Sick leave abuse, the other kind.
 

We keep hearing about the small minority that supposedly abuses sick leave. I'd like to bring up the other side of the coin, pilots that fly sick.
As an 88 FO I put up with sniffling, coughing and sneezing captains for 10 long years. I took numerous colds home to be shared with my wife and daughter.

Well no more.

I'm posting notice of my sick personal sick leave abuse policy now that I occupy the left seat. Show up sick to fly with me and I'm having you pulled from the trip. No joke. No excuses.
Please make the call. BEFORE the trip. You aren't doing anybody any favors coming to work when you are not 100%. No your fellow crewmwmbers or your passengers.

I'm with you!

Wish the cabin crew would too.

I actually have flown with two captains over the last 8 years who had to visit an urgent care clinic on a layover. One was treated, and sent back to work. The other situation required DH a new captain to fly the return leg of an international layover. In both cases, I questioned why the captain even showed up for work.

Can I call in sick for the captain if they aren't well?

I agree with what you are saying but I will also say good luck with that when you end up with the interaction with the CPO. I had finally had enough of it, as an FO, when they broke up one of my four day trips and I got two Captains in a row that were on GS's but were also sick. They were just not going to pass on the money. I walked into the ATL CPO and talked to a Chief and the company line is that it is up the individual pilot to determine their wellness to fly. There is absolutely nothing that another pilot or the CPO can do if the pilot says he/she is well enough to fly. (funny how it doesn't work that way when someone calls in sick)

You carry one pen, one rectal thermometer or do you provide a full check up?

Don't know if things have changed, but years ago I had an FO who showed up obviously sick......coughing, sneezing, runny nose etc. I asked him to call in sick but he refused. I called the CPO and asked them to remove him. I got the same story. But then I said look......him or me. One of us is coming off this trip. They removed him.

I know It's tough, sometimes guys really are ok to fly. But when a pilot is obviously sick, he/she should be removed.

I agree. Twice this year when I've called out, its because Capt America I flew with the trip before had a cold and got me sick.

Just finished a two-day with the Captain hacking up a lung the entire trip. :confused: #awesomeness :mad:

It's that time of year again, 2 out of 4 of my kids are already sick and they are all coming home for Thanksgiving!

I told them to stay away, but of course they are coming to my house and spread their germs...I expect I'll have the crud by next Sunday, if not sooner, and I've got a trip on Monday. No worries F/O's, if I get what they have, I'll be calling in sick. My litmus test is,

"Do I want to fly with someone like ME??"

I told my wife I'd rather get a hotel room for she and I, order Chinese, and let the kids cook their own bird and destroy our house.

She said as long as they set it on fire before they leave, fine.

So...I got that going for me, which is nice!