Aero1900

Oh the drama

If reserves aren't flying, there's no premium and no open time...we are over staffed. Period. We have hired and upgraded a ton in the last year. And now we have delays coming from Airbus and Pratt & Whitney. So what do you expect?

Honestly, I'm surprised we are still running upgrades. This company has to run lean. They have to cut fat where they can. Notice how Spirit has been losing money continously. Frontier hasn't. They know what they are doing.

I know that this doesn't fit the taking points and common industry assumptions about pilot shortages and all but it's the truth.

Take a deep breath, we are all going to be OK

Stayontarget

I’m sorry what? Maybe I’m misunderstanding you. You are saying they aren’t using you a bunch as a reserve but you expect more premium?

spooldup

Not all the time, but its them using reserves weirdly, then attempting to salvage stuff by offering premium/canceling flights instead of the other way around.

maybe im just all wrong, not sure. But I was told that before I got here a year ago, there were reserves not flying, and a ton of premium being offered.

Stayontarget

That is totally correct. Premium was handed out like candy and reserves were saved for last resort. Then literally over night the policy changed and was flip flopped. Now reserves are first up and premium is saved as a last resort and from a business standpoint this is the correct policy. Why pay a reserve to sit and a premium at 150%+ when you could just pay the reserve to do the trip? The policy also happened to flip just after a SEC earnings call where BB mentioned CASM being higher but expected to fall. So I’m guessing they figured out how much money they were wasting on premium and “fixed the glitch.”

Aero1900

Agreed 100%

I was shocked that they were going to premium before using up all the reserves. Knew that wasn't going to last

dracir1

Wasting on premium?

Paying 6-7 crew members 150 or even 200% on a few flights a month is NOT all that expensive to the company. Sure, they’re paying more but let’s not act like 15-20 premium offerings per base per month is causing losses.

It’s far more expensive to cancel a flight than to pay a flight crew premium. How the company goes about “deciding” which strategy is best is a toss up. Using your reserves prior to premium risks not having adequate reserve coverage and no one to pick up premium (especially last minute).

Premium works well in advance - not so much when the flight is 2 hours late AND you want it to go in the next 2.

Stayontarget

We are talking about a year ago when there were people dropping their whole schedule and flying all premium trips. Random number here but we are talking 15-20 per position per base AND you’re paying those reserves.

First hand example: One day I was sitting reserve along with 4 others and watched 6 premium trips come and go with out any of the reserves being used. That is a huge waste of cash.

No, it’s not a toss up. You can set alerts and watch the process. I see an open time trip, I go to Flica and see how many reserves, and see if it’s going to go to premium or not. If there are reserves it gets covered. If it doesn’t it goes to premium, which is rare because we have adequate reserves. It’s not magic. The risk associated with not having adequate reserves is a calculated one that bean counters can pretty quickly fine tune.

dracir1

True but not as much of a waste as using the reserves first then realizing you don’t have enough coverage and the trip with the missing crew has a show < 3 hours. Premium usually goes pretty quick but that’s premium with some notice. Last minute premium is more risky.

If the company cancels that ONE flight, it’ll cost them more than the cost all of those premium trips that night (and then some).

madmax757

I disagree - all they have to do is up the premium and people will be tripping over themselves to get the trip. Use the reserves and offer 10 hours for an OAK turn . It will be gone in seconds .

AlternateLaw

[QUOTE=dracir1;3608213 Using your reserves prior to premium risks not having adequate reserve coverage and no one to pick up premium (especially last minute).

Premium works well in advance - not so much when the flight is 2 hours late AND you want it to go in the next 2.[/QUOTE]

I don’t believe for a minute there’s “no one to pickup premium”. Just look at the DOT. It opened yesterday. In some bases it’s practically all gone. STRAIGHT PAY open time is practically ALL GONE. April is still 2 weeks away.

Even Easter Weekend. Pilots are almost their own worst enemy. If there was ever anytime to expect premium it’s Friday->Monday of Easter Weekend. But, there’s not even cr#ppy red eye trips.