I enjoy camaraderie. I want my crew to believe that we are a team and we get on and off the jet at the same time. I take it as my responsibility to wait until the last passenger is off the jet before we collect ourselves and head towards immigration, and toddle off to the van collection zone for pickup. It’s inconvenient at times, but well worth the return and respect from my fellow crewmembers. 10, or 15 minutes delay to get to the hotel? Really?

It's a shame they don't make 'em like Packrat and captjns anymore....
(for the most part)....

And nearly beyond belief they make them like Qotsaautopilot. Nearly. Congratulations, my threshold of astonishment has been reset. I am usually amazed at what fails to surprise me anymore, but this... Good Lord!

I feel I should write more, but words truly fail me

It seems as if you guys work at airlines where the entire crew stays together. We don’t. Between the 5-7 of us there could be between 2-7 different pairings. We also usually say at different hotels from the FAs in the same city so it’s common to split and head for our private car and they do their own thing to get to their hotel with the lead FA being in charge if they are staying together.

In the few places we do stay at the hotel together it’s usually a Crew base so often they are going home or splitting up. It’s also usually a large city and the van runs on a schedule. In the situation where the FA gave me a hard time for not waiting I had no idea whether she was based there or overnighting. And it’s the same hotel in the same pickup location running on the same schedule it has been for years. Why do I need to babysit to the pickup site and then ride together to the sign in sheet. She (they) know where to go and we aren’t flying together tomorrow. I don’t walk with them to the Crew parking bus after a trip or pick them up at home before. What makes this any different?

And what camaraderie? Ever sat on a hotel van with a bunch of FAs complaining about passengers and the latest screwing by scheduling all in front of the driver and other riders. It’s embarrasing. I’d rather not. If we make it to the same bus great. If it’s on demand of course I won’t leave without and I’ll ask so make sure they are going to the hotel. If it’s on a schedule, see ya, I have no idea where they are going. Different FAs literally every leg. She was just looking for drama.

I also know I’m not in the minority because when I was a commuter it was always offline and by the time I got to the front to thank the pilots for the ride they were long gone almost always.

Simple question asked during the last leg regarding accomodations. I’m appreciative of the hard work up and down the aisles and FA/pax interface the cabin have to endure. I guess the way I’m treated by the cabin crew far outweighs the extra 10 to 15 minutes I may have to wait for the crew to collect make entries in their cabin logbook, and collect their bags. Some locations warrant different hotels too. I opt for one van. I like to make sure my cabin crew arrives safely at their hotel, and conversely the van picks my FO and RFO first then proceeds to pick our our cabin crew. Is it perfect arrangement? By all means no. But at least we as a crew are accounted for from beginning to the end of our duty day(s)... short to long layover too.

I look after deadheading crewmembers who may be staying at out our hotel(s) as well. I’ve found, during my 40+ years in the business, that showing consideration and compassion goes a long way.

Back in my RJ days, I would stand in the hallway at the open door while the FA checked her room for security. Kinda harder to do now with 9-11 FAs. Crew is crew.

Wow, what a valiant knight in shining armor! Did any of these adult people who practically live in hotel rooms ASK for you to be their doting, overprotective, babysitter?

Calm down. This was standard for years at my airline after a flight attendant was raped in her room by someone hiding in her closet.

Precicely.

It was a reference. Some things we do in this business are analogous to military concepts of command and leadership. Some airlines put their pilots in uniforms and insignia to make some of those concepts overt.

The Pilot-In-Command is in command.

The crew, even F/A's that I've only worked with for 1 leg who might be going to a different hotel fit within my first general order.

Since I set the pace of operation for the most part, I get to decide when WE are ready. To that end I'm the last one though KCM/security if we're going as a crew. If the aircraft is an RON, I'm the last crew member off. I don't get on the crew van until all crew members going with us are on. At the hotel, they all sign in before me so I can be sure the room count is right and everyone knows their pickup time - even if they're with another crew the next day. International, I give them the rally point. If anyone in the crew wants someone to wait in the hall while they check their room, I do it.

They're fellow employees! I'm proud of my profession and my company. I want both to succeed.

Maybe if I was an Italian cruise boat captain I'd bail out on my crew early, but I'm not.