FXLAX

I came from an airline that didn’t have banks. If you had conflict for carry-in, FARs, vacation, training, etc, the trip went away and replaced with something else within +/- 2 hours and if not, the company bought you up. There was no trumping during open time. First come, first served, instantaneous trip trading 365/24/7. After submitting your trade request, you knew within 6 seconds whether you got the trip or not. Management had the ability to designate any day as 150% or 200% (depending on how desperate they are) for any trip picked up.

So I’m biased against banks. I’m not sure there is any other airline that does, maybe AA? My understanding is that the bank system here is more of a staffing mechanism. That is a valid argument. But I’ve also heard of pilots, not unlike you but also non-active military, who will never ever be able to use a fraction of their make up bank either. So I’m not sure if it’s mitigating the staffing issue anyway. So maybe the merit of the bank system (staffing) does not outweigh the benefits of not having it, vis-à-vis, instant trip trading.

Fdxlag2

You are confusing issues. The bank system and instant trading are not either or. Priority makeup had very little to do with open time until the last contract.

FXLAX

I guess I see priority make up bank as a bank. And I am referring to current book. Was there instant trip trading on the previous contract that didn’t have a priority make up bank?

UnusualAttitude

If I have hours in my M/U bank it’s most likely because I lost the hours somewhere earlier, non-mil type. Therefore, people like me may drop trips during certain parts of the year (summer for me) and work more during other parts of the year (winter for me). You can’t really compare how our complicated schedules work to many other jobs. The point is, if someone wants to use their M/U bank I don’t care. How they decide to spend their time isn’t my concern or frankly my business. The needs of another pilot or his or her family and how they provide for those needs is up to them and as long as they are playing within the confines of the contract it doesn’t effect me.

pinseeker

As you sort of point out, not all M/U hours are equal. If you are awarded a line with 4 days of carry over, then the next month, that carry over trip knocks out a 15 hour trip, you are still up 9 hours over BLG if you didn't have carry over. Yet, your M/U bank is still increased by 15 hours. Those 15 hours are different than if you simply had to drop a 15 hour trip. In that case, you would be down 15 hours of pay compared to BLG. Our current M/U system doesn't distinguish between the two. So I can see why some say our current system needs some tweaking.

As far a pilots being able to increase their pay any way they want as long as it is within the confines of the contract goes, are you saying that you are OK with pilots working extra or drafting if we enter 4A2B or 4A2C? What about during contract negotiations? It's within the confines of the contract.

UnusualAttitude

I think it would be unwise to opine on a public forum about how one should or shouldn’t manage their schedule during contract negotiations or 4a2b/4a2c.

HIFLYR

[QUOTE=UnusualAttitude;2943435]If I have hours in my M/U bank it’s most likely because I lost the hours somewhere earlier, non-mil type. Therefore, people like me may drop trips during certain parts of the year (summer for me) and work more during other parts of the year (winter for me). You can’t really compare how our complicated schedules work to many other jobs. The point is, if someone wants to use their M/U bank I don’t care. How they decide to spend their time isn’t my concern or frankly my business. The needs of another pilot or his or her family and how they provide for those needs is up to them and as long as they are playing within the confines of the contract it doesn’t effect me.[/

Exactly!! I do the same thing! The fact that a mil guy has tons of make up is no reason to limit what others can do. The above is referencing when we are not in a contract situation etc.

Fdxlag2

Priority for open time was fairly rare, and when you had it you earned it. Not to mention you needed it because you had two months to make up flying or it came out of your check. Consequently open time was fair, but not muck quicker than it is now. Now with PNP and the games that go with it I can understand the resentment. I’m all for real time trading, but as long as we have sub some priority should be available.

FXLAX

Why doesn’t the contract make a distinction between the two M/U hours in your scenario?

If the contract allows pilots to work extra during 4a2b or contract negotiations, and we don’t like it, we need to negotiate those changes. Until then, we can’t really got on pilots for doing it.

FXLAX

Or alternatively, change the whole complicated sub system instead...or something else that someone smarter than I can think of off the top of my head. I guess my real issue is the whole Sub system.