FDX - GT Services Cancelled
 

Saw this on tomorrow's front-end DH then GT when the other crewmember had deviated but I had not. Called Flight Services and they assured me that my GT was still intact, although the VIPS trip recap showed cancelled. They also said they had received about 50 calls about this. They said to feel free to call and check, but as long as you have NOT deviated, scheduled DH and GT should be good to go.

Is it possible too many Air Ops IT people took the buyout?:rolleyes:

FDX - GT Services Cancelled
 

Probably something lost in the translation to Hindi.

I saw the same thing on my last trip to OAK. Captain and I both deviated on the front end so GT being canceled after the DH leg was expected and no big deal. BUT.....the captain also canceled his hotel (lives in OAK area) which canceled the GT the next day from hotel to FedEx ramp, now we have a problem! Luckily though hotel provides GT so I was able to work it out.

Just a heads up you might want to confirm GT if its a 3rd party vendor.

PT

I did a route check out of VCP a while back and the LCA deviated on the way home. My scheduled transportation was deleted. I scrambled for a taxi at normal pickup time (LONG drive, non-English speaking in unfamiliar area). Receipt/expense report denied, pay docked, eventually refunded, no fun.

Stop jumping through hoops to do Services job. A couple delays, missed sorts or cancellations will fix this problem.

Please don't waste my dues money having to represent you in hearings.

CBA 5.D.2 ...If the scheduled transportation from the layover location to the departure airport is not available in time to prevent a departure delay, the crew shall use their best efforts to obtain transportation as provided in Section 5.A.7.

Define best effort. I'm sure the company could use the Hong Kong paradigm and fire you for anything.

The first part of MY best efforts is to call CRS, they either make a call or tell me to get a cab. Either way, its on the tapes and I've never been refused reimbursement.

Totally agree! Call and get it on the tapes.
For some reason, I remember that if sched transportation will be more than 15 late, get a cab(that takes credit cards). If you can't, have the FedEx hotel people do it. It is just like when your scheduled dh cancels, call CRS and have them fix it(to include rebuilding of the pairing). Guarantee if your deviation transportation cancels, they aren't going to help. I am all for makin things smoother but we traditionally lean way to far forward, especially since we are in negotiations.

+1 -- Especially when international. Once they asked me if I had called the local transport folks. I said: I'd rather you do it and then we will both know the answer [and you can make notes on the pairing]. If international, I then expense the cost of the call to the company.

Crew members experience inappropriate GT cancellations as they try to maximize deviation savings and this is the best you can come up with?

I think we should demand they stop accepted fares and GT cancellation games.

OK, this is sad that I have to admit that I don't know how to call the Company when I'm overseas. For example, if I'm standing in the pax terminal in (int'l city) with no wifi (no Skype) but my iPhone is a dual band phone so I CAN get a cellular signal and I DON'T have an international calling plan (because iMessage and Skype work fine for me in the hotel), how do I call CRS/Duty Officer at (901) 224-xxxx to tell them my scheduled DH just cancelled/left with out me, etc. (Or I've been "detained" by immigration or customs.) Or, one step further, if I need to call the ramp or hotel in a foreign city, here's the number for the Howard Plaza (02) 2700-xxxx. I'm clueless.:confused:

I guess it's better to be dumb when it doesn't matter than dumb when it counts. Sorry about the thread drift.

MG2

After having similar problems I signed up for the international plan with ATT. I think it is $5.99 a month. Turn your phone on just about anywhere there is a signal and you are ready to make a call. No charges as long as you have the data roaming off and do not make any calls.

On a long international trip I was turning my phone on and the Capt asked me about it. He said he did not think he needed it. later on the trip we were in the car in a ton of friday traffic heading to CDG ops and halfway there the capt. realized he left his passport in the safe. I handed him my phone, after a few calls to the hotel and ops to coordinate the recovery of his passport he was assured it would be delivered to him. It showed up 10 min before push. He said to me I guess I am getting the international plan! Nice safety net when you need it.

You do not need an international plan with AT&T to make and receive calls while overseas. Your phone will ring and you can make calls. The per minute charge is lower with the international plan.

I let my phone ring all the time, check caller ID, then find a hotspot and return the call on Skye. If it is home, I send a text and ask if it is important and need to talk now or if there can be a delay.

I have no international plan.

I have a similar situation with VIPS. Sometime between when I showed for the trip and the trip ended NOCAT was removed from the remarks. I was wondering why it was taking them almost 30 days to process my Expense report. Turns out they were waiting for a POR. When one never showed they simply denied my NOCAT. I am in the middle of showing them the bidpack with NOCAT clearly displayed. I would be more positive going up against the IRS.

... I handed him my phone...

You fell for this? Second oldest Captain trick in the book, after "I don't have any change for the tip"

I know, but I felt sorry for him when he pulled out his jitterbug phone to try and make the call!

Couple of suggestions:

1. If you've cleared security, and have access to the business/first class lounge, most of them have Wi-Fi & will give you the password.

