Alaska Air Hiring
03-12-2019, 03:31 PM
#4031
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2018
Posts: 692
Originally Posted by OTZeagle1
Ok. Sounds good. I am sure it all will happen, I am confident all this union ever needed was the fortitude of the VX pilot group. It is renowned and revered throughout the whole industry, known for its intellectual giants. How long will this bull market run 1,2,3 years? The company has really smart people working this equation. I will sit back and watch us get it all. I know our Union leadership very well, awesome guys, fun to party with. There isn’t one with an IQ over 115, but they are funny and a blast to hangout with.
While I don’t agree that our Union reps are dummies and good ol’ boys, the reassuring thing is that even if they are, their singular job is to represent US and let the company know what it is WE want, not what the union leadership wants. We elect our union reps not for their critical thinking skills but for their ability to convey OUR message to the company. So as long as OUR collective IQ is high enough to know what it is we want, we’re safe from less than brilliant pilots representing us. All I ask of our union reps when it comes to contract negotiations is to act as our messenger and inform the company what it is we’re willing to work for. I don’t think that requires an above average IQ.
03-12-2019, 03:35 PM
#4032
Line Holder
Joined APC: Mar 2013
Position: Pilot
Posts: 34
Originally Posted by Beta82
OTZ is a troll, he just here to stoke the flames. He's obviously missing a few brain cells if he happy with this contract and can't figure out that a better contract for everyone will be more MONEY for him.
But to address your comment. The reason the productivity is dwindling on the Airbus is because it has now become the regional feed for the Boeing in some sense. It's harder to build productive trips with more legs with less block time per leg on avg. In addition, the contract has asinine rules like 5:51 that handicap us. I would venture to guess that while the productivity has slid from around 6 hours per day to 5.5 per day on the Airbus, the increase in productivity is gladly being accepted on the Boeing side.
Also, a side note is that unless the pairing optimizer is specifically told to create late shows and early releases, the best solution is early shows and late release. This gives the optimizer the most flexibility in building pairings and doesn't cost anymore to keep you on duty (besides 2.15 an hour). Any constraints you add to the optimizer, like late shows or early releases will have a negative effect on the solution (i.e. higher cost). In fact if you were to let it do whatever it would build 5 and even 6 day pairings as that is the 117 limit and some of the best use of a crewmember.
PBS isn't the magical silver bullet, garbage in garbage out. if you put crap pairings into it it will give you crap lines. Right now the Airbus side is reeling from a decrease in productivity per day, not so much from line bidding. It's just with PBS you had some success with picking certain days off and not spending multiple hours trying to figure out which line is the least crappy.
Avg credit per calendar day of greater than 5.5, duty rigs, and new credit limits (like 70 or 75) for each line built need to be implemented. The line bidding or PBS would then sort itself out.
But to address your comment. The reason the productivity is dwindling on the Airbus is because it has now become the regional feed for the Boeing in some sense. It's harder to build productive trips with more legs with less block time per leg on avg. In addition, the contract has asinine rules like 5:51 that handicap us. I would venture to guess that while the productivity has slid from around 6 hours per day to 5.5 per day on the Airbus, the increase in productivity is gladly being accepted on the Boeing side.
Also, a side note is that unless the pairing optimizer is specifically told to create late shows and early releases, the best solution is early shows and late release. This gives the optimizer the most flexibility in building pairings and doesn't cost anymore to keep you on duty (besides 2.15 an hour). Any constraints you add to the optimizer, like late shows or early releases will have a negative effect on the solution (i.e. higher cost). In fact if you were to let it do whatever it would build 5 and even 6 day pairings as that is the 117 limit and some of the best use of a crewmember.
PBS isn't the magical silver bullet, garbage in garbage out. if you put crap pairings into it it will give you crap lines. Right now the Airbus side is reeling from a decrease in productivity per day, not so much from line bidding. It's just with PBS you had some success with picking certain days off and not spending multiple hours trying to figure out which line is the least crappy.
Avg credit per calendar day of greater than 5.5, duty rigs, and new credit limits (like 70 or 75) for each line built need to be implemented. The line bidding or PBS would then sort itself out.
