you are verifying that you are within 100 NM of XYZ or a distance approved by whoever (can't remember)
or joining a segment of the scheduled deadhead.
So, I deviate MEM-ATL, try to take the jumpseat from MEM and fail. But have a ticket on the scheduled DH as a backup, so I go over to the terminal - get to the gate and do my Final Check-in in compliance with the CBA. Have I not "joined a segment of the scheduled deadhead"?
Originally Posted by
pinseeker
Are you 100% sure that you would win in arbitration if you checked both boxes in VIPS, and then changed your plans and decided to take the scheduled second leg and missed your trip because something happened on that second leg? To me, that is a pretty big gamble. If the duty officer or scheduler won't help you out, do you think the company will just pay you for the missed trip and let it slide.
IMO, there's nothing to arbitrate. I complied with the contract and joined a segment of the scheduled deadhead. You're making way too big a deal about checking a box in VIPS.
Originally Posted by
pinseeker
My advice would be to wait to deviate until you are sure of your plans. If you check the boxes indicating that you are going to deviate on all legs, then count on the company holding you to that. If you later end up on the scheduled leg and something happens and the duty officer helps you out, count yourself lucky. I see this as being more grey than black and white. YMMV, but wouldn't you feel terrible if a new hire followed your advice, missed a trip, and lost a job?
I'm not advising anyone to do anything. Deviating carries risk and anyone checking all boxes has accepted that risk long before (i.e. at least 60 hours before) anything I'm talking about is taking place. In both scenarios I provided initially, a deviating pilot encountering the option to accomplish a Final Check-in as I described has already accepted all risks.
The first, jumpseating out of MEM and going to a back-up plan using the scheduled DH. The second, deviating completely and then opting later to try to join the scheduled DH, perhaps due to last minute ticket availability.
In either case, they now have the option to accomplish their Final Check-in sooner than they would have using either of their original plans. How, exactly, am I leading anyone astray by suggesting that once they have done that Check-in, they're covered for any future disruptions?
If anything, I'm offering them a lifeline that they may not have considered in the past should their deviation start to go sideways. But how is that any worse than not using the CBA options available and just dealing with a blown deviation on their own (which is what they agreed to do in the first place by checking all boxes)?