That would be XXXXXX(sp) who is absolutely the worst OE guy I have ever worked with. Several years ago, I was bidding #25 in my category and he tried to assign my TOE over thanksgiving to Rome after I specifically asked to have Thanksgiving off because my son was coming home from deployment. Never mind that I could have the whole week off with my seniority, all I wanted was 3 days with my son. What a jerk.

With 29 years with the company, I have never asked for any special favors or called in sick during a holiday. But in this case I told them point blank - "there is no way I'm missing thanksgiving with my son". I was up front and honest with them- I would call in sick for the trip if they didn't move it off of Thanksgiving. The Training Captain said there was nothing they could do.

In desperation, I called the Chief Pilots office (they knew all about XXXXXX because of all the complaints) and they took care of it for me. TOE was rescheduled to 2 days later on the Saturday after Thanksgiving to FRA.

Why that guy is still working here baffles me.

I guess that's fair. I appreciate the re-grounding. I will say though that one has to remember, we aren't getting paid flight pay until after IOE. I've been dipping into the 401k to make it work....I do know I will make up for it quickly though. I am very happy to be here and have first world problems, and I know that I am just whining a bit. Thanks again.

Well...that stinks about the holidays...but loving the paid time off!! :D Thanks for the replies...

They have recently made some "personnel moves" in the ER (OE/TOE) planning/scheduling department. "M" is running the show now.



CT,

I'm sure you'd agree, the 717 club lost an excellent OE planner/scheduler when Marie was moved to the ER team.

Elliot

I don't know any of the planners mentioned but remember they also have to schedule Line Checks and Theatre Quals not just OE. I was once scheduled to DH to NRT to give a Line Check the next day to SIN. On the bus to the hotel I was talking to another pilot who told me he was a reserve called out to fly to SIN the next day. The original CA called in sick for that leg ( Must of known I was coming). I was rescheduled to DH to HNL to do a Line check the next day to ATL. That flight cancelled so I DH'd back to base. That is what these planners have to deal with on a regular basis. This was on the A330. I can't imagine what it is like on a large fleet

I'd say enjoy it while you can. Use that time to re-study the plane and flows etc and spend time with your family and travel for free. Your situation is way better than the alternative: exactly one week off to cram down a memory stick to type rating exam expectations, then 24 hours off between phases/events, sometimes not even commutable on one or either end.

I agree they could usually do a better job of communicating things like that, especially for the poolies, but often they don't know as much as you think they do/should know either. When they're this busy they spend most of their time putting out fires and filling holes in the schedule as they pop up. They usually don't know very much either, as the whole airline is run completely by marketing's split second binge and purge decision making for its million fleet type armada.

I do empathize with you about the "training pay" issue though. I would strongly advocate spending "negotiating capital" on new pilots going to line pay after their checkride instead of after OE because its the right thing to do, and by definition only happens when we're hiring anyway so its not like they can't afford it.

But anyway, enjoy the calm before the storm. Even the money is a drop in the ocean over the length of a career. You'll hit the ground running soon enough, and you may or may not ever get a break like this again in your career.

With all due respect, I couldn't disagree with you more. I can't think of any other industry in which prospective employees and new hires are treated so poorly when they are expected to have such responsibility and are going to get paid so well later in their career. I know you've had your career frustrations, and the union helps heal those wounds with pay and benefits, but it's poor leadership to keep people in dark, make them wait, and generally treat them like crap.

I interviewed at two normal jobs as I transitioned from the military and a few airlines. I was very surprised at the difference in the way I was treated by the airlines compared to "normal" companies. (Expenses reimbursed, hotel, and rental car at interview location)

When a job offer came in from the regular company, a comprehensive package was FedEx'ed and I could tell them a start date. On the other hand, I got a one page letter from DAL with no details on pay or benefits and a vague guess as to start date that turned out to be very incorrect. In five months, I recieved one email with a status update. They are certainly going to lose talent in the long run.

Communication is cheap. Keep your people informed.

I was told by multiple sources that he was fired recently.

Frigid, but in the end you still came to DAL.....

Not legitimizing it, but in the end, the process will be only as good as it needs to be to attract talent. Corporate is only concerned with butts in seats in the end.

A lot of hurt feelings on here. DAL isn't the only airline that operates this way. All of my previous companies had various bottlenecks in the process with little to no info provided. 8 weeks off is a god send.. Soon you will be flying 84hr ALV :o