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Old 03-26-2010, 04:12 PM
  #11  
Busboy
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Joined APC: Aug 2006
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Originally Posted by CloudSailor View Post
Has FDX or ALPA ever considered FLiCA? (Flight Line Internet Crew Access), software developed by Delta for both pilots and FA's.

It can be the best scheduling tool out there, as long as the company allows for the parameters to be "relaxed", which can be a contractual thing.

I know Delta, USAirways, America West (pre-merger), Frontier, Air Wisconsin, among others, use it.

We can trade trips out of open time into our schedule, as long as they're more than 3 days out, within seconds. All automated. We can drop trips and add trips into/from open time. We can also swap trips with other crewmembers automatically. When the trade is for a trip within 3 days, reserve coverage parameters are tightened up a little.

The only time a scheduler actually becomes involved is when there are legality/contractual disparities. Such as: we are required to have 10 hours rest in base min., but can choose waive it and go with the FAA minimums... then a scheduler has to be involved.

I would imagine that with all the ex-Delta and USAir guys there, it would have come up for discussion. Specially since it is such a money-saver for the company to have all that automation. We don't have the pay that you do at FDX, but from a scheduling perspective, the quality of life that FLiCA gives us is amazing, (sounds like a commercial for them, but I'm being completely honest).
The system we(FDX) have been using..."VIPS"...was used at Eastern, over 25yrs ago, with real-time trip trading by phone. Your request was either approved immediately or not("manning restricted"). Obviously, FDX has no interest in losing the control that human(most of them) schedulers gives them.
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