FDX - Any Good Reasons for Calendar Blocking?
09-09-2012, 01:42 PM
#131
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: 767 Captain
Posts: 3,988
Originally Posted by MEMA300
If you think anybody gets harassed at Fedex GROW A PAIR.
Try working at United where if you forget your ALPA pin and realize
It on the way to airport you call in sick because you catch so much
****.
Try working at United where if you forget your ALPA pin and realize
It on the way to airport you call in sick because you catch so much
****.
Originally Posted by MEMA300
I'm trying to figure out what kind of guy runs to his managers and says
"somebody emailed me and asked why I flew a disputed pairing"
You answered your own question.... The kind of guy that flies DPs.
Originally Posted by MEMA300
We got a lot of growing up to do as a crew force.
09-09-2012, 02:39 PM
#133
Line Holder
Joined APC: Feb 2007
Posts: 83
Originally Posted by Timbo
We heard those same arguments, in fact, we still hear it; "It's my RIGHT to fly as much as I want to..."
Most guys understand what happens when the top 50% flys more time, the bottom 50% suffers. So...where do you set the bar, for what is an acceptable amount of flying, and who gets to pick up more, and at what rate (straight time or greenslip rates) ?
That's where your culture will have to decide.
BUT...no matter which way you go, the only way to see if everyone is playing by the same rules, is to allow all pilots to view each-other's schedules.
OR...you could just have a 'free for all' and fly all the time you want, the company would love it but the bottom guys will be out of work, right?
We had guys doing it while some of our pilots were out on furlough! Later I flew with a copilot who was picking up extra trips by trip parking.
He said in 1993-96, he had been furloughed, while others were flying greenslips, so he is now going to pick up all the time he can...to 'get even'.
Funny he was also crying about stagnation and not being able to move up....
I guess it never occured to him that if we allow everyone senior to him to pick up an extra 30hrs. per month, he's NEVER going to move up. But that didn't keep him from doing it.
What goes around, comes around.
Most guys understand what happens when the top 50% flys more time, the bottom 50% suffers. So...where do you set the bar, for what is an acceptable amount of flying, and who gets to pick up more, and at what rate (straight time or greenslip rates) ?
That's where your culture will have to decide.
BUT...no matter which way you go, the only way to see if everyone is playing by the same rules, is to allow all pilots to view each-other's schedules.
OR...you could just have a 'free for all' and fly all the time you want, the company would love it but the bottom guys will be out of work, right?
We had guys doing it while some of our pilots were out on furlough! Later I flew with a copilot who was picking up extra trips by trip parking.
He said in 1993-96, he had been furloughed, while others were flying greenslips, so he is now going to pick up all the time he can...to 'get even'.
Funny he was also crying about stagnation and not being able to move up....
I guess it never occured to him that if we allow everyone senior to him to pick up an extra 30hrs. per month, he's NEVER going to move up. But that didn't keep him from doing it.What goes around, comes around.
09-09-2012, 03:54 PM
#134
Runs with scissors
Joined APC: Dec 2009
Position: Going to hell in a bucket, but enjoying the ride .
Posts: 7,722
Originally Posted by Open Mind
Thanks for the information but in reality many of your comments don't apply to our situation:1) no pilot has ever been furloughed 2) no hourly cap 3) extra flying/open time/even jumpseats... first come first served. Also, this corp has been in a growth/hiring mode for the vast majority of the past 20yrs. New hires can hold the right seat of a wide body. It seems that we operate under a different manning model. Rather than overhire in boom times and furlough at the first contraction, mgnt seems to operate lean. Possibly hard times are arriving now based on the recent pre-anouncement. If our culture needs to change, so be it, but not yet.
Hey, good on ya, I'm not trying to sell anything, I just wanted to present both sides of the 'blocked schedule' argument, as Gunter earlier stated that Delta and United would not allow it. That's what caught my eye. Delta used to allow blocking, then we changed to not alowing it, for all the reasons I've stated.
It's your pilot group, do what you will. I just wanted to clear up any misconceptions about how/why we do what we do at Delta.
And to respond to Gunter's post above, about 'changing our culture';
Yes, we have changed our culture many, many, many times in the past 27 years that I've been at Delta.
Why?
Reason 1. Management Changed, we had to change to deal with them.
Reason 2. Mergers, we gained a 'new perspecitve' from the new pilots.
I could write a book to detail all the management changes, mergers and cultural changes Delta has gone through in the past 27 years, but not here. Suffice it to say, yeah, the 'Culture' is a LOT different at Delta now, than when I started.
I'm not saying it's better, or worse. That is in the eye of the beholder, but it is different then it was years ago, no doubt. When management changes, your culture changes. Ask anyone at SW, or AA, or United.
I am happy with the culture we have today.
Could it be better?
Of course.
Will it get better?
Who knows.
The only thing constant in this industry is...
Change.
09-15-2012, 02:08 AM
#135
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Sep 2006
Position: I never did mind the little things.......
Posts: 260
Please go on...
Originally Posted by Timbo
We heard those same arguments, in fact, we still hear it; "It's my RIGHT to fly as much as I want to..."
Later I flew with a copilot who was picking up extra trips by TRIP PARKING.
What goes around, comes around.
Later I flew with a copilot who was picking up extra trips by TRIP PARKING.
What goes around, comes around.
09-15-2012, 07:15 AM
#136
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2006
Posts: 3,931
Originally Posted by Chainsaw
Would you mind explaining TRIP PARKING? Sounds like a great technique for Subic. Do tell.
Great info from Timbo. Our unique rules make a big difference.
09-27-2012, 04:25 AM
#138
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: 767 Captain
Posts: 3,988
I don't know if we every decided about the existence of "Good" reasons to calendar block.
Bad reasons? That's another story. 3 DPs in ANC for Oct and one isn't in open time. It was picked up by a calendar blocker. I'd say he has a "bad reason" to block his.
Bad reasons? That's another story. 3 DPs in ANC for Oct and one isn't in open time. It was picked up by a calendar blocker. I'd say he has a "bad reason" to block his.
09-27-2012, 06:50 AM
#140
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jul 2007
Position: 767 Captain
Posts: 3,988
Originally Posted by Gunter
you can't hide the fact you're flying DPs by blocking. You found it on his line because you looked up the trip #, right?
Just pointing out another in the large group of "blockers" who also happen to fly DPs.
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