Great news. Thanks!

I'm not sure they're aware that it's even put out.

Sometimes they award SCs that are not even listed as an option.

A new Flt Ops policy states the pilots should make a PA to the pax every 15 minutes of a delay, including prior to boarding at the gate. So, I'm wondering, if we aren't getting paid while the plane sits empty at the gate, and we are now obliged to stand at the ticket counter in full uniform during a delay making announcements along with ACS, will this be reflected in our pay?

I'm not against the practice, but now that the company has codified it in the FOM, doesn't this 'break the veil' of suggested vs mandatory work obligations? For example, if you sign in for a trip and find out that your departure time has slid 2 hours, according to this FOB you'd be obliged to head to the gate ASAP to get started on the PA making. No mention of international differences, so one must assume this applies in Accra as well as Akron.

I'm thinking that according to our contract, if I HAVE to be someplace and do something specific to my job, that I should be paid for it!

I don't see any difference between this and say, being obligated to load baggage between flights or grab some wands and marshall in my outbound equipment. I'd be glad to help if I have time, but it's not my job and therefore I shouldn't be REQ'D to perform it WITHOUT COMPENSATION.

From what you have written, yes it does sound like we are now obligated to go out to the gate and make those announcements as long as we are signed in and "on duty." I'm not saying it's right but, in a sense, if you are on duty you are subject to duty credit (a type of pay). The argument could be made that you are getting paid.... Again, not saying I agree with it......

As far as if you were on a layover and notified that your show time has changed due to a delay, the company definition of the word "should" would apply:

Should - The word “should” is used to indicate that compliance is
expected. Deviations are permitted only where an operational requirement
exists.

(This definition comes from the Vol.1 but I expect it can be used in this case.)

With that definition, I would say it was an operational requirement to remain in crew rest.

Denny

I'm certain they don't know. I asked a scheduler about it, & she told me she has never seen it. Each day they're instructed which SCs to cover, and so that's what they assign.

System wide the company has only averaged just under 3 short calls a month for the last several years for reserve pilots. You would never make a case that they are putting people on short call just because they can. There is a agreement on numbers of short calls and the company has so far shown excellent compliance. The union does look into pilot issues with excessive short calls. 99 percent of the time the pilots have miss understood the short call list and the days and times pilots are on call. If you feel they are abusing your category call ALPA. They will check out the dates you give them. Tomorrow is however the busiest travel day of the entire year.

I have to disagree. This is work for no pay. We have a contract that spells out specifically what I get paid to do. Performing a customer service function between or prior to my flights is not one of those tasks. Again, if it's codified and I am obliged to be there and do that, then it needs to be in the contract, and that means that they needed to call someone at DALPA and set up a meeting to discuss terms.

I'm all for teamwork and such, but I would no sooner grab a wrench from a mechanic and do his job without my union telling me to do so and for how much...

Exactly right. We should be "flying the contract." I don't see anywhere in the contract that makes me an honorary gate agent or Delta PR rep. Where is DALPA on this?

Frankly, it's the same with FCRs. We are not volunteer airline (sorry, Air Line) consultants. Pay us 15 minutes for each FCR (I'm fine with a limit of 2 or 3) and you'll get some top-notch feedback. As it is, I won't waste my own time to point out something the company should already know.

Captains should get paid (with no limit) for all FOM-mandated FCRs. Many captains bang those out on layovers. How is that not being on duty? If a guy's up late working on a mandatory FCR and bends metal the next day, you can bet they'll look at the time stamp on the FCR and try to hang the guy for violating his rest.

How do we let ourselves get roped into working for no pay? How is this acceptable?

I don't consider FOM mandated FCRs to be outside the scope of my job as a pilot. If you think about it, they are an obligation to your job directly, and as such COULD be paid, but currently aren't.

The problem with the new policy is that this is additional work that is currently being performed by another work group, but now requires me to physically be someplace, in uniform, and do something. That is called a JOB. I have a union negotiated pay rate. But they now require me to do this 'extra job' for free. As far as trip rigs, those pertain to MY job, and plenty of trips are hard time, yet still require me to comply with policy.

I don't think mandating this was well thought out. Sounds like it came from the top, and nobody had the guts to say 'uh, boss, we'd better run this by legal and DALPA before we stick it in the manual'...

So consider that if you don't comply with this new policy, you could be written up and/or face discipline. That's worse case, but I've seen stupider things happen.

Well the quickest way to turn a 15 mintute delay into a 20 minute delay, is to have the Captain leave the cockpit at D+15, walk out to the gate desk, make a PA, then return to the cockpit...

It's Brilliant!

I smell a Bonus for the genius who came up with this new policy!