June Pairing Rumor
05-01-2007 | 05:01 AM
#31
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Joined: Mar 2006
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From: FDX A300 CPT
Home is were u make it....i was a commuter and now live in mem...life is a lot better here...home a lot more and all day flying for me...and no hubturns...but it is a personal choice...my friends in the sig told me that the deadheads would be optimized( in otherwords -no deadheads) and a lot more out and backs....if u need a good realtor PM me...r1200rt just moved here and is living the dream..he is probably sitting by his new pool watching the waterfall and sipping a pina colada after being bumped again...
05-01-2007 | 05:12 AM
#32
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Joined: Sep 2006
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From: B-777 Captain
I often stay at the Grand. Pre-Katrina, I could sometimes get a room there M-Thurs at 40 bucks or less. Post Katrina you are lucky to get it at 50-60. Its an honest 30+ minutes or more down there. However, they have a gym, wireless internet (for a fee), and its nice enough to do some business while I am in town with clients as well.
The casino there has grown in volumne...used to be easy to stroll in, work into a 5 or 10 buck table or a hot craps table. Beer/food/comps came quickly. Reminded me of old downtown Vegas casinos circa 1990s (for you ex AF types...) Post some mangement changes (casino's been bought/sold at least once and possibly twice since I went there) its a bit more crowded, service is slower, and there are fewer gambler friendly game tables (single deck 21, craps, single 0 roulette).
Bally's became independent of Harrah's when Harrah's bought the Grand a few years back. The oldest facility down there, the hotel is...well...a holiday inn select type place. It is perfectly acceptable for a crash pad, but there isn't internet access available (except dial up) and its not quite as nice for hosting business as the Grand. On the other hand--the casino there has been very very good to me... Less crowded, nice comps, and a few more good games.
The Sheraton boasts a jacuzzi tub in every room. Its a nice hotel. Probably best place if you are bringing the wife down for a night or plan on soaking away some aches and pains after a day on the gold course, a night at the tables, or the emotional shock of your losses. The Sheraton, the Gold Strike, and Sam's rarely have rooms for less than 100 bucks. Even before Katrina, they seemed to price to scare the cheap airline pilot away. I guess they figure that's cheaper than spraying for us one we infest a joint...
I won't pretend to lecture anyone on gambling--there are plenty of guys here who probably know strategy and odds. What I will say is IF you know a game and IF you play with a bit of discipline you can usually at least stretch your bucks out to last quite a while. When I play my goal is not to double my signing bonus, but rather to entertain myself a few hours, get a drink or two and perhaps a meal, and ride an upside wave to pay for my room for the day. I've had my butt kicked a few nights, but generally speaking I can do alright. I'm usually too tired or have other work to do when I down there to gamble EVERY night (that gets dull too...) but its a nice diversion when I can get down there. Bally's steak place is also pretty good. I usually avoid the bloatorama buffetts and their crowds, but the food and service at the other place (I think its called the barn) was very good. Dinners are more than the 10 buck buffetts but typically less than 20 when the bills are settled.
The real story, however, is still the Holiday Inn on Democrat. I still seem to end up there more than anyplace else lately... With the airport shuttle its just too convenient of a place to meet other folks and/or scramble to the airport to jumpseat home at the end of a trip. Also worth mentioning--the lunch buffett there is country cooking and IT ROCKS. I don't know how long the current stafff has been there, but guys come over from local businesses and the TANG to grab lunch there and its pretty darn good. And..for your airline pilots out there...I think they price it at 9 bucks or so.
The casino there has grown in volumne...used to be easy to stroll in, work into a 5 or 10 buck table or a hot craps table. Beer/food/comps came quickly. Reminded me of old downtown Vegas casinos circa 1990s (for you ex AF types...) Post some mangement changes (casino's been bought/sold at least once and possibly twice since I went there) its a bit more crowded, service is slower, and there are fewer gambler friendly game tables (single deck 21, craps, single 0 roulette).
Bally's became independent of Harrah's when Harrah's bought the Grand a few years back. The oldest facility down there, the hotel is...well...a holiday inn select type place. It is perfectly acceptable for a crash pad, but there isn't internet access available (except dial up) and its not quite as nice for hosting business as the Grand. On the other hand--the casino there has been very very good to me... Less crowded, nice comps, and a few more good games.
The Sheraton boasts a jacuzzi tub in every room. Its a nice hotel. Probably best place if you are bringing the wife down for a night or plan on soaking away some aches and pains after a day on the gold course, a night at the tables, or the emotional shock of your losses. The Sheraton, the Gold Strike, and Sam's rarely have rooms for less than 100 bucks. Even before Katrina, they seemed to price to scare the cheap airline pilot away. I guess they figure that's cheaper than spraying for us one we infest a joint...
I won't pretend to lecture anyone on gambling--there are plenty of guys here who probably know strategy and odds. What I will say is IF you know a game and IF you play with a bit of discipline you can usually at least stretch your bucks out to last quite a while. When I play my goal is not to double my signing bonus, but rather to entertain myself a few hours, get a drink or two and perhaps a meal, and ride an upside wave to pay for my room for the day. I've had my butt kicked a few nights, but generally speaking I can do alright. I'm usually too tired or have other work to do when I down there to gamble EVERY night (that gets dull too...) but its a nice diversion when I can get down there. Bally's steak place is also pretty good. I usually avoid the bloatorama buffetts and their crowds, but the food and service at the other place (I think its called the barn) was very good. Dinners are more than the 10 buck buffetts but typically less than 20 when the bills are settled.
