A few days ago I was looking at the daily trip coverage and noticed an ATL 717b with a ludicrously low seniority number snagged a 5 day trip. No reason such as PS, PW, or G and it was a few days in the future which meant not a reserve. It caught my attention and when I looked more closely, I noticed it was the APD who had given me my type rating check ride in 2014. Hmm, another captain flying right seat on the 717, awesome. 5 day boondoggle: DH to LAX, 1 leg to BFI, sit for 70 hours, fly back to LAX, DH back to ATL. 5 days, 5:10 block, 9:20 DH, 29:14 pay. Not a line check, not an FCF, just a good deal. Left seat is a LCP, right seat is the guy who is about to lead the CS100 effort, listed as "ADM" where you'd normally see RES/REG/LCA. While ATL 717 pilots fly garbage 4 day shlt with 3-5 legs a day and 10-11 hour layovers, management just steals a 5 day with no block and a 70 hour layover. I guess they're just special and better than the rest of us.

So I called ALPA to inquire and today I got a response. Complete BS (as I suspected) on the part of the company. Company pulled the trip, paid the 2 guys who should have gotten the trip, then bought it back for the original 2 pilots (see ATL 717B daily trip coverage for 13 July, rotation 0454). I'm glad my call got those guys paid but I wonder how often the company pulls this crap and gets away with it. Makes me angry as hell. I wonder how they explain this in "Rules of the Road". The company absolutely thinks we are stupid and that they can do as they wish without consequence. Feels a lot like my old job.

 

Wow-deadhead a couple of ATL guys to ferry a jet from LAX to BFI, then back to LAX. Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't we have a LA 717 category? Nice boondoggle if you can get it.

Omar

 

Thanks for calling BS on that one Mike. Rule of the road seems to be a one way street lately.

 

I am glad those other guys got paid. The next big issue is that trip should be in open time for someone else to get. A captain in the right seat should not be allowed...

 

This stuff has gone on forever. You're right. Call it BS, call it culture of cooperation. But the 2 guys flying are Delta brothers, right? They're in the club that Delta anoints to be special management pilots. You can join, once a year you have to attend the LCA meeting in Atlanta, rub elbows and spread the gospel when you fly. The other route is a Dalpa insider, lifer, special ops strategic type. These guys can smooze or be the smartest guy in the room, I've seen both types.

Sorry you didn't get that gem of a trip.

 

Great job Mike!

Scoop

 

Damn, Mike--good catch!!

 

I'm really starting to wonder just how frequently the company is violates the contract. It certainly feels systemic. I'm glad our union can aid in rectifying these situations (when detected), but I'm not thrilled to be required to fund (through dues) union action to make Delta compliant. At what point are punitive damages paid for all these individual violations?

 

Looking at the flight numbers of rotation in question I suspect it's some sort of flight that requires management pilots. Not common, but it does happen.

 

Reroute reviews and payouts take 90-120 days to be approved. It's my money and I want in now...not 4 freaking months!