What's the worst thing for a commuter besides the accepted fare vs actual fare fiasco?? That's right, its substitution!!! Here's my story...

In June they cancelled my MEM to FRA and DH home trip that was part of my line and put me in sub. I was assigned 2 EWR AM hubturns in its place. As I had been awake since early that day with the intent of an early afternoon departure to FRA, I declined sub and the time went in my OTP bank.

In July I used the PMU time to pick up a nice trip, DH MEM-CDG, fly CDG-EWR, DH MEM. Great trip that I could have only gotten with PMU time. So...here is the kicker, as I am getting ready to go to the airport in my hometown to DH CDG, they call and change the schedule, but the front end DH is stil the same, so I head to the airport to catch my flight. About the time I finish canceling and rebooking my back end DH with global travel, they call me again and cancel the trip altogether.

So now I am informed that this very instant that my trip was cancelled, my IAP (Initial Availability Period) has started in MEM! I have already done my initial deviation checkin, I am here getting ready to fly to CDG from my hometown, and now this very instant I am expected to be on call in MEM. Oh yeah, and the last flight to MEM has just left. W T F?

So of course the next call is them assigning me some piece of crap all night flight to LAX, EWR, something like that. So, two things are pretty crappy here.
1. I performed initial deviation check in for my original trip, booked my flight with global travel, all the right stuff. The second they cancel the trip, I am supposed to warp to MEM to start my on call period.
2. There is no daytime/ nighttime assignment for international, so I have been awake since 7AM with the intent of an early evening departure, and now I am supposed to fly all night. Totally unsafe.

After talking with the DO that night, the ACP and Contract Enforcement, the bottom line is tough sh*t. Only option at this point is to send a letter to negotiating committee detailing the event and making suggestions for the future contract. Yeah...I'll be the blue guy in the corner holding my breath.

Anyone had anything like this happen to them?

boost

 

What would have happened if you had not answered the 901 area code call? I suppose it would depend on where in the official show time window you were.

 

call in fatigued

 

Yeah you're right, shouldn't have answered the phone call, shouldn't have checked VIPs, should have got on my DH and then DH'd home for full pay.
Tried to do things the right way and was "rewarded" by the company for my integrity.

 

Yep, what I would have recommended as well!

 

Never answer a (901) call when you are on a good deal.

 

This is the kind of thing I would expect our ACPs to step up to the plate on and do the right and/or reasonable thing. So much for that. So, the contract is the contract, huh? Well, that works both ways... I hope our union realizes that as the company is running to us with their hat in hand.

 

As I've been sitting here fuming over the fact that my only VTO request, commuter line, was completely disregarded and was instead built a shotgun piece of crap while several junior to me got "commutable lines", I feel your pain. I really do. I guess misery loves company.

 

I've stopped bidding VTO for that reason. When I've called to complain, I've been told, "It's called a VTO request for a reason?"

 

New twist on SUB policy happened like this ...

1. Checked in for my trip on the biometric check-in machine. It said, "You are checked in for Flight # XXXX." I thought to myself, that's not my flight number?

2. Waited until actual check-in time and checked my VIPS screen (scheduling screen for you non-FDX types), it basically said that my trip had been equipment changed and that I had been SUB'd on a new trip. Called crew scheduling ... they said the same thing. They further explained that the new trip had the same "footprint" as the old trip and that it was a legal substitution. I protested, "Wait a minute here ... doesn't the contract say that I'm suposed to be notified that I'm in a SUB status and given the opportunity to decline the SUB trip (without pay)?" They agreed .... I said good ... I decline the SUB assignment, but I am available for DRAFT (remember it's now 3 minutes PAST show time). Well, they were ****ed and told me, "You know these conversations are recorded!" And I told them that they knew everything I was saying was in accordance with the contract.

3. They DRAFTED me

I've since learned that if they DFT someone for a trip they were already on that they (scheduling) has some explaining to do. It pays to know your contract