Reserve Rant
10-06-2010, 05:59 PM
#21
Line Holder
Joined APC: Aug 2008
Posts: 80
Originally Posted by iarapilot
The only solution is simple....sort of. Collectively, we need to call in fatigued when we are. Along with that, pick up no open time, no vacation buy back, etc., etc. It sounds pretty elementary really, but we dont have the collective brains to figure it out, and probably never will. Pretty sad.
Fedex motto: "It's all about ME"
Dude- getting this collective of pilots to work together is impossible. ALPA is basically funded by Fedex pilots, and while they are on our side, they make NO EFFORT whatsoever to combat the problem of our pilots eating each other.
Have you tried to pick up open time lately? Do you know why it is so difficult? It is because the union has instituted a lot of rules to prevent individual pilots from becoming hours HO's. Our "pilots" will happily pick up disputed pairings, and if [god forbid]
we ever have a strike, you can bet that a LOT of people will cross picket lines.
---Cross a picket line? I'll fly with you, but I will lay there silently like a SNAKE. I will watch you like a HAWK, and when I find you making a mistake, I will just call the FAA. I will get you, I will get you, I will GET YOU!---
::SNARL::
Vampires have nothing on ME.
The long and short is that it is nice to talk about putting the screws to the company, but in the end unless the US Government changes the laws, we aren't going to be able to cut down on our fatigue issues.
10-06-2010, 06:01 PM
#22
Line Holder
Thread Starter
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: Some
Posts: 57
Originally Posted by Tuck
A s far as I can tell we have the worst reserve system in the industry. Starting with only 15% long call outs - most other carriers have closer to 50%. No set rules on the "futures forecasting". The system can disallow anyone from dropping any days and at the same time completely allow a line holder to drop trips on those same exact days. Happens all the time.
Union contract openers barely mention reserve changes. Why don't we have an agressive pickup option that most other carriers have and would cost the company next to nothing? Fill out your surveys but the fact that reserve is barely mentioned in our openers tells me that the NC and MEC have very little interest in making meaningful changes here.
Union contract openers barely mention reserve changes. Why don't we have an agressive pickup option that most other carriers have and would cost the company next to nothing? Fill out your surveys but the fact that reserve is barely mentioned in our openers tells me that the NC and MEC have very little interest in making meaningful changes here.
Thanks for more eloquently stating exactly how I feel. I didn't feel I had much of a say in 2006, I still don't feel I have much of a say.
Cliffy,
Seniority is everything! I agree. But as you've noticed, the system has reversed itself AND the reserve policy has definately changed......this is why I'm ranting. I would love for our union to hear and act on cleaning up this mess so that we can have a stable reserve system that doesn't swing so wildly..... Once I have that, then I will be able to predict where I want to sit and bid accordingly.
10-06-2010, 06:15 PM
#23
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,224
Originally Posted by HireAstarPilots
What do you think this is, a union or something?
Fedex motto: "It's all about ME"
Dude- getting this collective of pilots to work together is impossible. ALPA is basically funded by Fedex pilots, and while they are on our side, they make NO EFFORT whatsoever to combat the problem of our pilots eating each other.
Have you tried to pick up open time lately? Do you know why it is so difficult? It is because the union has instituted a lot of rules to prevent individual pilots from becoming hours HO's. Our "pilots" will happily pick up disputed pairings, and if [god forbid]
we ever have a strike, you can bet that a LOT of people will cross picket lines.
---Cross a picket line? I'll fly with you, but I will lay there silently like a SNAKE. I will watch you like a HAWK, and when I find you making a mistake, I will just call the FAA. I will get you, I will get you, I will GET YOU!---
::SNARL::
Vampires have nothing on ME.
The long and short is that it is nice to talk about putting the screws to the company, but in the end unless the US Government changes the laws, we aren't going to be able to cut down on our fatigue issues.
Fedex motto: "It's all about ME"
Dude- getting this collective of pilots to work together is impossible. ALPA is basically funded by Fedex pilots, and while they are on our side, they make NO EFFORT whatsoever to combat the problem of our pilots eating each other.
Have you tried to pick up open time lately? Do you know why it is so difficult? It is because the union has instituted a lot of rules to prevent individual pilots from becoming hours HO's. Our "pilots" will happily pick up disputed pairings, and if [god forbid]
we ever have a strike, you can bet that a LOT of people will cross picket lines.