I would think that if they would get away from using the bus as a feeder they would see productivity go up. They are shooting themselves in the foot with this north south bs in stead of using it as a narrow body plane for all opns. Just my thoughts, if productivity is so important, as we know it is.
And god bless the guy who must make lines from this garbage. I know Alaska can do better than this, and for Gods sake, please drop the min hours to 65 or 70 and up it from the max of 85. sorry broken record!
03-12-2019, 05:05 PM
#4034
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2018
Posts: 669
Originally Posted by Beta82
But to address your comment. The reason the productivity is dwindling on the Airbus is because it has now become the regional feed for the Boeing in some sense. It's harder to build productive trips with more legs with less block time per leg on avg. In addition, the contract has asinine rules like 5:51 that handicap us.
After 25 years in the business, I'm back to flying a Regional schedule. SMFH
As for PBS, yes, I am aware that PBS or even Line Bidding by itself will not give you a great Scheduling and QOL output. Scheduling language is the all important, "not so secret sauce" that's needed to make it work.
03-12-2019, 08:46 PM
#4035
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2010
Position: Supine
Posts: 251
Yes, OTZ is a troll. Don’t feed the troll. He is trying to divide the group. I only comment to point out that his portrayal of what his pension is worth is wildly off the mark. If he was retiring this year, the most his pension could be worth is $225,000, not 112% of his high five of the last ten years no matter if he was hired at the age of 15 or 25. The IRS limit is $225,000 for 2019. Putting out garbage numbers like his serves only to divide the group. Furthermore, he can pick up all the premium pay he wants (and he seems to relish in pointing that out) but he only gets to count $280,000 in 2019 towards that high five calculation. Those numbers are determined by the IRS and only change between 0 and $5,000 a year. At his age and year of hire, he probably should have selected the rebalance plan, but he will never admit that.
03-12-2019, 10:42 PM
#4036
Guest
Posts: n/a
Pretty sure that mr. kotzebue is likely a Horizon pilot. He seems to have enough access to Alaska Airlines info to sound real but his facts and figures don’t add up. Maybe a legacy brat so he gets fed daddy info but not likely employed by Alaska Airlines inc. His approach has the traits of a pilot too young to be living the wildly innacurate claims that he makes. Or he just be dumb. Entertaining but dumb.
03-13-2019, 07:31 AM
#4037
Prime Minister/Moderator
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Position: Engines Turn Or People Swim
Posts: 39,293
Originally Posted by Klsytakesit
Pretty sure that mr. kotzebue is likely a Horizon pilot. He seems to have enough access to Alaska Airlines info to sound real but his facts and figures don’t add up. Maybe a legacy brat so he gets fed daddy info but not likely employed by Alaska Airlines inc. His approach has the traits of a pilot too young to be living the wildly innacurate claims that he makes. Or he just be dumb. Entertaining but dumb.
03-13-2019, 09:16 AM
#4038
Line Holder
Joined APC: Feb 2017
Posts: 66
Originally Posted by NotTellin
You got 800 pilots that are engaged and passionate about making it better. Just look to the the last LAX LEC election numbers for your proof. Go ahead and keep telling us how we are the problem, cause we are already proving you wrong.
Best thing to happen to the entire AS pilot group! This may be the best thing about this merger.
Some may mock “the new sheriff in town” (VXers), and doubt they are going to be able to change anything because B&B are apparently so intimidating... but I’m willing to give them a chance at at motivating this new combined group. As a L-AS guy, I think we certainly better chances now than with the L-AS group... especially since the balance of power is shifting/ diluting from the PNW.
Last edited by IFlyNFish; 03-13-2019 at 09:32 AM.
03-13-2019, 09:22 AM
#4039
Line Holder
Joined APC: Dec 2008
Posts: 70
Originally Posted by Thrill
The Max credit does vary from 85-88 depending on the use of flex, and pilots may exceed the max by 5 hours.
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03-13-2019, 09:59 AM
#4040
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: May 2007
Posts: 279
Originally Posted by Beta82
Max credit assigned from the company should be 65-75, no more. If you want to fly more you can elect to either bid higher credit or pick up another trip. This is not only good for people who don't want to fly 90 hours a month, it also forces the company the hire more pilots...Good for everyone.
Oh I agree. I was just clarifying what the current obligation is.
I am 100% ready to go get what we all deserve.
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