Gunfighter

Once upon a time there was an FO who didn't have seniority to hold July 4th off, so he bid to fly with LCA. Crew scheduling bought the trip from him with full pay and after three wonderful days with his family, he flew a 3 day GS to pay for his daughters nursing school. At the end of summer, he upgraded to fly Delta passengers on a widebodys across the north atlantic, because we still owned that flying. Now he works two less days per month with all commutable trips and is using the extra pay and time off to remodel the kitchen.

My answer is no regrets.

newKnow

I regret that they think they achieved money for the pilots, instead of understanding that we earned it.

I look forward to the day when the "nut jobs" fully take over.

Herkflyr

Nice story, but the happy ending was more accident than design. So this hypothetical F/O is too junior to get July 4th off, but just happens to get a trip paired with a junior LCA (who also can't get July 4th off) who just happens to be conducting OE over those days.

Then, this junior F/O just happens to be available for a GS right after that.

Hey, I'm happy for this F/O (as I am for any in a similar situation) but I would like to be a fly on the wall in a negotiating session--or better, NMB mediation session--when we argue for "no changes," because some hypothetical junior F/O got to get paid for not working over July 4th, then got a double pay trip after that. After all there is some obscure constitutional amendment giving us the God-given right to that.

There are better ways to address the company's overreach with the rejected TA.

Justdoinmyjob

No kidding! I was able to afford braces for my oldest while on ER FO pay. Was only $3K or so. If you can't cover that, you're spending too much buying gold.

Herkflyr

The entire problem with "D Mantooth" and this thread is that he is taking today's (or yesterday's or tomorrow's) news and somehow extrapolating it to a multi-year timeframe. That is a fool's errand.

You can't do that. You read the TA language, and then make the best decision with the information that you have at the time. I did that and voted no. I don't begrudge my reps and other yes voters like many here do--I just voted differently.

Besides, I have yet to meet a "regretful" no voter. If anyone starts to rue their vote, a quick mental summary of all the reasons why we voted no quickly squashes any such sentiment.

forgot to bid

Well said Newk.

Ragtop Day

Herk and others, LCA FO drops are not just a senior FO gig. Yes they have the ability to control their schedule better and take advantage of some good deals, but that is a benefit of bypassing an upgrade or better seat to have said seniority.

I have never been anywhere close to senior in a category, yet for one reason or another I have averaged 2 or 3 LCA drops per year. Why? Don't know, but sometimes a LCA is on my PBS award, sometimes they end up in the pot and for some reason I have even found them in the pot or swap board with an OE already assigned. It doesn't happen often but it is a nice break when it does. Sometimes I WS or GS over them, sometimes I don't. If the company wants a change, bring the candy...somehow incentivize picking up flying after the drop. But leave the choice up to the pilot...the hardcore $$$ guys can go fly and make more, the QOL guys can elect to stay home.

The "constitutional amendment" is our PWA, and no changes are required through the section 6 process only "good faith." My good faith compromise would be to point out the benefit is already paid for and we would be willing to look at ways to help encourage bought off FO's to pick up flying at their discretion.

I agree that there were/are much better and creative ways to solve these "problems"

RetiredFTS

Just voted for recall, two votes now without regrets.

Hank Kingsley

MD promised a historic contract, he delivered it, oh the irony. To get the most passive group of airline pilots in history to vote no, well it's more than money. It's a general feeling that we've given enough.

The scent of a concession will be met by opposition during the most profitable period in airline history. We're not greedy or unreasonable.

Both union and company overreached and underestimated the pilots.

forgot to bid

Hank is right. The company and the union overreached and underestimated the pilots. They overreached on across the board concessions on scope and work rules and underestimated the pilots to not only vote no but to vote no even with a small and immediate pay raise in front of them.