The real story, however, is still the Holiday Inn on Democrat. I still seem to end up there more than anyplace else lately... With the airport shuttle its just too convenient of a place to meet other folks and/or scramble to the airport to jumpseat home at the end of a trip. Also worth mentioning--the lunch buffett there is country cooking and IT ROCKS. I don't know how long the current stafff has been there, but guys come over from local businesses and the TANG to grab lunch there and its pretty darn good. And..for your airline pilots out there...I think they price it at 9 bucks or so.
05-01-2007 | 06:06 AM
#33
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 608
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From: Triple Capt
Home is were u make it....i was a commuter and now live in mem...life is a lot better here...home a lot more and all day flying for me...and no hubturns...but it is a personal choice...my friends in the sig told me that the deadheads would be optimized( in otherwords -no deadheads) and a lot more out and backs....if u need a good realtor PM me...r1200rt just moved here and is living the dream..he is probably sitting by his new pool watching the waterfall and sipping a pina colada after being bumped again...
the MD still has some sweet DH's and at 40%, I can have my pick (unless it's real juicy). Those DH's might be getting optimized for the Bus but the blue bidpack has a pretty good share of DH's to CDG, FRA, DXB and even KIX. This single fact keeps me commuting.
As always, to each his own and it's one of the reasons I really like the flying here -- you can stay at home in C-ville on R days and not get called, pm out and backs plus the bump potential, and 12 day single departure MD pairings. Take your pick, seniority rules.
05-01-2007 | 06:12 AM
#34
Gets Weekends Off
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 967
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From: FDX A300 CPT
I still commute but am waivering to make the move to the planet BUT.....
the MD still has some sweet DH's and at 40%, I can have my pick (unless it's real juicy). Those DH's might be getting optimized for the Bus but the blue bidpack has a pretty good share of DH's to CDG, FRA, DXB and even KIX. This single fact keeps me commuting.
As always, to each his own and it's one of the reasons I really like the flying here -- you can stay at home in C-ville on R days and not get called, pm out and backs plus the bump potential, and 12 day single departure MD pairings. Take your pick, seniority rules.
the MD still has some sweet DH's and at 40%, I can have my pick (unless it's real juicy). Those DH's might be getting optimized for the Bus but the blue bidpack has a pretty good share of DH's to CDG, FRA, DXB and even KIX. This single fact keeps me commuting.
As always, to each his own and it's one of the reasons I really like the flying here -- you can stay at home in C-ville on R days and not get called, pm out and backs plus the bump potential, and 12 day single departure MD pairings. Take your pick, seniority rules.
05-01-2007 | 06:14 AM
#35
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 2,889
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05-01-2007 | 06:17 AM
#36
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 37
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From: Airbus Capt (duh)
When I proposed this question, I didn't think it would get to a major discussion between commuters and non-commuters. When the schedules change, it will affect everyone including non-commuters. Oh, the trips might look better for commuters for a little while, but when non-commuters are forced to fly out and backs, its sucks being junior in seniority. If you think about it, those cushie out and backs might turn into R-days on the am side flying those disputed pairings that will kill you at an early age. If you live in Memphis, be glad you have commuters because everyone's lifestyle is based upon seniority.
The company is only optimizing the Bus schedule right now. I was told they will continue to do this until they think they can financially qualify the trips, i.e., cost of the trips versus lose of trips due to sick leave, lack of volunteers, and having to use reserves. The MD-11 and the 727 are next on the chopping block
. It's not a matter of if, but when. As for me, I plan on flying exactly what is expected...block out ON TIME, fly my scheduled MACH, and taxi within the TAXI LIMITS. I have been called a few times by scheduling begging me to help them out because I was their last choice. Well, not anymore. I value my quality time at home because I no longer get quality time at work, so regardless of how much they offer me to fly overtime, it's not going to happen. If I'm tired, I will call in fatigued. If I'm sick, I will call in sick. Quality of life folks, that's what is about. And for you guys in Memphis who are able to get bumped and sit by the pool, that's what I'm talking about for every pilot.
The company is only optimizing the Bus schedule right now. I was told they will continue to do this until they think they can financially qualify the trips, i.e., cost of the trips versus lose of trips due to sick leave, lack of volunteers, and having to use reserves. The MD-11 and the 727 are next on the chopping block
. It's not a matter of if, but when. As for me, I plan on flying exactly what is expected...block out ON TIME, fly my scheduled MACH, and taxi within the TAXI LIMITS. I have been called a few times by scheduling begging me to help them out because I was their last choice. Well, not anymore. I value my quality time at home because I no longer get quality time at work, so regardless of how much they offer me to fly overtime, it's not going to happen. If I'm tired, I will call in fatigued. If I'm sick, I will call in sick. Quality of life folks, that's what is about. And for you guys in Memphis who are able to get bumped and sit by the pool, that's what I'm talking about for every pilot.
05-01-2007 | 07:21 AM
#39
...Whatever It Is!
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,680
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Can you give another example of their bending "backwords"?
05-01-2007 | 07:25 AM
#40
...Whatever It Is!
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,680
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