So participation rates are higher with phone? I know the online poll for scheduling was around 60% if I recall.

I was wondering who was calling me everyday. My spam blocker app kept blocking it.

Participation rates for phone polling are much lower. It’s a controlled sample so you don’t need to have a a large number as self selection bias is minimized.

Can you explain controlled sample? Are they targeting specific groups for phone polling and not just doing random samples?

A controlled sample inherently means random. In order to get any useful data, they have to sample pilots from across the company.

Within the context of ALPA's polling? It's done by a very experienced pollster who ensures the sampling is done by demographic. Age, category, Regular, Reserve, commuter, etc. The larger the sample, the more accurate the data. Another control is the specificity of the question(s). The more binary the question (yes or no), the more accuracy.

The way is was explained to me, the pollster takes known demographic information, then develops a "call order" for which pilot to contact first, second, third, etc. within each group. Then the goal is the get as much feedback quickly before other events change the perspective of respondents. "How would you rate your contract compared to peer airlines?" changes the day UAL, American, or others get a deal, or the stock market crashes...so they try to get "same day" (my term) responses. So the timing is the final element of "controlled sample".

Based on the comments some reps have made in the past regarding polling, there are some who don't trust data gathered scientifically. I asked my former Capt rep in MSP what his problem was with the polling, and his reply was, "It's too neutral!"

Thanks. I guess I didn’t realize it was targeted to demographics.

I was called on the last round each time I was busy and unable to take the call. But I did fill out the online survey, personally I'd much rather do that because then I'm not in a time constraint and can answer when I have time.

Contrasting that with an online survey, the more passionate you are, the more likely you are to respond. So a so called “vocal minority” can skew the results. The problem is that while they are vocal, if you don’t have a huge response rate (>75%) you don’t know if they are a minority or not. You can correct for this somewhat by doing phone polling at the same time but it’s not perfect. Online surveys are great for getting ideas and long-form feedback but that’s about it.

In my opinion the people we are paying insane money for phone polling have sold us that free online polling is no good.

Let’s make it simple.

Poll every Delta pilot online. If the pilots who don’t bother get the short straw, they need to look in the mirror.

Phone polling is so 1960s.