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-   -   Jumpseat attire. (https://www.airlinepilotforums.com/delta/146640-jumpseat-attire.html)

sailingfun 05-03-2024 11:23 AM


Originally Posted by Herkflyr (Post 3798418)
Mostly correct, but not entirely. To summarize:

1. For years, Delta refused to offer the pilot jumpseat even to their own pilots, much less any other pilot group. This stemmed from a very toxic, anti-pilot mindset from the CEO on down. "If everyone can't have it, then no one can," "nobody forces you to commute" etc. This was also in the days of horrible contractual language, such as, you only got a hotel for qualification training "away from your base." So if you were an MCO-ATL commuter, and were going from M88 to 767, for example, it was all done in a crashpad at your expense. It was so ludicrous, to use the prior example, let's say you were going from CVG 88B to ATL 767B, if your training spanned more than one calendar month, and you converted on the first day of the second month (while still in training) the company would literally kick you out of the hotel at the end of the first month, because now you were ATL-based in month two, and "no one forces you to commute." (we eventually fixed that hotel language years later, so now it is pretty good)

2. We secured "industry standard jumpseat" with our 96 contract. It was mostly concessionary, but we at least got that! (disclaimer: I was hired early 97, so we already had the contract ratified long before I was hired).

3. The jumpseat has been pretty standard ever since. We actually didn't close the DFW base until the mid-2000s, so the two really aren't related.

The company actually requested a LOA to lower pilot pay 5% prior to the contract after they cut all non contract pay 5%. We basically agreed if we could have a industry standard jumpseat. The company refused. We ended up asking for a Delta pilot only internal jumpseat and still the company said no. I was a recently displaced pilot soon to be commuting and Ron Allen stopped in our training class during a break. I asked why we could not get a jumpseat as it would be a big benefit with the displacements happening. He put his finger in my chest and replied that he would shut Delta down before he would give us the jumpseat. I knew then we were in deep trouble with a CEO with that thought process!

badflaps 05-03-2024 11:42 AM

Show me a business class manning document that shows VP of personnel moving to CEO.... Some how Delta managed.

HelloNewnan 05-03-2024 03:49 PM


Originally Posted by Boatbuilder (Post 3798393)
The original "rationale" for a no JS policy was supposedly because it wasn't a benefit they could offer all the employees so nobody could have it.
Of course if the company needed a pilot somewhere and the jet was full they'd sure as hell put you there!
After the shuttering of the DFW base created hundreds of commuters (those Texans weren't about to leave the lone star state) the company slowly and begrudgingly loosened the reins on the JS. First with some very draconian restriction and eventually to industry standard.
Also back then Delta was VERY anti-commuting.

That attitude lived on in some pilots into the 2000's, and even the 2010's on some fleets.

I spent 9 days on a four day rotation with a dude who wouldn't shut up about it. After I told him I wasn't going to talk about it any more (I was commuting from Boston at the time), he squirmed in his seat like a 3 year old the rest of the trip just busting to talk about it more.

Some people love to make this job way harder than it has to be.

Hillbilly 05-06-2024 10:14 AM


Originally Posted by Herkflyr (Post 3798418)
Mostly correct, but not entirely. To summarize:

1. For years, Delta refused to offer the pilot jumpseat even to their own pilots, much less any other pilot group. This stemmed from a very toxic, anti-pilot mindset from the CEO on down. "If everyone can't have it, then no one can," "nobody forces you to commute" etc. This was also in the days of horrible contractual language, such as, you only got a hotel for qualification training "away from your base." So if you were an MCO-ATL commuter, and were going from M88 to 767, for example, it was all done in a crashpad at your expense. It was so ludicrous, to use the prior example, let's say you were going from CVG 88B to ATL 767B, if your training spanned more than one calendar month, and you converted on the first day of the second month (while still in training) the company would literally kick you out of the hotel at the end of the first month, because now you were ATL-based in month two, and "no one forces you to commute." (we eventually fixed that hotel language years later, so now it is pretty good)

2. We secured "industry standard jumpseat" with our 96 contract. It was mostly concessionary, but we at least got that! (disclaimer: I was hired early 97, so we already had the contract ratified long before I was hired).

3. The jumpseat has been pretty standard ever since. We actually didn't close the DFW base until the mid-2000s, so the two really aren't related.

This is accurate. The bases that closed shortly before Contract 96 (aka the Sunshine Agreement) were Boston, Chicago and New Orleans iirc.

fishforfun 05-06-2024 12:54 PM


Originally Posted by Boatbuilder (Post 3798393)
Also back then Delta was VERY anti-commuting.

Not much has changed.

ancman 05-06-2024 01:45 PM


Originally Posted by fishforfun (Post 3799221)
Not much has changed.

Agreed. Our PWA commuter clause is the worst in the industry, including most regionals.

At a minimum, we need to match AAL’s clause in the next cycle.

Whoopsmybad 05-06-2024 03:19 PM


Originally Posted by ancman (Post 3799243)
Agreed. Our PWA commuter clause is the worst in the industry, including most regionals.

At a minimum, we need to match AAL’s clause in the next cycle.

it’s one of my top bullet points for this next contract for sure.

m3113n1a1 05-06-2024 03:40 PM


Originally Posted by Whoopsmybad (Post 3799280)
it’s one of my top bullet points for this next contract for sure.

The problem is a lot of guys who don't commute are ADAMANTLY against using any negotiating capital toward improving commuter QOL.

Whoopsmybad 05-06-2024 03:46 PM


Originally Posted by m3113n1a1 (Post 3799288)
The problem is a lot of guys who don't commute are ADAMANTLY against using any negotiating capital toward improving commuter QOL.

well, I’m sure there are things everyone wants that benefits only a portion of the pilot group. Every cycle. That’s why there’s the surveys. To let everyone make their wants known.

Viper25 05-06-2024 04:00 PM

Not a commuter (anymore), I want capital spent on improved commuting.

I use tricare, I want capital spent on improving the health insurance.

I think there’s a silent majority that are likeminded.


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