Bottom line is this is a problem for commuters, and commuters are the ones that will have to sacrifice to fix it.

It's not only a problem for commuters, but I will agree that it effects them disproportionately. It will also require a disproportionate sacrifice to fly the scheduled deadheads.

By the same token, it's easy to pass up a MEM-XYZ-MEM draft trip if you're a commuter, and a bigger temptation if it's 8 hours away from home for quick cash.

So, why don't we all just do our own part and not try to compare my hardship with yours, or yours with someone else's? Do the right thing, encourage your brother to do the right thing, and compliment your brother when he does the right thing. Complaining that it's harder for me to do the right thing than someone else just isn't helpful to anyone. Everyone has a cross to bear.






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I completely agree. I will also say that I hope that in negotiations that it is fixed. I personally gain in seniority artificially by having pilots commute. It makes it easier to hold the type of trips that I prefer to fly as a non-commuter. But as far as the pilot force actively affecting the company's actions of cheating with the accepted fares, I already fly the scheduled dh, and when they publish a ticket for $200, and then have to buy a $800 ticket to get me there I am already doing all that I can to affect the problem.

Yes. I get it. I commuted up until last summer. It sucks and deviating makes it a little less painful. However, short sightedness will get us nowhere. I moved to make my life easier, but I don't deviate on the back end either. I could easily be home 12-24 hours earlier, but I am trying to do my small part to help. There is no unity at FDX. Regardless of what anyone says, the union here is a mess. Just look around AOC on any given night. Are we a unified force or a bunch of individuals... Uniforms speak loudly...

We all have examples of deadhead tickets that Global travel had to buy well above the accepted fare but I wonder what the percentage is of total tickets purchased monthly? If the company can truly buy the majority of the tickets at the accepted fare that would be smart business. But if a large percentage of the tickets purchased are above the accepted fare we shouldn't be held to the accepted fare when the company can't purchase a ticket at that price.

Anyone who has been here since FOX/FOCUS came on board and we moved from paper expense reports to electronic knows that we were able to adjust our bank to the higher amount if Corporate/Global travel had to buy the ticket at a higher price. Then, without any negotiation, previous practice was thrown out leaving us to negotiate to get back what we had for years.

I used to keep a spreadsheet on accepted vs. actual, and I'd send the union a copy, and screenshots of my pairing, and the invoice of what global travel actually paid.

It would help if they had an automated way to harvest the data for negotiations.

If I steal from the company I get fired. If the company steals from me it's ok.

If they steal from you profit goes up!

I have a pairing next month with a deadhead from ANC to MEM on Delta through MSP. The bids just came out Friday. I called Global Travel to check a fare from ANC to MSN through MSP on Delta. Accepted fare around $1050 and quote was over $1400. I asked how much the scheduled ticket was to MEM and it was also over $1400, $400 above accepted fare.

Anyone remember the deviation proposal from the company the last time we negotiated a contract? They wanted to make deviation fares 75% of the "accepted fare"! Now do the math in the example above and where are we at?
The company will get what they want - one way or another!!