You're the one who started comparing sob stories. You do it on here constantly. I'm not sure if you're jealous of the younger guys, or bitter, or what.. but it gets old.

 

I'm a United pilot. Could you please explain what your ALV is?

Thanks

 

ALV is average line value. Each month our ALV goes up or down for the average line depending on program demand or forecast. We have a minimum line of 68 hours however for a line holder. Reserves get the ALV minus 2 hours not less than 72 for a guarantee. Typically you can not pick up any more flying at whatever the ALV is +15hrs. There is also a TLV which in essence levels the entire year in that the average for the year for the monthly ALV must meet a certain threshold as well...so as to prevent the company from making too many months low. I dont know what the TLV number is. Hope this helps.

 

Minimum line is 65. Reserve guarantee is ALV-2, but must always be between 72:00 & 80:00. PBS can build lines that are within 7:30 of ALV. ALV is different every month and is different fleet-to-fleet, but all domiciles on a given fleet will have the same ALV in a bid period, i.e. all A320 categories will have the same ALV for September, but that ALV May be different than the 737 ALV.

 

Thanks guys. Rumor has it our negotiating committee is considering lowering our MPG, minimum pay guarantee, in exchange for furlough mitigation/elimination. MPG is 73 for reserve and 70 for line holders. Nice to see you're MEC polled your group vs ours that intends to spring an agreement on us.

Best of luck to you all.

 

Here is how I spent my first 7 years at Delta, starting in 1991:
2 years 727 flight engineer, probation/new hire pay.
2 1/2 years furloughed.
2 1/2 years 727 engineer B scale

16 years into my career and after Delta emerges from bankruptcy (wiping out my pension accrual), I finally get to start saving for retirement, which is five years from now. A lower ALV isn't going to help me with that.

I would loved to have spent that 7 years flying an RJ, even on reserve. But no.... instead during my furlough there was no lowering of the 75 hour cap (similar to ALV), everybody green slipped all they wanted, and worst of all captains that were retiring at 60 simply down bid to my FE seat keeping me out. They were called ROPEs (retired old pilot engineers). Also no furlough non-rev or jumpseat privilages back then. I did have paid COBRA from my fellow pilots, thank you.

I'm not whining or complaining. This career has its ups and downs and I've learned that somebody always has had it better than me and somebody always has had it worse. Often you are simply dealt the hand that you play. No matter what happens, don't be bitter or resentful. That will eat you up. Just be grateful for what you do have, not unhappy at what you don't have.

Being furloughed is a lot of stress. Try to make the best of it. Your best years are still ahead of you, God willing.

 

Good post. Thanks for the backup. It seems there’s not enough old school on this board sometimes and I get beat up by the millennials.
The millennials don’t want to hear about the past but rather want to complain why they didn’t get... or why they are entitled to...

 

It's not just the millennials.

 

Gen X, thank you very much. I think we all know and appreciate the difficulties of the past. What irritates the living crap out of me, is the tone, or way it comes across sometimes. I’m not necessarily saying this is you. When guys are about to be out on the street, delivering pizzas to feed their family and keep from losing their home, to have some attitudes of, “oh yeah, well at least you had 6 months warning” kind of crap, “or when I was furloughed, it was so much worse...”. That doesn’t put food on the table, or alleviate the real stress the 2558, or now 1941 are dealing with. It’s condescending and dismissive. Like going into a funeral, and trying to out-do the misery with your own sob story. Both stories suck, but it’s just not the way to handle it. Have some self awareness if that’s you.

Now, when guys offer some perspective, like, “hey, brother, I know what you are going through. I’ve been through it too. Here’s some encouragement, and support. We got your back, and will fight for you where we can”. That comes across totally differently. UGBSM’s post came across the right way to me, FWIW.

 

Great post man. I’ve been both. I’ve also been on both sides. Print, social media and texts always can come across differently dependent on how it’s written and or read. Sarcasm doesn’t come across or does humor. Many times an innocent post gets greatly mis-interpreted.