Flying above max pick-up
 

Guys,

In general I am against any flying above the max pick-up (P/U). Currently we can not WS a trip in open time above the max P/U - I really like this policy.

Many of you are familiar with the whole "trip parking" fiasco and I believe that has improved somewhat, but is still possible.

I really don't like the options for guys guys to exceed max P/U via swap with friends and however else it can be done - maybe swap with the pot?

On the other hand if someone wants off and can't drop his trip because of negative reserve levels this can be another way for him to get off - swapping with a friend who otherwise would be limited by max P/U.

Here is my proposed solution - whenever a pilot swaps a trip I-crew will check the recipient of the trip. If the recipient of the trip now exceeds the max P/U the pilot who passed the trip will now get "shadow credit" for the trip. If the recipient is still below the max P/U it is just as it is now.

The way I see it this will allow us to continue to drop trips, allows another Pilot to still exceed the max P/U without increasing net pilot productivity which is currently what happens.

Here is an example;

Two Pilots both with 80 hours. Max P/U is 92. Pilot A wants to drop a 15 trip but can not. Pilot B wants to take the trip via the swap with friends. As it currently stands Pilot A would now have a 65 hour month and Pilot B would have a 95 hour month. Both are happy but under our current system Pilot A can still pick up to the limit which greatly increases Pilot productivity. If Pilot A had "shadow credit" he would be limited in picking up open time as if he never swapped his trip.

I personally would like to limit all pick ups as white slips are now limited but the above method seems to allow a Pilot the flexibility to drop a trip, knowing he will be limited on his future pick ups if he really wants off. It would probably eliminate all trip parking and minimize the ability of guys to manipulate their schedules into exceeding caps.

OK - now please tell me why/how this plan is unworkable, unfair, stupid or maybe actually has some potential. :D

Scoop

I understand spreading the hours around so we require more pilots on the seniority list, but if someone wants to do max pickup I don't see how it negatively affects the rest of the pilot group. (Besides guys who do last minute WS and take GS from junior pilots, that should stop)

If I'm reading it correctly, he's not limiting the pickup side of the house. What he's suggesting is that, if I drop a trip to lower my month, I shouldn't be able to cherrypick other trips to get me back above the limit.

The 'shadow credit' wouldn't be pay, it'd limit my ability to pick up as WS from my lowered credit back up to the limit.

I see the benefit and additional restriction against trip parking or 'buddy trip cherrypicking'. Interesting idea.

The reason that I don't like this (if I'm understanding your idea) is that the pilot that drops the trip loses flexibility.

In your example, what if "pilot A" wants to still fly (get paid) 80 hrs? He may be dropping the trip because he needs a specific day off, whereas he'd pick up something later in the month. If he has that 15 hr shadow additive, he wouldn't be able to get back up to 80 hrs in your example (as far as opentime pickup.)

How do you define "last minute white slip" and why should it stop? Who cares if I WS a trip a week out or an hour out? There are lots of factors uniquely at play with every trip coverage scenario. You can't just say "last minute WS prevent GS." More than likely a last minute WS let a short call reserve stay home.

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Exactly. Many thanks to all you white slipping wh0res!

rahc,

That is the whole point - to enforce the max P/U which is currently being easily circumvented. If the max P/U is 90 in a given month the above mechanism would limit the total of two Pilots to 180.

With a strict maximum P/U like the current open time the Pilots in my example would not be able to swap at all. What I am proposing would give the dropping Pilot the flexibility to drop a trip - knowing he would not be able to make it up because the Pilot that he is swapping with is exceeding the max P/U.

The idea here is that 14,000+ flying at or above the cap is bad for all because it reduces the number of Pilots needed in each category. Guys flying more at straight pay is exactly what the company would like.

I am not particularly sold on the idea since we are basically hiring at capacity but the issue of Pilot productivity and concessions is a recurring topic so I thought I would put it out for discussion.

Scoop

It's the last minute WS munchers and GS poachers that make sitting reserve the most tolerable.

The bolded part is why I don't like it. I tend to use the swap board for drops quite a bit. I frequently pick stuff back up on days that work out better for me.

I'm also one of those guys that has dropped an entire month (due to poor bidding)

I understand your concept of keeping average hours per pilot down, but to penalize someone who is at the low end of the hours is not something I agree with.


If you wanted to keep the average flying by a pilot down why not and Shadow hours to the next month for the guy flying 90+ hours so he doesn't fly 90+ every month?

Scoop,

If I’m reading you correctly, I think you are talking about a narrow portion of guys that use the swap with friends. If you are like me (and have no friends...) it’s a moot point. What happens when you swap with the pot? I think the way most guys exceed their “original” max pickup is by swapping (with the pot) 2 trips for one.

To me, it sounds more like you want to bring back the cap. I don’t have a problem with that as long as bow wave and spillback are included along with the ability to go back and fill up months you were short in the previous 12 months.

Denny