2. Next, in many terminals if outside security, you can buy a card at a store/kiosk for airport's Wi-Fi access (think I did this in DUB once). It taught me to bring a foldable USB headset so I could Skype from my laptop in a public place (pre-iPhone). These stores will also sell you a straight phone card (use company card) and direct you to a phone. Cheaper than # 3 below.

3. Last resort--find a "pay" phone that takes credit cards, use your company card, and call Crew Control. Did this in CDG on a Christmas Day snowstorm when Air France cancelled their whole schedule, AND Skype was overloaded & couldn't connect. Total of 3 calls, about 15 minutes, about $150 expensed on the next expense report. Crew Control absolute champs. Rebuilt pairing, hotel for the night, and new DH the next day.

Any other ideas out there?

I think where I'm really trying to go with this question, is how to actually use the phone itself. It's the country codes and whatever else you have to punch in to call back to the US, or to even call a ramp number in the country where you presently are located. If the Company's going to buy the call, then I'm not to worried about saving the last nickel...I just want to make the call!

I appreciate the other suggestions, BTW.

MG2

Most cell phones are smarter than us, just put the + in front of the number you have (+1901-xxx-xxxx).

Originally Posted by Dadof6
Couple of suggestions:

1. If you've cleared security, and have access to the business/first class lounge, most of them have Wi-Fi & will give you the password.

2. Next, in many terminals if outside security, you can buy a card at a store/kiosk for airport's Wi-Fi access (think I did this in DUB once). It taught me to bring a foldable USB headset so I could Skype from my laptop in a public place (pre-iPhone). These stores will also sell you a straight phone card (use company card) and direct you to a phone. Cheaper than # 3 below.

3. Last resort--find a "pay" phone that takes credit cards, use your company card, and call Crew Control. Did this in CDG on a Christmas Day snowstorm when Air France cancelled their whole schedule, AND Skype was overloaded & couldn't connect. Total of 3 calls, about 15 minutes, about $150 expensed on the next expense report. Crew Control absolute champs. Rebuilt pairing, hotel for the night, and new DH the next day.

Any other ideas out there?

Yeah, as USMCFDX said above, why bother with all that if it is a business-related call? You don't need to jump through any of those hoops to call the company for official business when international. Just pull out your cell and call crew scheds using the 1-901-238-75XX number, have them transfer you or make a phone call to the ramp, and then file an expense report when your cell phone bill shows up for the associated charges.
I've done it several times from France, China, and Japan. A LOT cheaper to the company than option 3.
BTW, I turn my AT&T Iphone 5 on whenever I land international and just ensure data roaming and cellular data under Settings/General/Cellular are turned off. On my voice mail I say that the easiest way to reach me is to send a text. AT&T international rates are 50 cents to send and 25 cents to receive a text, and usually $2-4 per minute to call WITHOUT an international plan.

Concur, I called AT&T and said "Turn on my International Service, no I do not want an international plan." It just means I pay a higher price per minute when I do make a call. Don't need the plan since I make most calls via Skype or FaceTime.

Have to be careful though. With AT&T, if it goes to voicemail it will be charged for as an international call; because, the call was "completed" [by going to voicemail] while you were overseas. It would also behoove you to learn how to retrieve your voicemail by using Skype to avoid additional charges.

As long as the call is to FedEx, when a call needs to be made, I make it and expense it. I've called GOC several times domestically and handed him my phone, because it's the quickest way to resolve some problems. Internationally, I'll ask the ramp agent for his phone first, then ACARS, then make the call. Now tipping, that's a personal problem :p.

When I've made calls from other countries, I've just dialed the number and the iPhone was smart enough to put in the right exit prefix (011 or 1). The ramp numbers in the Pocket Calendar include the country code, but not the exit code (remember there is a ePocket Cal file to put on your phone). If you are using local country phones you can get good gouge here: How to call the USA: country code, area codes, phone books

The only place I had a problem calling GOC was from Chile. Kept getting strange results when trying to use the 800 numbers. Finally got through on a 901 number. So now I always dial the 901 numbers from overseas.

And if you save the numbers in your phone's contact list with the +1, you'll never even have to think about it.

Well, way back in the day before everyone had a cellphone there was this thing called a pay phone and a service called making a "collect" call. ;)

From...

https://pilot.fedex.com/general/pdf_...ne_numbers.pdf

http://cl.ly/image/3r1R3P3m1l1L/Scre...50.54%20AM.png

I've used it many times and it works! :)

I have never noticed this on my bill. If you turn off data you will be unable to retrieve voicemail the normal way on your iPhone. You need to call your number and enter your pin.

I leave Cellular Data turned on all the time. Don't get many voicemails, but did notice the charge once or twice. It wasn't much $$. Hangups are free :).

It seems that with the Cellular Data on, the system pings your phone and knows it's international and then when you aren't charge for the incoming call, but charged for the switching from your phone back to voicemail in the states. At least that was how it was explained to me by AT&T.