Originally Posted by
Pineapple Guy
You're the third guy in two days who has justified PS as a cost savings because you compare it to the cost of an illegal sick call. Sick call is for when you're sick; not when you can't catch a flight.
Here's a BIGGER cost savings. Firing the guy who illegally calls in sick because he misses his commuter flight, and replace him with a guy who won't.
BTW, Delta's done it before, so I'd be really careful what all of you guys are admitting to on this public forum.
They should also fire the guy who brags he's never called in sick in 10 years because all that means is he's more likely than not violated FAR's and come to work when he shouldn't have. BTW I'm not a commuter - all I'm saying it's happened, and it's not too hard to catch a legitimate cold and get a get a legit doctors note.
Back to the point at hand - sick call or not - you have fewer cancellations and a higher schedule completion rate buying the occasional PS to work. It may have been covered here before, but the program required a verified backup to work, and to be checked-in for your primary. There had to be a JS you were booked for on the primary. 10 day prior booking made that a lot easier. It basically said you show due diligence and prior planning to get to base on time and we'll make sure you get on a BU. Far more often than not if a pilot actually had the JS booked he got on. It also forced you to book an even earlier flight if your first choice was booked in order to use the program. It promoted the very responsible commuting you say is our responsibility.
We are about to have a lot more involuntarily commuters, and I hope we can manage to think outside the box a bit on making DAL more commuter friendly.