Oh, and the reason why you see all the RJ guys bringing lunchboxes around is because in the past 5 years, Captains have become the cheapest people on the face of the planet, and won't even buy their crew a flippin' coffee!

 

I fly the airbus for Delta. We hit up ROA, BNA, FAY, even have CRW! Those legs are short enough to where you're not that far away from food back at the hub if need be.

So, yes I do fly to those places.

 

If you're not tired of the gross sandwiches they give out at those places, I dunno what to tell you.

I'd rather eat out of a lunchbox any day.

 

I don't think you read my post, haha. Those legs are so short that you're no more than an hour away from whatever hub is calling you back home.

I'll bring a sandwich for day 1... that's about it. Plenty of healthy eating options in the hubs.

 

And there in lies your ignorance.

When one is flying eight legs from Houston to BPT or VCT or DRT or CLL (none of which have food and even if they did, it is a 15 minute turn), the turns back at IAH are about 30 minutes. Figure the time it takes to walk to the ops center, get the release or do the walk around, take a leak, and get back into one's seat, there is NO time to eat. Figure six or eight legs, that poor soul is looking at 10-12 hours without a break. And with legs that are less than an hour, cruise time (a time when we are permitted to eat) is often less than 10 minutes.

There have been many days when my crew and I had no time to even go up to the concourse to choose a meal let alone eat it. Heck, I even had to tell several FAs that I do NOT expect her to take a leak in the porta potty that is our "lav". I'll take a delay so that my crew can pee in a flush toilet and wash their hands in a sink. Yeah, it can be that bad.

I used to fly really fast to get to SHV so I could run up and hit the vending machine that sold ice cream. That was one of the rare times that I, as a CA, could get a treat for my crew mid day.

Maybe one day when you have flown old fashioned puddle jumper routes you will understand.

Until then, **** off.

 

Been there, done that- so I'll refrain from ****ing off. I've done my share of 6-7 leg days (there was even a 6 leg day on the Airbus in ATL a few months back). If there is no break to eat in your day, you take one and get some chow. If you have to delay a flight, so be it. I've always followed that rule, never got in trouble for following it... and every pilot with any sort of sense follows that rule.

I remember in one of those 6 or so leg days at the regional, a supervisor met me coming off the plane to take me directly to the next flight. "Sorry, I'm getting some food."

him- "there's no time! You've got to get to the plane!"

me- "nope, want something? I'm stopping by Einsteins... I have to have food."

Needless to say, I got my way and never heard anything about it.

At mainline, they'll even meet us at the jetbridge with a crew van to whisk us away to the next airplane if we're running behind. A number of times we've refused that ride because we needed to get some chow.

 

Wow, six month back. That is a daily routine for some of us.

That's great that at main line you can get away with that. Unfortunately, at many of the old school regionals (the ones flying 1900s, Banderantes, Brasilias, and Saabs), that isn't an option. We, who have not proved our worth to earn a mainline seat, have to yield to our management who must maintain a performance rating.

Oh, and I am lucky if they meet me at the stairs to give me the release... forget about a meal.

Look, those of us who have come up from the ranks and have to claw our way to getting to the mainline, are forced to deal with management that isn't as understanding as the mainline. We get the pleasure of a chat with the CP when we are so exorbitant as to take time to eat.

 

Did I not spell it out explicitly enough that I did the same thing at my regional? I wasn't born with all these buttons on my jacket! Heck, that's where I developed the practice via other pilots smart enough to know that when it's time to eat you eat.

I remember flying with CAs at the regional that acted like you're describing.

"You're going to get in trouble if you delay the flight!"

"And fly knowingly deviating from my physological needs? Nah.. I'll get some chow, see ya there." Never heard a word...

 

Well, you are a luckier man than I.


I worked for some good 135 companies that were like that. I never had to justify a decision.

But when I got to a 121 company, I had to fight with my dispatchers and management whenever I made a decision that impacted performance.

Again, good for you that you never got challenged. But there are MANY of us who do.

Yeah, I push tin. But when this old mule refuses to work, there is nothing that can make me move.

 

One of the greatest decisions I have made. PM if you ever have any questions.

I am glad I will never have to fly with you. You're a clown.