wheels about to fall off at pinnacle
 

its happening - new attendance policies, new junior man rules, vacation buy backs, 200% premium pay for every weekend from now until labor day. Planes are breaking all over the place, people are tired. This summer has a long way to go. We have to have the worst performance of anyone, and its going to continue to drop, there is no way it can be fixed until after summer is over.

I think WE CURRENTLY hold the record for worst performance :)..............for United anyway

Same could be said for Colgan except I don't see any premium pay....

and they're scared to hire why???

Dr. Note for EVERY sick call.... I might as well call in sick during holidays anyways since they want a Dr. note.

That's because alot of IAH folks are doing the flying. Give it to the EWR folks and that ontime number will skyrocket! :)

WOW! Thats total B.S.

Management is running scared!! And they should be; I bet Delta told 9E management that they better shape up or we're going down the tubes!!!

I have heard so much about unplanned absences I'm about to go bananas!! Hey 9E mgmt: START PLANNING FOR ABSENCES:eek:

And what is the union going to do about this??? [edit; delete comments]

Our union will do zero nothing nada... ohhh god we have to get out ontime forget about the bag slip and close the door.. hurry!!!! says the almighty Pinnacle Capt. [edit; delete comments]

Don't worry Eagle HAS the worst performance.


We all know that some flights are more prone to delays than others. But some trips just seem destined for failure.

Take American Eagle flight 3637 from Miami to Charlotte, North Carolina.

Passengers on that flight in April did not arrive on time once. That's right, every single day of the month the 1 hour, 55 minute flight was late. The average delay: an hour and 2 minutes.

And that was just the average delay.

On May 31, for example, the plane got in at 9:40 p.m. -- three hours behind schedule.

American Eagle 3637 was the worst offender, according to an analysis of Department of Transportation statistics, but it certainly wasn't alone in its tardiness.
Southwest flight 1602 from Phoenix to Denver averaged delays of 42 minutes during April. Only five times during the month did the flight arrive on-time.

For passengers flying today, there are plenty of hassles, from taking shoes off at security to fighting for overhead bin space. But ultimately the goal is to get people safely to their destination -- hopefully, on time.
With fewer planes in the sky than there have been in years, overall on-time performance is improving. The 18 airlines that report statistics to the federal government were on time 85.3 percent of the time in April, compared with a rate of 79.1 percent a year earlier and 80 percent in March, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

Yet a handful of flights remained nightmares for travelers. Anybody who booked a ticket on one of these trips was almost certainly guaranteed a late arrival.

"These systemic delays are a logistical nightmare for airlines. They have a finite number of planes, pilots, gates, and if they end up in a situation when they've overextended themselves and can't operate it on time, there are limited options to fix it without a significant schedule change," said Daniel Baker, chief executive officer of the flight-tracking site FlightAware.com. "Given the challenges that airlines are facing and the need to operate tight schedules in order to hopefully achieve their thin profit margins, these kind of problems aren't going away overnight."

There are plenty of things that savvy travelers can do to avoid these problematic flights. The first is to check historic on-time performance. The Bureau of Transportation Statistics offers a database of airline on-time statistics which allows people to search by specific flight numbers.

Travelers can also make some smart picks. First, try to fly non-stop, advises Rick Seaney, CEO of airfare-search site FareCompare.com and an ABCNews.com columnist. However, avoiding a connection can add significantly to ticket prices, sometimes as much as tripling them, Seaney said. If connecting, think about the weather in that city. In winter, it might be worth adding an hour to your trip to fly through a warm-weather city. In summer, try to avoid airports that are prone to thunderstorm delays.

The DOT soon will require airline to post on-time statistics when people book tickets (though the airlines are seeking an extension). A flight is considered late if it arrives 15 minutes or more past the scheduled time of arrival.

"I think airlines' feet are going to be held to the fire when they actually do put the required delay times on flights before purchase and just like tarmac delay fines they will work around the biggest issues first," Seaney said.

"Travelers do need to realize that early-morning flights always have better chances of on-time operations," said Bill Miller of travel site CheapOair.com.

