Originally Posted by Denny Crane (Post 2523264)

For the most part, all Temporary Duty allows is for guys, who live in a base but cannot hold it on the equipment they are on, to not have to commute on a month to month basis. Before I get jumped on, notice I said "For the most part." There will always be exceptions.

Denny

Originally Posted by Herkflyr (Post 2523288)

There are too many unknowns to say "TDY bad" (or good). I'm skeptical on both TDY and VB, but don't want to make dire predictions when so much is speculation. We certainly agree that as a minimum we need to proceed carefully

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Originally Posted by notEnuf (Post 2523382)

I can think of plenty "bad" but no "good" for the pilot group. Plenty of good for the company though, with no bad.

Originally Posted by FL370esq (Post 2523155)

The current Crew Resources newsletter seems to support this but I go back to my previous question from a while ago....

Whose term sheet was the VB first on?

Originally Posted by Baradium (Post 2523317)

TDY is much more expensive than a based pilot.

Why? The only added cost I can see is a hotel room. What else is there expense wise that costs so much?

And if they are all coming below you in your base it is making more pairings available for your bidding with more pilots junior to you as well.

They will come in below the most junior in base pilot. How is it making more pairings available to bid? I foresee just the opposite. IMO the company will invoke TDY when they anticipate handing out a lot of green slips in a category thereby reducing green slips. With TDY they can adjust a category on a monthly basis. Heck, they could just grow ATL and TDY to category's they need too.

An alternative is to just build pairings that go through your base instead of originating there. So you still don't get the flying. With TDY and the TDY pilots going to the bottom of the list you'd end up with a better schedule than with flights not being available for your bid at all.

See above. You seem to think TDY pilots coming in base means more time in base. I don't.

It sounds like your biggest concern would be alleviated simply by restricting the amount of time that a TDY could be conducted, such as a maximum of 3 months.

Having worked somewhere previously that allowed TDY, it's not used how you seem to think.

Originally Posted by Herkflyr (Post 2523428)

I can think of one hypothetical positive (but purely that). What if the pilots in a VB (MCO 7ER for example, restricted to non ocean crossings per the contract) are senior commuters? Now the same guys currently flying sweet 3 day Europe trips might rather drive to work to fly a so so domestic. Thus the junior guys living in base are more senior and the VB guys can drive to work.

A true "win win." Of course we can turn that story on its head with a different twist and make it a "lose lose."

Devil is in the details, of which I'm skeptical.

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Originally Posted by Baradium (Post 2523318)

My experience with TDYs is that senior pilots would bid it to get the per diem and hotels. The big change here though is that they'd have to give up all their seniority so I imagine it'd go more junior. TDYs generally go to commuters who don't live in a base period.

Originally Posted by LumberJack (Post 2523329)

What is this bizarro world? VB and TD are productivity and flexibility tools FOR THE COMPANY. I'm a big fan of this company, our product, and our pilots. And yes these things could benefit some pilots (myself included!). But I am NOT for reducing staffing requirements. Less pilots means less seniority for ALL.

Just open a real base or find a different solution that is actually win-win.

Originally Posted by Denny Crane (Post 2523596)

I know at least 1 guy flying my airplane that commutes across country to DTW. And he's just waiting till he can bid in to the base. I'm guessing there are quite a few more when you consider all the categories in my base (SEA). Are you trying to tell me they won't bid TDY to not commute? Come on......

Denny