gatorhater

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While I agree that there is not a lot of manufacturing in ATL, there are a $4!tt0n of warehouses and consumers. We take relatively full loads there often on the 767 and equal legs out. Picking up a single can from Lagos or Cairo isn’t a big deal, that’s the nature of a network and business expansion.

There comes a point when DL doesn’t want to sell that space to accommodate their pax, or we don’t want to buy it. Then we put a plane on the route. I understand the need for limits and a clear philosophy articulated to the pilots, maybe trigger points, but to a certain extent this is how you build and expand your product offering. Would you rather we not explore new business because we can’t fill a 757 to that country?

FXLAX

This is what I was trying to say in post #462 above. Like you said, we should have trigger points that work both ways. Otherwise we keep could keep seeing situations such as what is happening with ASL recently where those flights are simply moved over to other airlines. Scope is existential to our livelihoods and pilots need to understand that. They need to know that right now the bigger risk isn’t FedEx going out of business and the pension going to the PBGC. The bigger risk is that we don’t own any of our flying. It’s like going through life without any insurance of any kind. It’s great not to have to pay the premiums, until the day you wished you had that insurance policy.

Noworkallplay

The company couldn’t afford or be competitive replacing our FedEx flying (Within Scope/RLA/NMB) purview in large amounts with contractors due to the penalty payments it would trigger. Didn’t 6-8 airframes cost them over 22 million for a 14 month period. Multiply that over a larger scale. Then add in the cost of the actual contract for the third-party vendor to fly it. Are you not understanding the math?

The 9th freedom rights flying isn’t able to be scoped under the RLA/NMB and hold any credibility within international courts. Read up on UA flight attendants case. It’s case law. Plain and simple.

The belly freight I agree needs more defined language. As others and myself have pointed out though it obviously can’t be counted on for consistent service. It is obviously purely being used as supplemental only when pax airlines have availability. International flying for the passenger airlines is still subdued so they have a little extra room. When things get back to normal, no way they are kicking revenue passengers off to take our half priced boxes.

max8222

Ask any PAX guy flying international how often they bump or restrict non Rev and even paying pax for freight? Freight pays way more than pax. Throw them a useless voucher and move them to the next flight.

FXLAX

What it comes down to is that it’s more about making sure we do as much flying as possible. The fact that they can pay us penalties for any amount of airplanes for more than 12 months (outside peak) is proof that the penalty is not working. We want to make the penalty so punitive that it’s make more financial sense to employ us instead of western global. I’ll say it to you for the umpteenth time, it’s about LIMITS not penalties. I rather we have the crews than the money.

As for your freedoms, you’ve been rebuked on that already. And you conviniently ignore posts you are rebuked. We used to do a lot of flying ASL does now they didn’t do last month, If you don’t think that’s about management picking them once us, I don’t know what else to tell you. The RLA and our contract applies to us anywhere we fly, That is separate than cabotage and Nth freedom rights. I’m talking about the flights we have the rights to (ie flights taken over by ASL). Why do you keep arguing management’s talking points? This isn’t just about belly freight! And what about crew compliment? Your silence is deafening after I pointed out delta and Hawaiin have that language. Scope isn’t just about one thing. It’s multifaceted and all facets need improvements. We should be able to agree on that. It won’t take away from your decision to come here by realizing that our contract isn’t the best in many areas. For what we do, all sections of our contract should be best!

threeighteen

This sums it up.

magic rat

17 yrs on property. This place has changed, culture changed, vibe has changed, it’s simply NOT the place it used to be. The “FedEx pilot” glory has faded, management doesn’t respect us, they don’t think we deserve to be properly compensated. I CANNOT honestly look into someone’s eyes asking if they should come here and say “yes”…the feeling sucks, it really does…it wasn’t that way a long time ago. So, don’t apply here, go elsewhere. If I was on property less than 5 yrs and were young, I’d totally bail. Good luck with your choice, and I wish everyone a happy, safe, healthy career.

CloudSailor

You're senior to me be a few years, and I have to say, I totally agree with your sentiments.

It sucks to not be at the place that is, at least in one's own mind, the top.

But really FX was only at the top due to attrition of the pax airlines around us post 9/11. They have since rebounded and left us very far behind in QOL matters, and now pay, while we have been looking through a straw at our payrates.

As FXLAX said in other words, for the Billions in profits we rake in for the shareholders, for the domestic ball-busting schedules we fly, for the nasty stuff we carry and are exposed to, we (along with UPS, even though they get time in SDF vs. MEM) should have the leading contract in every section.

Anthrax

Facts. QOL has plummeted! This notion that we should leave a better job for those behind us has died along the way, with our union carving out benefits for the elders facing imminent retirement, these elders voting yes because QOL issues would no longer impact them. If you don’t see it, check your vision.

after 2015, I went hard at work doing other things, and to the younger ones I would highly recommend finding alternative means of earning income.

Merle Haggard

Same seniority, same observations. The worst part is that we are the seniority block that stagnated for a decade and have finally moved up only to have the brass ring snatched away. The corporation has lost any semblance of pride from top to bottom. No pride leads to no work ethic, no standards, and poor working conditions up to and including pay and benefits. Five years or less and under 40? You should seek greener pastures. This one is getting brown and crispy quickly.