Albief15

My true goals on these boards are the same they've been since flightinfo days back in 1999 and since....

Have fun. Share info. Learn about the industry. Make a few "virtual" friends, many who have become real friends that I've met around the country.

Several people gave me great info back then... a couple guys at Jetblue, and a couple here (anyone remember "Profile" from Flightinfo?). I've tried to pass it along.

You can be bitter if you want--we all gotta chose a path. Making 300k a year, having good health care, and staying in 4-5 star hotels is a damn sight better than most folks in the world ever have. Having the ability to push for more, while still maintaining a sense of contentment and satisfaction internally is a balancing act. Maybe its because I know pilots who have lost medicals, or one recently terminated for a firearm/security issue, that I have an appreciation for what we do have.

As for the business...well...thank you for the plug. I don't need to talk it up--the over 1000 pilots at FedEx who have been hired after doing the course can do that talking, as can the over 1000 at Delta, 1000 at SWA, and over 500 at UAL. But if you want to throw me underhand soft balls like that--I'm more than glad to take them. You are a great Ed McMahon, and I appreciate the assist.

Don't know what you fly, but if its a 777 or -11 and you find yourself on this side of the world, I'm in VIPS and my calendar ain't blocked. Last bar crawl in LKF I did with some visiting pilots was in December, and I'm overdue... I'll buy.

727C47

You helped my wife get on with SWA, thumbs up in our book

StarClipper

Albie, as most of us know, the business you run is second to none. Everyone I've sent your way gave good reviews. That cannot be disputed by anyone. However the guys you are referring to flying draft, might have been doing for the same reason you were an advocate and vote yes for your contract.

"They were doing what was best for their families. They probably sat down and discus it with their wives too"

I think that's one of the reasons you gave right?

FDXLAG

So voting yes and flying DPs are the same right? With this logic we would never get a contract.

StarClipper

And the logic of I do what's best for my family is any better? Me Me Me Me

FDXLAG

So I should vote based on what's best for u u u u u u? Guess what I did. I looked at the deal and decided it was the best we were going to get given the circumstances of guys flying draft around Asia.

StarClipper

Not me Sir, not at all. I just think it's a double standard to knock guys flying draft in the best interest of their family but it's ok to vote yes in the best interest of your family. In both cases it's all about the $$$.

FDXLAG

So just to clear it up is it ever permissible to vote yes? If so under what circumstances? Perhaps only when star clipper is satisfied? And I'm the greedy one?

StarClipper

Once again you're getting me wrong. Do as you please but don't knock other for doing as they please.

Albief15

I get it. Some say voting yes on the contract means you aren't a team player. I think it guaranteed some gains--including some we are still waiting for like a rolling deviation bank and secondary improvements--and made a much better contract for everyone here.

Some seem to think round II would have gone our way. Two guys on the MEC were on the 2006 MEC...and they split their vote. Both FDA reps recommended voting yes. Every pilot group except Anchorage favored the deal when the votes were tallied. Voting yes wasn't just about me, or the FDA, or any particular pilot group. I voted yes because I thought kicking it back was going to give us less--not more--going forward and open us up to vulnerabilities (like vacation, deadheading, and health care) that I thought were worth protecting from reattacks. I also thought honestly that turning the NC back over to the same crowd that got us FDA 1 and Interim contract 2011 wasn't going to change the outcome in our favor. That's not a personal slam--just based on results I'd seen from past negotiations. I was simply passing on what I saw from my perspective, especially from 2008-2011.

But hey--if that makes me and the 57% the same in your mind as the guys flying extra before the TA, I probably won't change your mind.