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Originally Posted by MainlineFlyer
Oh. So why was Joanna crowing about it like it was some great thing to get rid of? Will getting rid of it attract more pilots?
Getting rid of soft time was one of the few levers management could easily pull to show Wall St they can control planned costs. The gamble is that in a summer operation with planned ASMs reduced already by over 10%, that they don't need productive pilots and the operation holds together well enough to also reduce the actual costs of running the schedule or at the very least, make up for the overage with higher revenue. The irony of less productive pilots means fewer pilots on days days off to pick up open time, premium trips, RSA, or VDA to help rescue the operation when needed. As a result irops happen more often, are more widespread, and last longer than they would have otherwise increasing the actual cost of operating the airline.
The benefits of cutting soft time are so small relative to the cost of other operational issues. In no particular order, I think the hope is to use it as a shiny object to distract Wall St from other issues, fill air time to make it seem like management is actively taking serious action to fix the cost control issues, displace that burden onto labor by latching onto and furthering the pilot shortage narrative despite having more planes and pilots year over 3 while struggling to increase ASMs, and to also put the screws to the pilot group that's in section 6 negotiations.
Every extra day you have to spend at work relative to a year or three ago is the result of a management decision.