The Golden Touch Shuttle
 

I want to ask how NYC crews feels about losing the Golden Touch shuttle in a few months. The FOU states that, “NYC based crewmembers overwhelmingly cited the Golden Touch (Hub – Kew Gardens – Hub) courtesy transportation as inefficient and of low benefit.”. I have a hard time believing this. On a bad night if you Uber LGA to JFK one time you’ll almost completely empty your $50 credit they want to give us. Public transit is a mess especially into and out of LGA. As a NYC RSV, my life is either about to get much more expensive or much more complicated and this will easily be a rest issue on late nights when the trains slow down trying to get back to the crashpad. Considering that Delta has 3 shuttles on every hour, I’m confused as to why the company would make this change. Id like to know what ya’ll think...

The impact of this depends at who you ask. One on end of the spectrum, senior lineholding commuters and nyc domiciled sim instructors (I did not see anything in the documents that restricted them from this) just got a $600 raise since they already get 100% commutable trips at their preferred airport. Junior kew gardens reserve pilots who do 10 ready reserve days a month lose big. People whose crashpads are close to but not on one of the airports are a wash.

I don’t see how they can call something cost neutral an enhancement though. The corporate lyft account should have been the solution.

It screws reserve pilots in the Kew. Hopefully the old kew garden taxi shuttles will pick up again like they used to.

Maybe this will teach pilots to stop complaining about something if it isnt perfect. The company had nothing but complaints about the shuttle, so they gave the complainers what they want.

If you all are upset by it, write in, get off apc.

I feel for the junior guys in kew. They should have invested that $600 a year per pilot into maybe hourly departures from each airport instead of every 2.5-4.5 hours.

Who would pick up the tab for the extra runs, would that be a Golden Touch volunteer project?

It stinks, but it is what it is. Oh well.

Im just trying to figure out how I'll live without Dani's Pizza.

Yawn, Chicago style>>>

I just hate getting to Kew via public transportation. You have to cram on the Q70 with a million other people with your bags, go down 3-4 sets of stairs in a crowded area to transfer to the E train, and then you have to worry about standing in a homeless man's urine, or people doing dance shows for tips, then walk half a mile.

JFK is much easier, as you can just take the Q10 from Lefferts.

Just a reminder... fill out the survey monkey form by the new year or else you don’t get the shuttle or the stipend.

For those of you on the Facebook group. The NYC CA REP is asking for votes. Reply to his posting about Golden Touch since he seems to think he can fix a lot of NYC problems.

Or you could try VIA (http://www.ridewithvia.com)...just split a ride with my FO the other day to Kew from LGA and the tab was $12. Total. Between the two of us. In a Mercedes GLE (no homeless dude's urine anywhere).



There are options to stretch that stipend. Just gotta know where to look. CRM folks, use your resources.

Last night, Via was $18 Kew to LGA. It adds up.

So what exactly did people do before Golden Touch?

They were based at only one airport.

Besides what was said about being only at one airport, if you needed to make a commute by switching airports the Airporter (now shut down) would flat rate you to LGA or JFK for 14 bucks. And back then then there was no glut of reserve pilots and no community of pilots bunched in Kew, so the need of guys normally swapping was much smaller.

Airporter is still around as far as I can see except the hours are kinda crappy. It's like 11-7 everyday.

What does maineline do for their employees about this problem? I feel like there is a viable solution here.

As a non-NY based pilot I’m unaware of the problem. Is it departing LGA and finishing in JFK and vice versa?

Like was said above, mainline has hourly shuttles.

The solution was more money for a second bus but the lyft account idea RE had was actually cheaper than one bus (never mind both). Then RE found out Lyft doesnt carry insurance and the company would have liability. As you can imagine (or if you're stupid you can't) that killed the Lyft for us. Before any pretend lawyers start up, or before any pilots who yearn for the day when "well it should be such-and-such a way" and anyone listened or cared, know that the company would be liable. The company says so, ny state says so, alpa says so. It is fact.

While the company Endeavor cried and whined about the shuttle costing x number of dollars, the Delta shuttles by golden touch cost 2x(3) (twice as big, 3 times the frequency), or 6x.

Also, we're not mainline, no one cares we should be. We arent. Im saying this for our guys as much as the trolls from mainline that feel like they need to come in and tell us how dumb we are.

No. You get company transportation for that. If LGA were the only base, I'd have a crashpad within walking distance of LGA. Same for JFK. Since JFK is 45 minutes to 2 hours from LGA, I have a crashpad in Kew Gardens, which is halfway between.

Wow, I thought they were about 10 miles apart. No free employee parking? $50/month could buy a really cheap airport car especially if
you could split it with a buddy.

I am not aware of mainline hourly shuttles. If they have one I’m not sure why the solution wouldn’t have been to just combine us all. I know jet blue has great transportation for their flight attendants (not sure about pilots) from Kew to jfk and a stipend (ball park of $15) for LGA trips for their pilots. Even more for EWR. Funny thing is Kew is very accessible to JFK via the public bus. Kew to LGA isn’t as easy. Long walk to subway or closer, more expensive LIRR. All to the awful Q70.

An airport car does not work there. Where do you park? Kew crashpads have 30 plus crewmembers. Parking for 30 cars?

We ride the Delta Shuttle in MSP, sounds like the infrastructure is already in place and it saves Delta money - why aren’t you NYC guys pushing for this?

You're referring to the bus to the parking lot right?

I really don’t think it exists... many mainline jumsleaters have gotten off my flight and commented that they’re using kew cab to get to their crashpad or other airport, though.

Drops off and picks up in front of 7/11, giant golden touch, about 2x the seats we have.

Yes the one that goes from the airport, to the lots, to tower C - etc.