Sometimes, it also helps to know what is going on at your airport. For instance, the main runway at New York's John F. Kennedy International airport has been closed since March for construction.
An ABC News analysis of the Bureau of Transportation delay information shows that six of the 10 most-delayed flights all either started or ended in Miami. All were operated by American Eagle, a regional airline owned by American Airlines.

"We are striving to overcome those challenges and make more improvements for an even better performance going forward," said American Airlines spokeswoman Andrea Huguely. "Yes, we have had a few challenges in relation to our Miami hub lately, several related to dealing with construction issues at the airport. We have formed employee teams to help us do better in our handling of these issues."

American Eagle had the lowest overall on-time performance of any airline at 82.3 percent, but Huguely said that's an improvement over the 73.8 percent the airline has averaged in the past four years.

"Those figures reflect significant improvement that we've made," she said.
Southwest Airlines had the other four worst-delayed flights in the top ten.

At Southwest, the delays have a different cause: the airline is holding specific flights for connecting passengers.

Steve Hozdulick, who is in charge of the airline's on-time performance program, said the Southwest flights were late because the airline wanted to ensure people made end-of-the-day connections.

Flight 1602 from Phoenix to Denver is scheduled to leave at 7:45 p.m. and has a lot of passengers connecting from other airports. Hozdulick said that plane is often held to make sure people make their connections.

"We really try to deliver the customer to their destination that day," he said. "We don't want to have them inconvenienced by missing their connection and having to wait potentially overnight. So especially later in the day we really try to make the customer connection if it's at all possible."

With airlines selling a higher and higher percentage of their seats, it leaves very little room in the system to accommodate passengers who miss their initial flights.

Fixing the system isn't that easy. If the schedule is changes to solve one problem, another one often arises.

"Sometimes it's a little bit of a whack-a-mole," Hozdulick said. "We try to continually address those consistently poor-performing flights we have."

The top 10 worst-delayed flights in April, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, are:
#1: American Eagle flight 3637 from Miami to Charlotte; late 100 percent of the time; average delay: 62 minutes.
#2: American Eagle flight 3626 from Pensacola, Florida, to Miami; late 84 percent of the time; average delay: 24 minutes.
#3: Southwest flight 1602 from Phoenix to Denver; late 80.8 percent of the timel average delay: 42 minutes.
#4: American Eagle flight 3648 from Cincinnati to Miami; late 80 percent of the time; average delay: 54 minutes.
#5: American Eagle flight 3638 from Charlotte to Miami; late 80 percent of the time; average delay 43 minutes.
#6: Southwest flight 159 from Houston to Austin; late 77.3 percent of the time; average delay: 28 minutes.
#7: Southwest flight 35 from Houston to New Orleans; late 76.9 percent of the time; average delay: 33 minutes.
#8: American Eagle flight 3619 from Miami to Tallahassee, Florida; late 76 percent of the time; average delay: 33 minutes.
#9: American Eagle flight 3661 from Miami to Indianapolis; late 76 percent of the time; average delay 44 minutes.
#10: Southwest flight 712 from Houston to St. Louis; late 73.1 percent of the time; average delay: 31 minutes.

After Air Whisky Ground Ops tattled on us (Pot meet Kettle!) A minute late is a minute late...

So let me make sure I have this right. They are taking away unlimited call in honest? So instead of trying to continue to make it to your next flights, you should just call in sick and get a DR note and skip the entire 4 day.

Guarantee this new policy is going to back fire, just like the 'marking you late' deal. This policy is going to cause an increase in 'unplanned' absences.

Sit back and watch this place melt down.

[edit; delete comments] It doesn't take much effort not to get out on time the way we are scheduled now. Along with ASA, Comair, and every other Delta Connection flight at our hubs and outstations the ground crews struggle to keep up. But, our union needs to step up and get this contract settled NOW!!

You missed the point of his post. He doesnt want you to get out on time. No contract? then you can watch our performance plummet. It is illegal for your union to tell you to do it but what incentive is your company giving you for rushing to get out on time? I am guessing he was referring to the lack of unity in standing up for yourselves.