---Cross a picket line? I'll fly with you, but I will lay there silently like a SNAKE. I will watch you like a HAWK, and when I find you making a mistake, I will just call the FAA. I will get you, I will get you, I will GET YOU!---
::SNARL::
Vampires have nothing on ME.
The long and short is that it is nice to talk about putting the screws to the company, but in the end unless the US Government changes the laws, we aren't going to be able to cut down on our fatigue issues.
10-06-2010, 07:28 PM
#24
Slainge Var'
Joined APC: Oct 2006
Position: Zeppelin Tail Gunner
Posts: 1,530
Co-inky-dink
"I know I'm not the only one, but this morning marks the 300th "insufficient reserve" R-day drop denial that I've gotten over the last month and a half. "
"Coupled with that, last month I was at the 86 hrs for a RLG of 89... Still got called out on the last day to make it a solid 92hrs off of reserve. . . "
Call me silly but I think these two are connected. Sounds like time to drain the hiring pool to me.
"Coupled with that, last month I was at the 86 hrs for a RLG of 89... Still got called out on the last day to make it a solid 92hrs off of reserve. . . "
Call me silly but I think these two are connected. Sounds like time to drain the hiring pool to me.
10-07-2010, 11:57 AM
#27
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2006
Position: B767 Capt.
Posts: 616
Just got activated after IOE and received a mixed line of trips and RA. It's amazing that on one day I am the only reserve. It also appears that it's a waste of time filling out the custom line request.
In hind site I should have filed out the days that I wanted off by requesting to work those days.
In hind site I should have filed out the days that I wanted off by requesting to work those days.
10-08-2010, 05:27 AM
#30
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2006
Position: MD-11 Captain
Posts: 4,304
While we're on this "Reserve Rant" subject ... I'm frequently on (Usually RB) Reserve. A few months back, I thought I'd try R24? My observations below?
- I was assigned MEM Hotel STBY for nearly every block of R24 days. I'm not sure this was the intent of R24? I thought the intent was to be able to stand Reserve at home?
- Did you know that the "show time from HSTBY is ONLY 30 mins? (technically the contract says 1+30 from notification to block out? That sounds an awful lot like a 30 min show to me?). Lets see here ... notified ... get dressed, check out of the hotel ... drive to the hub ... park (probably get short call parking?) in ONLY 30 minutes? Is that even possible? Maybe more importantly ... is that safe? Maybe an issue for contract negotiations?
- for the past 6 months, I've been assigned a Reserve trip close to every R day ( over RLG some months!). It would appear management has reasoned that, "Why should we pay a line holder 6+ hours/day when we can pay a Reserve 4+ hrs/day to fly the exact same trip?"
- Arrived from an RB reserve trip at 1300L, called CRS to get released ... 1300L + 10 hrs released for crew rest = 2300 local. B Reserve ends at 2400L local! Can I please be released to my days off and j/s home? No!
Summary? Reserve (MD-11 Capt & f/o) has been a pretty bad deal lately! After getting 4.a.2.b sand kicked in our faces ... this is almost a final straw?
- I was assigned MEM Hotel STBY for nearly every block of R24 days. I'm not sure this was the intent of R24? I thought the intent was to be able to stand Reserve at home?
- Did you know that the "show time from HSTBY is ONLY 30 mins? (technically the contract says 1+30 from notification to block out? That sounds an awful lot like a 30 min show to me?). Lets see here ... notified ... get dressed, check out of the hotel ... drive to the hub ... park (probably get short call parking?) in ONLY 30 minutes? Is that even possible? Maybe more importantly ... is that safe? Maybe an issue for contract negotiations?
- for the past 6 months, I've been assigned a Reserve trip close to every R day ( over RLG some months!). It would appear management has reasoned that, "Why should we pay a line holder 6+ hours/day when we can pay a Reserve 4+ hrs/day to fly the exact same trip?"
- Arrived from an RB reserve trip at 1300L, called CRS to get released ... 1300L + 10 hrs released for crew rest = 2300 local. B Reserve ends at 2400L local! Can I please be released to my days off and j/s home? No!
Summary? Reserve (MD-11 Capt & f/o) has been a pretty bad deal lately! After getting 4.a.2.b sand kicked in our faces ... this is almost a final straw?
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