Not sure. 80kts can probably tell us.

I think I just answered my own question. This is a test case by the company. See how many guys bite... sell back vacation at regular rates (minus per diem), avoid any greenslip pay, and adjust staffing accordingly as it's rolled out across all categories. How this job has declined...

I don't know about ATL, but I ran into a bud who is a 320A in NYC this summer. He told me that they were so short (and screwed up) that 2 of the three months that had just passed he was paid north of $30K. The one month he didn't make that much, he "took off" by choice. He's a bottom block-holder about half the year and in the bottom third of the category.

I don't think it will become the norm. Remember that though this situation is a company mistake, there is not wholesale vacation liquidation going on. When I got hired in 1997, our contract had a provision where pilots could "pre-sell" up to half their vacation before the vacation year even started! At least we got rid of that in C2K. That was many factors worse than one category out of many system-wide that has critical staffing issues.

This has been a feature of our contract as long as I can remember--though it is seldom used, and I could be wrong.

Yeah, it's called Green Slips. Also, pilots need to understand that the "rolling thunder" model is even more lucrative, because it really functions more as a green slip with a conflict than a green slip. That is why you see guys bid reserve, fly numerous GS, get the x-days paid back, and get paid lots of $$, and still only fly 70-80 hours a month.

Who? I sure haven't seen any lately. I suppose an ATL 320A is, which is the entire point of this thread. However DAL has 68 separate categories. Do you really think that crew resources, given the large number of categories and network's desire to constantly re-allocate flying to different aircraft at different times of year, is always going to have optimal staffing in every base and every aircraft? It isn't possible, and you know it. And mgmt is asking guys to liquidate their January vacation. Most guys will be happy to do so, because lets face it, not much is going on in January and most guys' January vacation is probably their "throwaway" week anyway. In any case it is all voluntary and no one is getting their vacations pre-emptively cancelled.

A bit dramatic don't you think?

You had a good point until you repeated the ridiculous "99 hours for reserves" line. With the FAR 117 reserves couldn't fly 99 hours if that was their and the company's joint goal. Further, I know guys in widebody categories who can't even remember the door codes in their own base because they fly so little. Why don't you tell them how much they are getting hosed being on reserve?

"Heard" where?

Like someone posted earlier, we are getting more of those jets. This isn't an issue that repairs itself. I'm thinking that I could stomach some of that earning potential. When's the next AE, I may have to VD to FIFI.

I could manage the systems with Clamp as my seeing eye dog.

FWIW, NWALPA negotiated to get rid of vacation cancellation in the 98 contract.

Nu

True, but they used it repeatedly (instead of hiring) while they had the ability. Will we repeat that on a voluntary basis?

With 80 on the 320, you can do anything. That's his airplane. :D

GS's go out virtually every day on the CA side.. and they continue to refuse to backfill more CAs into it. I just don't get it.

My understanding is we're going to have a tough time hiring to staffing the 321s (which are now slated to be growth)... may have to delay delivery of them. As we've been stating on here, they waited too long to hire and now are on the back side of the power curve.

I do love my fifi. Come on over, scambo... the green slips are hot and ready!

Gotta do it for the money and enjoying the plane though. The trips... well, just take a gander at the bid pack. :) If you're at DL for the layovers and 1-2 leg days, ATL 320 is not the category for you!