Originally Posted by
sailingfun
Its not difficult to increase staffing. It’s just another cost. The problem is we have some of the highest staffing in the industry now per airframe. We are not currently short of pilots. We are short of pilots in the correct seats. ...
The other point is reroutes are not really a lack of reserve issue. Reserves only a small percentage of reroute needs unless you went to airport standby.
I think you are correct on the first point, but the second... it’s really a matter of utilizing what you have...
This past week, on weekdays on the 717B, there were several days where there were 12-15 required and 40+ available. Yet there were GS awards, for trips that were tailor made for an evening short call pilot, none were assigned. Crew scheduling is just not utilizing all the resources they have!
It’s like leaving your closer on the bench, and calling out tomorrow’s starter from the bullpen.
This is a problem that neither the pilots or the PWA created, and once pilots on reserve get to the point that they cannot get to reserve guarantee, they become far less likely to help the crew scheduling dig out of the hole they find themselves in.
For reroutes, they are an absolutely necessary part of the operation. We just need to settle on a price. Reroutes should be expensive. My going in position is, if a pilot gets rerouted, he gets straight pay and credit for the trip originally scheduled, and 2x for all flying done until returning to the original trip, it’s essentially an assignment, thus assignment pay. Plus, he has to be given the identity of the pilot who is to be pay protected for what should have been a GS to cover the short notice flying. The rerouted pilot can help make sure it happens. There should be a trip coverage report run, every time someone gets rerouted.
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