I actually don't get it either. In fact, I think the shorter window can be better because it allows you flexibility to tinker with your schedule a little closer into a trip without having to worry about whether or not your rides to and from work are already taken.

Online booking is key. In the absence of online booking, a stay at home wife is a pretty good substitute.....

http://27.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kv...hy30o1_400.jpg


RUMOR ALERT!

They're gonna give the FAs the 10 days and the call-in-honest.
As a reward for being non-union.

See signature below...

I knew you got all your inside info from Deep House Dish.

Heyas,

10.5 days gives you peace of mind. You book it, and you're done. It also gives you time to make other plans. If the FAA (or now a LCA...grrrr) bounces you from the JS, you have ample time to make other plans.

On closer inspection, the split going to/from work is equally retarded. At first blush, it SEEMS like a good idea, but really:

1) If you are going TO work, you're not going to be travelling FROM a base. The only people you're really competing with are those also going to work. The flow is NATURALLY from outstation to base.

2) If you are going home, you're not going to be travelling TO a base. Same as above...you're just competing with people going home. It doesn't matter when the deadline is because the flow is from base to outstation.

All it does is complicate the lives of pilots trying to go home, because it virtually guarantees that you'll be working when the window home opens.

There is the limited case of people travelling base to base, but we had that at NWA, and it was no more an issue than any other heavily travelled city-pair.

This is just another way of the company justifying the lack of a viable call in honest policy.

As for JS booking programs, I would argue that folks who poo poo it are the same who don't want to take the time to understand PBS. But at least it's available to everyone equally. There's a guy on the webboard who says it's our fault that we're not married and have our wives trained to book the jumpseat for us:confused:...

Nu

There are a number of issues that should be addressed as far as jumpseats are concerned. 1) On line booking capability. (hopefully coming in the spring). 2) Jumpseats on all RJ flights counted in the operating weight (no getting bumped due to weight restrictions.) 3) Some sort of priority system for Delta pilots on Delta commuter flights. As more and more stations are seeing mainline a/c being replaced by RJ's. We need a way to get on these aircraft to get to work and back home.

Well the times I've had the FAA and an LCA bump me from the JS, I was on my way to the airport and I got a call saying that I'm bumped. I was lucky on both cases as I got to non-rev on the last seat on the plane next to those nice oversized folks! The last time the LCA bumped me I went to the counter 15 min prior to push. He was not there yet so I asked if I could have the seat, but as it turns out he was right behind me jumping up and down saying "I'm here and I need to give these guys a line check!" Come to mind, he was not in uniform either, but it just really made me mad that I played by the rules and get the shaft when this guy had 10 days to book it and did not.

But the online system would be nice to add to the old tool bag for commuting.

Not exactly. Take a look at the demographics of Delta's New York and Salt Lake City bases. You'll find that there are a substantial number of base to base commuters from ATL and LAX. That number will increase as DTW 755 is added to the mix (CVG, ATL, LAX).

I think what you're missing is that it is seen as a backward move by a lot of former nwa pilots.

At the risk of dwelling on the past, my last gig allowed personal, and business jumpseat booking on-line, fourteen days in advance.

It cost the company nothing, gave them some good-will, and we even allowed off-line booking ahead of time.

It helped everyone......what's the drama ? OK Slow, what's the downside to the company ? I must be missing it. :confused: