I see in the latest update from ALPA-DAL that hiring will continue at 85 per month for the foreseeable future.

Ya, I figured that out digging through things. I had it confused with pick up limit. I guess my survey will have to include applying swaps to pick up limit as well...

Why would you want to work that many days?

The problem with that is say you have a really crappy 3 day and an easy as pie 4 day is in the pot. If swaps are subject to the limit then you can't swap that crappy trip for an easy one if you have a limit. I know some guys swap to higher time trips for more pay, but I like the fact the limit doesn't apply so I can swap a trip for reasons other than money. Having that limit apply to swaps will make it harder for you to improve your schedule by swapping trips.

So as I push guys down the escalator I can do so knowing that trips will not necessarily be cancelled due to the lack of crews.


I love it.

The current white slip pick up limit is ALV+15, so even if PBS built your line to the max end of the line construction window of ALV+7.5, you still have 7.5 hours to work with to improve your schedule. You would still be able to swap the "crappy 3 day for the easy as pie 4 day". What this does limit, is guys flying 100hrs plus at straight pay. This shifts more block hours to reserves or premium pay, which effects the contractual min-staffing formula as explained in the latest Widget. More staffing, especially in widebody categories, helps all of us...

Nice tattoo there FTB.





Carl

Yeah, I agree. I wish ALPA would show us how many guys actually fly more than the ALV+15 so we really knew if it was a problem or not. I always hear guys saying how many jobs it is costing us, but never see any data. I'll bet there are a lot fewer guys doing that regularly than what everyone imagines.

It's also a whole different animal in the international categories because of the high time long trips they have. You almost need rules that are different for both. The whole trip parking thing was almost all international guys and a lot of them were forced into having a really low time line or going with trip parking to make more than 80.

We've all been there.

I hear what you are saying, there is language in place in the pick up limit section already addressing what you mention in regards to the international categories. Maybe that would need to be improved as well.

It would be nice to see some real data for sure. I'm just looking for ways to improve W2 earnings potential and QOL besides the "make as much as you can by flying us much as possible" mentality that seems to have become the norm ever since the payrates were gutted in bankruptcy.

Flying 90 hours a month used to unheard of for the majors...