Originally Posted by Purplewaste2021

Just flew my last trip and what a relief to be out of the purple promise and state of affairs. The following are my 75 + reasons why FedEx was a joke…. in addition to stagnation, Drive 2.0, and not to swing gear over the next decade for a shrinking operation.




Memphis. Need I say anymore? Great entertainment driving around if you aren’t afraid of being the true minority in all places of business and crime. Automatic gunfire is always interesting from the nearby projects at simulator building. Everyone local says Collierville, Olive Branch, and Cordova are the places to live. They are all dumps……and living 30 years behind the times.




Expense reports. Company Credit card used to stay at non contract hotels. Having to fight for every penny several months later. Fighting for a normal hotel charge, just think how stupid that sounds.




VP of flight ops, and the “new guy” from Atlas. Haven’t turned a wheel in 20 years and totally out of touch with reality. I didn’t think management could sink to a new low in this industry but now it has. LCA warned me about both of them being JV hacks and they were absolutely correct. The PSA memo was just an icing on the cake. Atlas leader will totally bring the Atlas playbook here for negotiations and massive cost savings. Another TA is atleast 18-20 months away from right now - March ‘24




BLG and 68 hours per month with a reduction to possibly 50 hours in the near future.




Hedge fund people joining Board of directors left and right should be an indication of what’s coming next 2-3 years




Scope language the company is seeking is dangerous and right around the corner. The company will break this rule anyway when they need their grand plan put in place in ‘24 for “Drive”




Incorrect wet lease payments to pilot group year after year after year. ALPA is even confused most of the time with whose eligible and when you were considered “activated”




No profit sharing. Making 2 billion per quarter. Not year, quarter. Number 17 on the Fortune 500 company




A terribly negotiated TA 1.0 from both sides. Very unprofessional and beyond cheap in all sections. This union and company don’t understand real time work rules that benefit both sides. As time goes on I never believed it, but now at times think ALPA is possibly paid off under the table. The negotiating committee would be a good stand up comedy show downtown after what I witnessed at the first roadshow in July.




757 chief pilot in late 2023 (mgmt) participating in group chats about TA 2.0 with many union reps. Such a true professional




ALPA Block rep 1. Bumps her own FedEx pilots off her jumpseat to make room for her offline husband. Such loyalty. That’s true love though. I hope she tries to catch a ride with me someday.




The lack of communication from company about anything going on in the business. It’s like they don’t even exist. Everything is a secret in every department.




“Meeting at the folder” to brief ? Why, when there’s 6 different briefings that will take place in the airplane before you move an inch. Then again the folder was a great place to find out what “type” of captain you’re paired with.




FO does every walk around. Even though mechanics do it as well at the same time. I have no idea how to program FMC for preflight “oh you don’t need to know any of the preflight aspects on the flight deck” is what some captains have told me




Let’s check every warning system on the airplane every flight. Nothing like a config warning being checked 21 times per week. Love hearing all the GPWS noises during preflight. Bus Tie checks on 757 as an example. First flight of the day checks is a term not used at FedEx




“Got your docs ?” …And if I didn’t what would I do at this point 10 mins prior to push anyway




Security briefings when there’s no jumpseaters is absurd.




767 CAs referring to jumpseaters as “could be hijackers” is an insult. (All 76 jump seats are in cockpit) I’ve heard it more than once.




767 and A300 captains that would say no if you asked to put your bags up front instead of in the back in the netting. Still scratching my head at why we couldn’t accommodate our own pilots


Must take off times were mandatory briefs. Because IND-EWR with an on time departure is going to be such a factor for our day




It’s 89 degrees out and the cockpit is over 100. But don’t start that APU until 5 mins prior. Oh wait, there’s baby chicks/ducks onboard, start it 45 mins prior now. Never been more miserable and uncomfortable in an airplane than sitting in a FedEx cockpit. All fleets. Some captains have become sheep with this rule and don’t look out for everyone else onboard when it’s hot and humid




Paper fuel slips from 2001. At least I know that you really don’t need to turn them in because after IOE I didn’t and never heard boo about them




TOLD Cards. Unbelievable how much paper “needed to be present” entire flight. I threw a W&B in the trash once reaching cruise and the CA said “whoa whoa we need that, the FOM says so”




Performance briefing. I would say “K Indy”instead of “K I N D” and some guys would want me to say it again. This was an excellent indicator who I was sitting next to for the next few hours.




LTAET. It works about 5% of the time. The monthly reminders and LCA talking about it gets exhausting. Again, common sense item when you’re number 20 in line at JFK not number 3 going to 18R. The more its emphasized the less your crews will comply.




Can’t have ground and tower in COMM1. Departure freq has to be in standby entire time from gate to lift off in COMM1. No one can explain that one yet.




Below the line taking the runway. Unsafe as FO is heads down for entire time and it’s constant challenge and response


“Before TO checklist complete, runway 36L verified” doesn’t need to be said after you read back a takeoff clearance. It can be done anytime. Then again I’m sure navy guys not on a carrier are overwhelmed at an airport with more than 1 runway.


FCIFs about 93 year old retired military guys dying. Like it was breaking news. Just this past week some senior captains mom died and it was a flight ops memo




FCIFs of current pilots dying due to the vaccine and boosters stopped after it became obvious what was going on. 6 guys in a 3 month span all middle age and in good shape. Try and change my mind




FO First class medical required for domestic 2 person crew. Waste of pilots time and company reimbursement



But hey, at least I studied naval aerodynamics for a month AND spent $500 for interview prep to be “an ELITE FedEx pilot”




….oh yeah, almost forgot…don’t bring a gun to work.