Originally Posted by
AFW_MD11
I don't use the programs either.
I'm junior - probably way junior to you because I'm based in ANC.
ANC FOs don't have any more open time/draft/volunteer than MEM or LAX does these days.
3-4 years ago was a totally different world here at FedEx (in case you hadn't noticed) - reserves aren't flying, there's no draft/volunteer, we're "overmanned" not undermanned (like we were 3-4 years ago), the flying hours have been reduced across the board.
Guys 4-5 years junior to you holding "better schedules" than you is all relative - "one man's trash is another man's treasure" - maybe they're bidding VTOs and getting the "good trips" that much more senior guys drop for vacation?? - there's a MILLION different ways to explain why those guys 4-5 years junior to you are holding "better schedules" - bot programs might be one of the reasons.
Right now, with limited open time to work with, EVERYONE has to be more creative as to adjusting schedules for quality of life. There is no more draft/volunteer.
As for "flying extra at straight time" - as everyone on here likes to phrase it........let me ask you this.........how can someone pick up an "extra trip" unless they first dropped a trip to put hours in their makeup bank in the first place?
answer - they can't!!
so, if someone is flying an extra 5 days this month at "straight time" - he must have NOT FLOWN (ie. didn't get paid) for 5 days of flying in a previous month in order to be able to pick up a trip from makeup - right?
so, no one is actually flying "extra" - right?
they're just DEFERRING their flying from one month to the next at the same "straight pay" they would have gotten in the first place.
say it with me.......no one is flying extra at straight pay..........guys using hours from their makeup bank is NOT what's causing the lack of draft/volunteer........so get over that too.
and if you're more worried about golfing.......go golf......and don't worry about who picks up what out of open time. use your seniority for what it was intended and bid a "good schedule" to begin with, and forget about changing it with open time trips.
golfing is much more fun than sitting at your computerr watching open time anyway.......
If you are a junior guy in ANC, then you won the lottery and never did any time in the back of the slave ship like the majority of us. good for you, I'm happy for you. But if you are "CBing" me (to coin a phrase from an earlier post) that's where I have the problem.
Yes we are overmanned, but open time is being scarfed up at record rates. Way faster than I've ever seen it. Something needs to be done to fix it in my opinion. Most guys who are junior are there by choice, and if your schedule sucks because of it I'm not real sympathetic.