9E is in trouble. Delta is [edit; upset] at our management due to all the crew cancelations. So how does our management decide to fix the problem? Crack the whip. Will it work? I seriously doubt it. It may stem some of the "unplanned absences" but will not fix the TRUE problem of the fact we are understaffed for the amount of flying we have been given by delta. They should have hired in april to have the new hires spun up by june. They didnt do that, they shoved their heads up their arses and pretended we were properly staffed. Now its crunch time and they find themselves around 100 pilots short. The 5 P's are in full effect.

Now this brings us to the issue of the contract. There is NO fricking way the company is going to go into negotiations next week with the intention of getting this contract done. Why? Because the change in the work rules during the summer busy season would be devastating operationally. Lets face it. The morons running the show in Memphass will bungle the switchover to a new contract just like they've bungled pilot staffing this year. I am seeing a lot of similarities between Spirit and us. With any luck we will be walking our own picket lines around the first week in August.

It would be the most time some of us have had away from flying in 3 years. We would still be in uniform though.

this is total bs. what is our union going to do about it? what would the feds have to say if they saw the memo? calling in sick is not suppose to be punitive or threatening. my ame advised me a while ago to keep any and all memos, letters or anything about stuff like this. the far's say dont fly sick, remember i'msafe, and that if your not feeling fit to fly, don't fly. end of story.
dont worry guys, we go into mediated negotiations next week and we will get some new lame excuse as to why we there is no news on a contract. in the mean time, the company will push everyone around and come up with new work rules. i really hope our union stands up and does something. this has got to stop.

We are working on it- this just came out yesterday and the official policy isn't even out yet. Mgmt is in for a rude awakening. Last time they blamed pilots for unplanned absences the rates of absence went through the roof, hence this policy coming out. I cannot fathom why mgmt would start this with spirit getting a TA after a strike, a week before the nmb, pilots about to all get horrible July lines with 90+ hours, and morale in the gutter. There will be communication to all pilots shortly- have to get all the ducks in a row first.

The company obviously didn't think about the fact that 1 sick pilot remaining at work will get many sick. The pilots that now need doctors notes will have hefty bills for the company to pay (even with our insurance as we as self insured). So now we have a pilot calling in sick AND costing the company $500+ for a note because of a cold and the company complains about insurance costs.

I see major FAA Regualtory issues and possible HIPPA law violations if this policy is put into effect.


If you are sick, do not fly. Simple as that.

Anyone who calls in sick should go to an urgent/immeadiate care facility. They charge emergency room rates and a basic bood workup/evaluation is about 1K. A couple of years ago, I went and was there 4 hours and got an eval/blood profile and chest x-ray for the congestion I was having (they were concerned about possible pnuemonia). They gave me an IV as a precaution for dehydration and it turned out I had a common URI (Upper Resperatory Infection).

Tab was over $4200 and that was 2 years ago.

DON'T let them claim they'll pay the deductable on your health care and request/demand you can bill it as a claim as that lowers your lifetime maximum. It's THEIR request............THEY pay IN FULL (not lower negotiated health provider rates). There's no reason why every sick call cannot cost a minimum of $1500 to the company. Should anyone live near Rochester, MN might I suggest a vist to the Mayo clinic. Also, it might be a good idea to officially (and publicly) proclaim the pilot group to be flying "under duress" and that they cannot guarantee their fitness under current threat and pressure from management.

Get tough with this unsafe draconian policy.

I don't think it is fear the prevented them from hiring......it's because they're too CHEAP!!!!! ;)

Me likes the way you think Sir!!:p:D

Didn't you guys at pinnacle hire our guy from Mesa who did the same thing over here? Sounds like a repeat of three years ago. They'll do this until you loose a contract for poor performance, then they'll hire like mad. But it will be too late.

guys we go though this cycle like every 2 years. Short staffed, blame pilots "unplanned" absences, draconian punitive policy, everyone fired up, policy is forgotten about in 2 weeks and business goes on as usual. I don't know if I'm just numb to it after all this time or if it is because my give-a-poop meter has been at zero for a while. Just dont get our panties in a wad yet, and be sure to cover your *ss and it wont be the end of the world :)

It's easy to "cover your *ss" and even easier to hand the bill to your manager.

If done properly, then he'll probably need a doctor's note himself.....:eek:

[quote=DashDriverYV;828049] They'll do this until you loose a contractquote]

"lose a contract"

yeah we go through this every couple of years with the same results. The wheels have been coming off every summer since i started here in 05.