If DL maineline has a shuttle moving between LGA and JFK - you should push for that.

They are ten miles apart. It's that bad.

$50 per month might get a really cheap car if you split it, but it'd cost at least three times that to find an off-street spot in Kew to park it.

No no. 7/11 in kew gardens man, keep up.

I think you meant to reply to the one i posted if you were talking about the msp shuttle that runs to the parking lots. The airtrain takes you to parking lots at jfk, the mta purple line takes you to parking lga. The shuttle takes you to kew

The delta one at the shuttle that picks up regularly that one guy said didn't exist, i was just telling him where to see it.

Yep hit the wrong button. Not sure what the link is either.

Delta Mainline and Kew Shuttle
 

Mainline FO here...based in NYC and crashpad in Kew.

The FA's pay for golden touch to provide 6-9 shuttles per day (not hourly) between Kew and both JFK and LGA. Primary is for the FA's, then if there are any seats remaining, pilots can jump in. For pilots, reverse seniority order so junior guy wins. Only fee is $1 tip each way.

Not sure if Big D providies it or if the FA group (they are non-union) foots the bill.

If I don't feel like dragging my bags through a couple blocks of snow to get to the 7/11, I cab it.

Kew Cab 781-846-6666. $12 flat rate. If you and crash pad roomy get picked up same time, then its only $6 each.

Voyager Car Service 718-805-6666. $12 flat betweem Kew/JFK, $15 Kew/LGA, and $18 JFK/LGA.

As a commuter, thanks for all the jumpseat rides you have given me getting to/from BOS....appreciate the hospitality!

Delta provides the shuttle, the NYFAs didnt take up a collection to get Golden touch to regularly schedule a van.

Also I'd add the kewcab drivers would really appreciate cash, I've had drivers tell me "only cash" but some do have CC machines or some sort of electronic method.

I'd rather be based in DTW at old NWA rates :cool:

The update
 

Firstly, the data is skewed. Those prices quoted are not always the same. Demand is what dictates pricing. You can pay up to 30$ OW for an Uber/Lyft etc. The complaints about the van were the times.

Basically, the update is a suck it speech. This is going to backfire on them big time. If you are junior, or an F/A, this is a HUGE paycut in NY. Sitting airport reserve at either airport will cost a lot more every month now.

We honestly need to do something about this. Enough grievances would fix it but the van has not stopped yet. If enough people just say no to this rubbish. Please don’t lie down and take this! Most of the crews are stuck in NY, which happens to be the most expensive, and we just got kicked in the arse. Oh, please take TOWOP, thank you.

What a bunch of liars this management team are.

While I am certaintly not happy with this shuttle going away since I will be back on reserve you can certaintly make $50 a month work. Use public transit, how hard is it? $2.75 to LGA and you can get to JFK for $5.25 using the Airtrain and Subway.

Also how has management been lieing to us? I remember reading the FOU when Russ first said they were working on a Lyft account BUT he clearly said in there to not get your hopes up cause it might not work out. Yes growth has been delayed, but sersiouly how easy do you and people think it is to just cancel a contract with another carrier and spend millions of dollars moving airplanes around. If anyone lied to us it is the union with them saying we would get a better transportation during the conference call/road shows.

Ok well
 

Firstly, again, we are losing a benefit. LGA is two buses and a train which on a good day takes an hour instead of free for twenty minutes. Do three to five days of airport reserve and it will get old real real quick. JFK on the Q10 is also a pain in the arse as it is packed and trying to take your luggage is terrible. Again, WE ARE LOSING A BENEFIT. We haven’t even fixed the Dead Head seating thingy yet and we lose another benefit. I am Pizzed! Management made this place sound great when I joined. It was a sales ploy. Lies, there have been many but wear your hat, make your PAs and take time off without pay. HORSEHIT!

Now, let me take my meds. The reality is liability. The have simply rid themselves of any liability for transportation. If you NOW get in an accident, outside of the Golden Touch, you are on your own. I, and many others, including poorly treated and paid F/As, use the van a lot. The lyft account did not happen because of liability-period.

Everyday now I check the apps for Uber, Via etc and I have not seen less than 18$ o/w LGA-KEW. 8$ is a lie. No way, no how, did anyone get an 8$ car from LGA-KEW vice versa. The Q runner is the cheapest, most efficient, best value, outside of the bus.

So, here’s 50$, take the bus, tells me what they really think of us. RE and TW do not like expensive pilots and are doing what they are told and what they can to make themselves look better. We have been sold out again by this management. I came here thinking this place was different IT IS NOT!

Yeah, Merry Christmas.

Unless we don't use the van, in which case we're gaining a benefit.

I understand we are losing a benefit and it sucks, like I said I would rather keep the shuttle but in the end TW and RE don’t make the decisions, Delta does. If it was up to them I am sure they wouldn’t care giving everyone $200 but Delta told them they have to keep it within the current budget I am sure.

Honestly who cares if it takes 1 hour to get to/from the airport if you are just going to go sit in a basement as you say, there is more of a argument to people that live in NY and have to waste their time but I would say very few people live around Kew and I could care less if it takes me 1 hour via public or 20 min via shuttle.

Same thing with the DH Upgrade, there is nothing EDV management can do other than say to Delta management that we are not happy about it. They have done that, specifially Garrison, and Delta has done nothing to fix it because they don’t care and remember this is all DCI not just us.

We get treated pretty good here but we are a regional and it seems a lot of people forget that. We are NOT Delta, we are NOT Delta employees. While I hate the regional model and wish it dies, we are very well paid here with a pretty good contract ,that yes can use improvements.

And who cares about TWOP, they are not forcing a single person to take it, if you don’t wanna take it then don’t, it’s that simple.