DENpilot

You're not greedy but you want the company to pay a pilot who fails to commute in for their trip...

Gary et al

Thanks Mr. Denver who has never commuted, lives in base, and doesn't care about how this airline has changed and now has about 50% of the pilots commuting. You obviously don't understand that when you follow the rules of commuter policy you will make your trip more than 99.9% of the time. I have always made my trips. Giving yourself 2 options with the 2nd option arriving 1hr prior to your show time...That is a more strict policy than ASA, a REGIONAL, for crying out loud. But it normally works.

Right now there is no requirement for a pilot to provide proof they followed the policy and gave two options. Proof is requested, but it is not contractually required. I am suggesting a give and take, we can make it a requirement but at the same time relieve much of the stress from commuters who are trying to follow the rules and make the trip. If a couple of trips can be protected over the course of a year it will make commuters happier pilots, it will also improve transparency with the pilots and the company. Right now, obviously most commuters would just call in sick...and because they'll call in sick they wont bother to follow the policy and probably only have 1 option that gets them in minutes before show, thus increasing sick calls and increasing use of reserve. Maybe before you spout off your mouth you should try to understand the entire problem cycle. This is beneficial for both company and pilot. Having the company pay protect a pilot who misses a trip probably only once every couple years but always does the right thing and plays by the rules, yeah I guess thats really greedy

And for what it's worth, I will be moving to base, I will not be commuting long term. But as somebody who has done it for a long time, I actually understand the stress it puts on pilots and would like for those who continue to choose to commute to have a little better QOL.

fcoolaiddrinker

I worked at xjt, skywest and now f9. Our commuter policy at f9 is the same as it was at both those commuters at the time. Also, I have always been a commuter. Im not aware of any carriers that pay protect commuters? Were you pay protected at ASA? If so, I am confident that was an outlier and im not arguing against it just pointing out it would be unusual. I have seen language that pay protects with a reserve period assigned instead of the trip (I think CAL had that?). In that case Im calling in sick anyways. Finally, we don't want to have to provide proof of the two flights (then they want proof of available seats). Im glad that you understand the policy, most don't and will provide proof which doesn't help.

CantStayAway

Republic has a less stringent commuter policy but no pay protection. They require 2 flights that arrive prior to report time. For reserves you were allowed to commute in during your short call window on day 1. You just had to advise scheduling that you would not be phone available during the flight and be prepared for an assignment upon arriving in base.

fcoolaiddrinker

Not bad, if your not familiar, ours is actually called prudent judgement policy to allow for troubles with driving as well. A good example would be. I missed the first scheduled flight due to a flat tire then the second was full. Allows more flexibility. read between the lines on that one.

fcoolaiddrinker

If your a commuter and your first flight is cancelled or delayed substantially (4 hrs i believe) you get a hotel in domicile. Apparently the message hasn't gotten out. Part of one of the recent settlement agreements.

fcoolaiddrinker

I just read NK commuter policy and unless theres more in the definitions or Q&A Im calling in sick after I miss the second flight. There is pay protection but it involves adding a reserve period equal to the number of days in the original pairing OR open time. Its at crew scheduling discussion. Im just not going to risk a multi day reserve period when I know Im getting paid to go home. Also, they have a choice of buying you a ticket or telling you to attempt the second flight (after you miss the first). Again, personally Im not going down path. Im going to give myself two flights and call it a day. IMO its never good to give crew scheduling discretion on anything that involves putting you on reserve when you can just call in sick.

Flipadelphia

Gross misrepresentation. He wants the company to seek out mutually beneficial policies that could be applied to a commuter pilot who has complied with a reasonable set of expectations to report for a trip, and when unable to report, have policies in place that protect both the pilot and company. You are not helping your cause.

fcoolaiddrinker

well said.

DENpilot

Oh, please... you basically just said the same thing. "Mutually beneficial policies..." lol, aka you want a commuter to be pay protected when they fail to show. That is an entirely unreasonable expectation. No wonder some of you are so unhappy.