[quote=JRJ57;827846][edit; delete comments] It doesn't take much effort not to get out on time the way we are scheduled now. Along with ASA, Comair, and every other Delta Connection flight at our hubs and outstations the ground crews struggle to keep up. But, our union needs to step up and get this contract settled NOW!![/quote]

I agree!! We do need to get this contract settled ASAP. However, it is going to be another POS, just like the last one. Except this time around, it won't stink quite as bad, therefore compelling a majority of the pilot group to vote YES.

I think you're referring to MH from Mesa, he's actually at the Colgan side ruining our schedules and our lives since he got hired. until very recently all the hub lines were way underguarantee with like 12 days off on average even for "senior" lines. Yet for the past how many months there have been like 500 hrs of open time which they juniorman/extend lineholders with constantly. It just doesn't make sense, and when someone asked him why not just build lines more efficiently and not extend people with all that open time, he came up with some BS excuse like the open time wouldn't fit into the building of the lines anyway. (and yet starting next month they magically came up with these new efficient lines because now it suits their needs.) That is what Mesa guys have told me as well.. apparently it was pretty bad during MH's reign over there. Why do airlines hire these rejects from other failing airlines???????????????????????????
anyway about this memo yeah it's pretty damn infuriating. Why didnt/dont they just hire??????? I mean I know pinnacle is cheap as hell but it's costing them more with all these cancellations is it not? :confused::confused::confused:

WOW!!

Replace EVERY reference to Pinnacle with ASA and we are living the same life. Looks like an ASA thread on the other board!!!

Fly VERRRRYYY SAFE!!!

They also are considering any sick call over 3 days as two occurances.

so if one get the flu for say two weeks, that is what, 3-4 occurrences?

If you call in for 3 4-days in one year (6 "occurrences"), then if you call in one more time you will be terminated, according to the memo, because 7 is all you get.

They don't want to be caught with not one extra crewmember on reserve in the fall! There is alot they can do with that one extra FO's salary. They can...

1. Have a very small office party
2. Fix the copy machine
3. Replenish the petty cash box
4. Buy an extra lot of paper for memos
5. Pay the phone bill
6. Give the CEO a small bonus
7. Hire a maid to clean the CEO's office
8. Get a happy ending massage

...any other ideas?

This is nothing more than a band-aid fix for July and August. Its a scare tactic aimed at the few pilots that were planning on sickation this summer.

I say have fun, go camping...:-)

If you haven't noticed the policy has not come out officially.... the union came up with many red flags (FAR/HIPPA legalities) for the company and they are coming to their senses that a sick call policy by the holding company of Colgan would be a media field day. We are working on a communication to the group but are still waiting for a "final answer" of what the company is going to do now.

So i take it the current sick call policy is still on for now?

If you go on to the current company site and look up the attendance policy from the employee handbook there is no "new" policy as of today. Keep in mind the precursor to the anger is stemming from a "MEMO". This could all change at 8am tomorrow or never, but currently the existing policy has not been updated to the "not allowed sick" policy.

what we should be keeping a very close watch on is S.L and the V.P of flt ops position. If he takes over, the whipping of the pilot group will never end. this will be just the beginning. ask any of the guys that were around the last time he was chief pilot. he is a pure pilot hater.

The "verification of absence" policy contains an explicit violation of HIPAA law--something to the effect of management may request details concerning the illness resulting in the sick call--that is one of the most clear-cut violations of HIPAA I've ever seen...

I HIGHLY recommend giving a signed letter to your dr's office explicitly re-iterating that you DO NOT authorize the release of ANY details of your medical condition to ANYONE without your explicit written permission on EACH occurence your records are requested by anyone but yourself...

Many people blindly sign the flurry of paperwork the dr's office gives them when admitted as a new patient--sometimes this includes a HIPAA release form...I'm uncertain if those release forms ever state employer or other party if required by law....

Either way--it's worth revisiting your dr's office next time you're in, and handing them a letter stating you deny any information to be released to your employer...

Pinnacle cannot fire you for refusing to release details of a medical condition...

The concern is shared by many.