Originally Posted by
sailingfun
I find it hard to believe that management wanted the APA system. Why tie there own hands. They can make the AE system function exactly the same as the APA system if they so desire. They can post a montly bid and convert in 120 days. Why ask for something you already have?
In reality they have consistantly asked for and sadly been granted longer and longer conversion periods. That is how they now have the one bid per year they can extend to a entire year. They fought hard for that. Your saying they asked to give it up?
fNWA management wanted the APA system because they couldn't adequately plan either the staffing or the training to go with it to meet the needs of marketing.
IMO it's because marketing was always the tail wagging the dog at fNWA but thats just my opinion.
Going to a monthly system gave them much more flexibility for short term staffing changes and also gave them a better tool to gauge how much training would be required, because with a monthly APA most pilots kept their preference cards reasonably current.
I have to quit posting now and fly to Narita, assuming I can figure out what the new check-in procedure is ...