Poundstone, you have no clue. We stay where we can get the best rest for the money. That means Holiday Inn or better, more often the better. Certain cities like LAS or ORD it is tough to get the company to pay the rack rates for a Radisson type hotel but when they try to go cheap then we have crew issues like the afore mentioned hooker or sports tournament going on. You haven't lived unless you are a day sleeper with a Under 14 Soccer tournament going on during your stay. I spend over 1/3 of my nights away from home each year. I will not stay at a Motel 6 on my dime, I will not on the company's either. It's all about rest. I spend up to 52 hours on a layover, I will not let my quality of life be compromised to save the company $10 a night. Luckily most contacts in this industry reflect that. Too bad if you fly or work for a low rent scumbag outfit that screws you over in hotels accomodation. Hell, even at Zantop we had decent hotels.

 

Again, I disagree. All it takes is one cancelled/delayed flight due to lack of "acceptable" crew rest or fatigue and the airline has lost all it saved. It's kind of akin to the old expression, "penny wise pound foolish"!

As a former military pilot, I don't buy your comparison fo the military vs. civilian pilot. They are two completely two different worlds. Different missions, different mission criteria and a different set of standards. If you were to use your comparison, then where's my ejection seat? It doesn't work quite the you have it!

 

Poundstone it goes deeper than a bed to sleep in along with bed bugs.

Security and safety for the entire crew – Hotels we layover must provide access to hotel rooms through their lobbies. A hotel key is required to access the hotel from the parking lot. No hotel rooms shall have direct access from the parking lot. All rooms will be on the second floor or higher for additional security. I along with my fellow crewmembers want to feel as safe and secure as if we were in our own homes.

Layovers – On a short layover the hotel must have convenient van service to and from the airport 24 hours a day whether via their own van, or a contract van service with due dispatch. On a long layover, the hotel must not be located on a highway where one his held hostage to the property for 48 up to hours. In a major city it should be off the airport within the city center. If not in a major city then near points of interest.

Food – I personally don’t want Denny’s to be the only restaurant when it comes to dining while on a 48 hour layover. As previously posted the hotel should be located with other dining establishments close and accessible to the hotel.

If you are on the road as much as airline crews… please feel free to stay at Tom Bodette’s place. I’m sure he’ll leave the light on for you and provide you with a host of bugs for your company and enjoyment.

As for me, and my fellow crewmembers, we will be treated with the respect and dignity that we accord to our passengers. Anything less is unacceptable!

 

Captjns, thank you for your posting. It really illustrates precisely the points I've tried to make.

You go into some detail regarding the types of accomodation that are acceptable under your current contract: van service, access only through lobbies, located near the airport or "points of interest," etc. You and others here have been pretty clear in pointing out what you're entitled to under your contracts. I get it.

But what I'm talking about isn't what pilots are entitled to under their current contracts. I'm talking about the future.

Yes, a future where those detailed privileges in your current contract concerning accomodation will be held up for revision by a management determined to achieve cost savings across the board. A future where management will assert that a significantly less expensive form of accomodation can suffice for the "crew rest" function. A future where pilot reps who insist on accomodation "near points of interest" or "appropriate for our dignity and professionalism" will either receive a stony stare from management or be laughed out of the room.

Pilots who see their salaries being slashed to the equivalent of a big-city policeman's and their pension plans gutted will have to ask themselves "what's more important: staying at a Hyatt or saving something of my pension plan?" I'm sure what the answer is among the pilot rank and file. Pilot reps who assert there's an absolute safety inperative that requires them to be lodged at mid-scale hotels will increasingly be called upon by management to justify that assertion. I think they will be unable to convincingly defend their position.

Ask yourself a question: where do long-distance bus drivers sleep? Ask yourself another question: why should pilots sleep anywhere else?

 

Accomodations are not a privilege... It is a right. Airlines expect safe and secure carriage of thier passengers to their destinations. It is the crewmembers' right to have the same expectations of treatment from their employers.

I can't comment, nor is it my concern where bus drivers layover. They don't have the additional responsibilities of the welfare of fellow crewmembers while on a 5 day trip.

While I don't mean to diminish the responsibility of bus drivers, but they can pull off the road when their engines fail. We don't have the same luxury. Bus drivers can radio ahead to have the police meet them in a matter of minutes if a passenger becomes unruly. We don't have that luxury either.

If bus drivers have problems with their hotels, let them bring it to the attention of their union reps. This is not the proper forum to address such issues.

 

You're wasting a lot of ketstrokes for nothing. He's just so right that he can't wait to let everybody know it. It must be nice.

 

Hey, how about George Bush saving taxpayers money by using Motel 6?

 

Is Poundstone the illegitimate son of SkyHigh? I thought SkyHigh had the market cornered on pessimism, negativity and idiotic comments. I think Poundstone is just a SkyHigh in training - 17 posts for Pound and over 700 for Sky. Poundstone is an idiot apprentice for sure - but he is off to a good start!

 

How about this.
SkyHigh and Poundsand in the cockpit of the same airplane. What would they talk about?? How lucky they are to be there?? Or how unworthy they are to be paid at all?? Maybe they would volunteer to stay at the Motel 6 to save the company money, than personally give the money saved to the passengers they're flying because they've paid so much already and need (the) break.
They could both agree how easy it is, because the autopilot does the hard part. Than after the landing, apologize to the passengers as they deplane that they aren't really worthy to fly but are humbled by the fact that someone was willing to fly on an airplane they flew.

 

The master and the apprentice!