subicpilot

Been here over 16 years and heard all the excuses why people do it. So far, I have never heard an explanation where I thought, "Wow, good answer...I'd hide my calendar too, if I were in your shoes." Nope. Every time someone tries to explain why they do it, I walk away with the same feeling...it's a cowardly and ineffective way to try to hide inappropriate activity, and it seems to be proliferating. I'd like to know if anyone can give a good reason for it.

Laughing_Jakal

I'm not a Calendar blocker, but I really haven't heard a good reason why anyone feels that they're entitled to view the schedule of someone else. Frankly man, it's none of our business, and they are entitled to whatever privacy they feel they need. Even the choice of words used..."Calendar Blocker" infer that they are "Blocking" us....as if they are impeding some sort of natural right for others to view it.....also the term "Hide" their calendar......There is a difference between hiding something and either allowing or not allowing someone to view their schedule.

Why does your wife "hide" her body from our eyes.....we want to see her without her "Naked Body Blocking" clothes on?....food for thought.

What kind of inappropriate activity shows up on VIPS anyway? Just what are you asserting? Do you mean we can get our trysts mapped out on VIPS...."I've got a three day stretch of infidelity that's causing a phase-in-conflict with a trip." Maybe when you check other's schedules.....VIPS shows a 1.5 hour duty period of "Calendar Stalking" on yours. When I'm impatient with my children, does that show up in VIPS on my days off?

Seems like the only time I've heard someone complain that someone is "Calendar Blocking" is when they wanted something from the person somehow.

Seems like you let that Marxist Pu$$Y on your avatar think you're into some sort of Collective......back off the little red book.

Tuck

Huh? Comparing yr naked wife to a calendar blocker? I'll assume you are drunk LJ. It is the standard- not something special and is very much necessary. Most other airlines have far more transparency in their schedule - everyone knows who picks up draft / green slips - everyone knows who picks up DPs. If you are for it you are for a strong union . If not , well you'll figure it out LJ - everyone else has.

Laughing_Jakal

Don't be so sanctimonious.....I've got a lot of things figured out Mrs. Kravitz. You don't have the right to see his schedule.....period. You may not like it....but you don't have the right. You don't have the right to stop someone from picking up draft. You have the right to explain why it is counterproductive to do so, in section 6 negotiations, but you don't have the right to stop him. You dictating to him what parts of the CBA he is entitled to execute is no less deleterious to our agreement than the company cherry picking parts of the contract. We'd all do better if we concerned ourselves with policing ourselves as individuals and quit worrying about "the other guy"

And yes...I was comparing the two....using Absurdity to illustrate the absurd.

In my experience, the ones most concerned about what others do is the guy that ultimately is very weak. That's what I've got figured out.

Laughing_Jakal

Also, to keep this in perspective, I know at least one guy who claims that an ex-wife used printouts of his vips schedule to ask for an increase in child support....I take him at his word.

av8rmike

Gotta go with Subic on this one. As LJ indicated, there is no "right" to view another pilot's calendar, but there is that "option" provided by the Company.

Subic's simple question is why would you block your calendar? There was a HUGE increase in 'calendar blocking' during 4A2b. Are you serious LJ when you ask what there is to hide by calendar blocking? Also, that story of using the calendar to increase child support/alimony is BS. The calendars are the property of FedEx and would be inadmissable in a court proceeding unless obtained via a court order. They couldn't simply have their friend Sally print them out and take them to the judge.

I look at other people's calendars prior to a trip to see if they're familiar with where we're going and who's going to be the most tired. I also use it to look for potential trip trades. And last, but not least, as an instructor, I will NEVER PDO a calendar blocker.

MEMA300

How does she get her hands on that? She still needs to have a vips password or access to someone who does.

Most calendar blockers are 3%ers, disputed pairing flyers, draft *****s, non-members or those guys whose wife works in scheduling and they get all those special charter trips .1 seconds after put in open time. Yeah you know who you are.

MeXC

I think LJ explained things rather well.
Loved the Gladys Kravitz refererce too
No, I'm not a blocker.

Busboy

No way! There's absolutely no way a FDX pilot that flies extra trips on his days off, would need to be forced into sharing that additional income with his children.

And, just as a historical perspective...The blocking of calendars was not even an option at FDX for many years. Blocking only became available after the calendar of the head of the FAB was posted in crew rooms.

ptarmigan

There have been many cases of 'creative" ex- spouses who have duped another one of our pilots to show them their ex's calendar. Some have used it for stalking, others for court, child custody, support issues, or to know when they were gone so they could "break into" the house, etc. I have heard some amazing stories.

Imagine if your wife's ex was a stalker (or some stalker type just became interested in her) and was friends, or became "friends", with someone that could get into your calendar to find out when you were out of town so your kids and wife would be at the house alone. Still feel there is no legit reason to block it?