Timely Response to Schedule Requests
 

OK, I know this has been discussed before but it seems to be getting worse. Why is it that when we submit to make a change to our schedule, it takes them hours (literally) to either approve or disapprove the request? Really? Is that the best we can do?

I know that there has been discussion about "real time trip trading". I know that some have said we can't do it to protect "priority make up". Ok...whatever. Even if we keep the human in the loop, can't we as a pilot group demand that requests be processed within a reasonable amount of time? Is this really something that needs to be negotiated or could someone in the company with the title of "manager" just do his/her job and implement a policy. Why does everything need to be so complicated?

I am not talking about right after open times drops. I am talking about your average day. It should not take hours to get an answer to whether or not I can drop a 6+00 hour trip.

Agree 100%

Previous operation had “real time trip trading” via Flica and it was great. The program would just pause all responses for events that required Human Interaction (ie Use of Floating Vacation Days). Otherwise instantaneous response/reply. That method seems feasible here.

It is unfreaking believable to me that the negotiating committee decided for us that we didn't even want to ask for real time trip trading, even though the pilot group had clearly stated that we wanted it. Didn't want to mess up priority makeup or bother to explore alternate solutions. This is something that clearly affects the vast majority of pilots quality of life and should be a no brainer.

Or just make it a standard window. For example, after the intital trade is made, it will hang in open time for no longer than 30 minutes.

You can call scheduling and give them a little poke. Tell them you have a request pending and ask if they can take a look. All they do is basically hit "go" and consent to let the computer process the request.

From my interactions with them, it seems like the pending requests are something they need to check periodically to see if there are any. Often times, I get the impression they haven't done that for a while perhaps due to workload or they just don't care.

The priority excuse makes no sense to me. Schedulers don't call everyone with any amount of priority M/U time available and ask them if they want the trip before they process a basic trade or m/u request. Those with priority who have put in requests at that point get them processed ahead of those without it. But the requests themselves are all automated. It's not like the schedulers are doing anything other than consenting to process what's there in the cue. Whatever is in the cue gets processed at the whim of whoever is on duty. They can (and have) done it almost immediately after I put in a request while other times it takes hours. There's no set period they're required to wait in order to avoid disenfranchising someone with priority time available. So, if we get a scheduler who is quick (or we call and pimp them), how is that any different from real time trip trading? Plenty of trips go to routine general M/U requests because those with priority simply didn't know about them.

Been here 10 years and have never had PMU, but have had hours and hours of waiting to hear back on a trade. Why do we inconvenience 99% of the crew force to enable the 1% to get a slightly better trip?
And to bring the VRB into the discussion— when flying extra begins to be a key part of your Retirement, do you think the Company will not influence who gets what in the schedule adjustment process?

Stop using common sense..

But hey.. they decided that we all want this VB turd and they are going to educate us why... :eek::mad:

Why do trades, drops, etc require a human to process? Especially if that human is just pushing a button that begins the computer process?

Control....:mad: