Flaps50

Anyone else have trouble with a deviation expense where the vendor doesn't run the card until 6 days later, then the FOX report won't let me change the date because it isn't more than 7 days different, then I can't post it to a trip because it is not within 3 days of the trip anymore. Frustrating to say the least, then it keeps reseting my expense category on me. Anyway, just venting, my September report is a mess, hopefully they read the notes Another problem is that my training doesn't show up as an option to attach a deviation expense to either.

Any thoughts?

I actually like the FOX idea overall, but if you have any wrenches in the mix at all it won't take it.

USNFDX

email you ACP...That's why they get paid the big bucks!

Albief15

I had to pester mine last night at home for a ground travel pre-approval and he was great about it. I apologized for bugging him at home, but got the line "that's my job..." as indicated by USNFDX above. Ask for help--you'll probably get it...

fecav8r

Albie, are you goin's soft on us..............

BrownGirls YUM

Not to mention too politically correct.

Anyway, when I emailed my ACP about some FOX travel issues, the reply was "submit a paper claim". Guess our ACP mileage may vary

Flaps50

I'll try and submit it normally first then if I have problems I will move on down the line from there.

Thanks,

SeeDub

Try giving the FOX folks a phone call. I keep them on speed dial. I typically have to hold about five minutes, but once I get through they are surprisingly efficient at taking care of most of the road blocks I've hit in FOX.

SeeDub

...and if you are sitting at a computer, they will walk you through the steps you need to accomplish to fix the problem.

fdxdisco

What number do you use? I've tried to call them a couple of times and have never gotten them to answer. I spent 30 minutes one time before I gave up. Today it was 10 minutes. You must have the magic number. Please share.
Disco

Albief15

Actually--I'm just trying to point out you don't need to be intimidated to call your ACP. I usually "pause" before dialing, but my point is you can call them if you need them. I didn't feel comfortable calling my squadron commanders at home on weekends either...unless it was truely important.

And...I AM tired of all the anger and hate on the boards, so I am trying to say "please" and "thank you" here and there. Fact is I DID have to pester the guy and he was rather cordial.

I have been criticized by some ACPs for a few things along the way-some thought my interview prep course was "cheating" the system. (I disagree--solid communication skills are the core of the program, and it works at Delta, Southwest, Netjets, Jetblue, blah blah blah. There isn't any inside information going out.) I have taken some jabs from an ACP even after my discussion in 2004 about what I do and don't do with Jack Lewis. I have always believed that my program helps good guys put their best foot foward but still won't polish a turd to the point an airline will hire someone they don't want. That's how performance based interviewing works...

My issue with December mil leave in 2004 has also been addressed. Long story short is my commander communicated to DM that in fact I was NOT scamming to get off work, and I volunteered to work over Christmas (since we weren't flying F-15s that day) and did trips over the holidays. I always regretted how elevated all that got. I also got knawed on a bit for missing a check in on a hotel in lieu of...but again--I got knawed on...not disciplined. I didn't think is was a huge deal, but it WAS an irregularity report so I get to eat some $hit for it. I'm a big boy...I can take it...and I have tried to avoid that from happening again. I imagine someone else might have handled the issue differently--but in the big picture--who cares? Nothing happened.

Now the personal part. I always wanted my bosses to like me when I was in the AF. I always had great relationships with my superiors, got good assignments, and generally had a fantastic time. Having a supervisor looking at me sidewise was unsettling. Some guys were used to having a boss they hated or vice versa...not me. That is completely out of my comfort zone. So--I grumbled to myself and kept my mouth shut. What I later found out was that is was not personal. He was like that with about anyone dealing with mil leave issues. And while I felt bad for them, it was (in a strange way) a relief to find out this wasn't an Albie issue--it was a company/ACP issue. Since then--instead of being angry--I've kind of felt sorry for some of the ACPs who get so wound up in working for the "man" that they feel compelled to become (at times) pretty disagreeable. In my own completely unscientific opinion, guys who become rabid disciplinarians as ACPs either A) must be gettting pressure from somewhere to do it or B) are trying to move up the ladder by impressing their superiors with their vigor or C) are just unhappy people with an axe to grind or D) maybe genuinely think they are doing the right thing.

You know--I've gone round and round wondering about SOME of those guys and if they were A, B, C, or D. But the reality is it just doesn't matter that much in my life. Worrying about how cool or how mean a particular individual is doesn't change the fact that A) they are there and B) I can't change A. We all hope the guys in the job are reasonable guys and abide by D above. Now that you are on the line, it won't be "sucking up" when I say you had a great rep as a fair and straightforward ACP...at least with the guys I knew. However, even so had I been on the 'bus I'd have still thought twice about calling you at home for input on an R24 deviation.

For the record--I've gotten 2 "I noticed you were sick" calls--and neither were from DM. (I can share with you private sometime the names over a beer--I'd love to get your take on some things company and union related anyway....) One was on the last R day of a string in December a few years back when I couldn't sleep due to back issues--this was about 60 days prior to them finding that tumor in my spinal column that resulted in back surgery # 1. Comment # 2 was when I went sick on a string of 7 R days (custom line after DNIF) about 3 months after back surgery number 2 in July. I came back to work on day 85 and got my 3/3...with permission of Dr Kendall and my surgery team. However--I was "pushing" it a just a bit and was pretty sore, but I just didn't want to lose the currency if I could help it. So I limped through the week, got the landings, and the next week I chilled a week and recovered. Again--I know DM has the rep for a being a "sick Nazi", but my experience with him post surgery number 1 has been fine.

So...in short...I guess its easiest to say going aground pi$$ed off or carrying a grudge would probably hurt me a lot more than it would hurt any CP. Life's too short to go around angry and bitter. I've been whacked twice in the last two years with back surgery--the first one was scary enough to wonder if I was going to be able to walk or fly when it was over. The latest one, much less serious, still gave me an appreciation for what I've got. I spent most of the weekend flying my Navion teaching a fellow Navioneer some formation flying basics, then last night got to fly a 727 into a midwest field with a howling crosswind (and I LIVE for that!). I like my job. I am blessed. I'm not going to go around carrying grudges. We all know JJ's battles--he's been very candid here. Last night I was witness to a horrible accident in Indy you'll soon ready about in a FCIF--and a fellow FDX pilot will be out of the flying game for some time. We got a lot more in common that we have in differences... I'm running too short of time to spend it worrying why anyone else does or doesn't like my act...

I still think STV is a horrible precedent. And I don't want my union telling me to "suck it up, fatty..." I wish our expense report system was easier, and why in the heck do we need receipts for puchases at the company uniform store or known vendors? And DPs suck. And why in the heck does deviating cancel ground transportation? The company is asking us to help save millions in fuel costs but gleefully giggles at not having to spend cab fare to get us to the hotel? We got some issues...but we can work on those things without being jerks to each other...I think...