UnusualAttitude

I don’t expect BrianH to lead.

If you think 1.5 hour reserve callout is industry standard then you’re not trying to look. If you think running two or three bids concurrently while enforcing seat locks up to 60 months, you aren’t looking. These are major QOL issues. Lack of a min calendar day rig, etc. And for those saying, “company will never agree to that”, I have heard the same thing for 8 years about the A plan and yet they agreed to improve the benefit. Unfortunately for those about to retire, the give required was deemed too much.

Not sure the point you’re trying to make on the A-plan “buyout” as it wasn’t a “buyout” it was a replacement and one that other properties have access to now so not some unique advantage at Purple.

max8222

When comparing industry standard, I think trying to compare is not accurate or there is a lack of understanding between our operations and pax.

FedEx sell is we will get your shipment in the time we said we will. Otherwise you get a refund. I know Covid rules it didn’t count. So the company needs to be able to get bodies in a seat to make the sort. Hence the 1.5 hour call out. Other bases it is 3 hours so they have hotel or airport standby to cover the quick calls.

In case you are not up on current events and you don’t fly as a passenger much, the reliability of their systems suck. You are lucky to get where you planned on time. In some cases a whole day late. How many times is the excuse we are waiting on crew? Try getting a refund for being late to a meeting or family vacation. So they have longer call outs and less reliable service.

S

Xing30west

So we as FedEx pilots provide a more reliable service and more flexibility to a VERY profitable company yet WE don’t rate “industry standard?” 🤔

I think you lack the understanding.

max8222

Sometimes apples to apples sometimes apples to oranges.

I don’t think you have an understanding of our business.

Globemaster2827

Just out of curiosity, how often do you sit reserve?

I have a buddy at United and while they do have much longer rules on call outs for those on reserve, flights still must be covered when people short call them with real world issues. Contrary to what people are saying here, they do try to cover them. Allegedly, at United they have FAR more Airport Standbys than we have. This means that you will find out like 16 hours in advance (or whatever) but the flip side of that is that it's far more likely that they'll use you while on reserve. That isn't a good deal for the majority of us who bid reserve intentionally. I bid reserve when I can hold lines... Sometimes even good lines. Why go to work intentionally when I can sit at home on reserve? I don't want to do Airport Standbys when I can do nothing. Getting shortcalled like being described here has happened less than 5 times while at FedEx... Maybe only twice that I can remember. It isn't a big deal because like most of the people on reserve, I live in base.

So is it an improvement to increase the callout time AND increase the number of Airport Standbys? In my world the answer is a hard "No".

StarClipper

So do you think it was an improvement trading R24 for R16? If so I’d like to hear you reasoning. Thanks

UnusualAttitude

Your response shows how little you know about reserve at other carriers. They all have some contingent of short call. We don’t need the entire reserve compliment within an hour and a half. There’s ways to ease the pain.

max8222

To answer the question have I sat reserve?

1 year reserve as 727FE and commuter
6 months reserve on the DC10FE as commuter
5 years on and off reserve as MD11FO LAX not commuting, best deal ever and why LAX was so senior
1 year reserve on and off MD11CA ANC commuting
2 years reserve 777CA Mem commuting

in the last 13 years was either reserve or VTO for 12 of it. So yes I know how crappy it can be. I could have stayed senior as an FO but was my choice to bid to the left seat.

So I know how bad our reserve system sucks and especially the VTO system. Total POS! So yes things need to be fixed. However saying that we need to get to industry standard doesn’t really apply. If we want industry standard we gen we would be under full PBS and no lines. Our vacation days would only pay 4.5 hours and we would have less days.

Even back when I was a junior MD Capt I would take off almost 3 months with vacation and spend it down in the Caribbean or Bahamas. Only pay I lost was per diem and international override. My Delta friends would join me and have a hard time getting off more than ten days and they only got paid 3.5 hours per day of vacation. They couldn’t believe our vacation system.

So be careful throwing around industry standard, because some industry standard things would be a major setback for us.

As to United have multiple show times for reserves. United has probably 5+ banks of departures a 24 hours. We have two some days one. See a difference there? Apples to oranges.

NotMrNiceGuy

With the latest United/Delta contracts, they have moved to voluntary only ASBY. And it pays 8 hours. I think a lot of guys/gals would eat those up to fill in holes in their schedule.

Xing30west

I don’t think you have an understanding of your Stockholm syndrome.