pangolin

You really do not grasp what’s happening here. If they want to stay in 121 there’s no place to go. Anybody with a seniority number who thinks about it is holding on to their seniority number. Seniority is king. See much movement on the list this last month?

pangolin

No it’s a simple fact. The company is going to save money on pilot salaries one way or another. Some naively believe that if the MOU is voted down that the company can’t afford the training churn or it or can’t stomach a furlough. That’s wrong thinking. The company will save money one way or another with or without our cooperation. The company will not lose.

Swarley

Question: say the MOU doesn’t get passed and 490 guys end up getting furloughed. Are the remaining pilots still subject to the reduced block hours for their bids? For instance, would they continue to see 60-70 hour lines like we currently are? If so, then whoever is on reserve is gonna get worked to death if they’re cutting 490 pilots.

If they’re going to bring it back to normal block hours, then it gives the guys not being furloughed or downgraded (top 40%?) huge incentive to vote no since they’d be losing around 25 ish hours a month rather than just 8.

tonsterboy5

No, they will increase the average block hours for line holders. They will do everything they can to work those left right to the max without having to cancel a flight for no pilots. “Perfect” airline staffing is at the end of the day every pilot flew, and no trips get canceled for no pilots.

pangolin

Yes. Block hours will still be reduced. The pairings are inefficient. They can support lines of about 72 hours generally but there will be significant reserves generated. The flying in October is down. Way down.

pangolin

IF the pairings were efficient enough this is true. But they are not. They can’t support a 76 hour line. Trust me - if they could the company would do it. Now. Already. But they don’t support it. The company hates paying pilots not to fly. ESP Sr pilots. You are right is all your assertions except the fact that the pairings can’t be constructed to make 76 hour lines.

Swarley

I’m seeing conflicting answers, it might be a question for the union reps. Honestly, I’m all for keeping guys employed, but if they planned on furloughs and downgrades/displacements but increased the block hours, I may just suck it up and vote no.

tonsterboy5

They are not doing it now because Uncle Sam is splitting the bill. The flying is in-efficient but they will find a way to get more hours, it will go back to min days off and max duty per day which they are not doing right now. Right now they are simply trying to fly everyone a little because Uncle Sam is covering the loss of not being as efficient as possible.

propellere

Accepting all the VLOA comes at a cost with flying currency. They didn’t think through how the 3 landings in 90 days was going to play in with VLOA. People going in and out of currency. Junior pilots not getting any flying on reserve while senior guys still hitting 90 credits during the pandemic. I know 3 dudes still bringing in over 90 credits. Reserve language stays the same, the junior guys get hit the hardest.

Reserves can’t take open time unless it’s during an incentive period. Never break guarantee and next to no per diem.

Guys who are getting 60 credit hour lines right now, still get paid 76 credits, and add that the open time on top of the 76 credits. So a guy who has a line of 60 hours, starts at a baseline of 76 Credits with 18 days off. This line holder picks up an 18 hr trip 3 day trip because their 60 hr line has 18 days off. They are now at 94 credits, with 15 days off.

This is happening right now in the month of August.

It’s a win win for the senior guys right now. Junior pilots on reserve are suffering.

pangolin

Where do you get this info? This isn’t true. The reason bidding is delayed is that if we press on the schedule the co will just say 76 hours to hold a line and literally everyone will be on reserve.

Thats actually a benefit to the company.