That comment is both juvenile and ignorant. I am unhappy with the open time process in FLL and it has nothing do with crediting 100 plus hours a month.

Until about a year ago, I could take my line and use open time to trip trade. The result would be increasing my line value from 75 hours or so to 82 or so. At the same time increasing my days off from 13 or 14 to 15 or 16.

My experience now is that my initial open time bids are denied , picked up by senior captains. Then comes daily open time. As fast as my stubby fingers type, I get denied again and again as I see my requests go from "Pending" to "Denied" sometimes hours later.

During the month I get Flica alerts. No matter how fast I get to Flica the trip is gone when I get there. I don't know why.

To recap, open time used to be a way to improve my life by adjusting my schedule to accommodate life events, to increase my line efficiency by giving me a few more hours and letting me stay home a day or too more a month. Now that system is broken. I don't have a solution but remarks like yours insulting fellow pilots and ignoring the problem doesn't help either.

 

If DOT is available to everyone and anyone, what are you doing wrong? Perhaps you need to upgrade your flip phone to a modern smartphone? Are you one of those Captains that like to show off your Captain Kirk phone like communicator?

Maybe you need to go on a diet to lose some of those chubby fingers? How about paying a little more to upgrade your dial up internet at home to something more 21st Century to what we call 'high speed internet'?

How about a new computer running something from this decade and not your Windows 95 that still works?

My point is DOT is on an even field and everyone is on the same level. I've talked to other Captains that invested in certain things to give themselves a fighting change. Maybe you need to talk to them as well. (Easy to find them, they are usually younger than 50)

 

Very funny, Flica is not the problem. No it's because I'm an obese senile fool using obsolete technology. However:

I have a smartphone
I dont need to diet, I use a mini ipad on the road with a smaller keyboard that makes my fingers seem large in comparison.
I have a dedicated high speed internet connection at home.
I have a new computer.

What are these "certain things" you recommend I invest in and why are they necessary if this is a level playing field?

Still doesn't alter the fact that open time is usually empty or anything else I stated. Ridiculing those who disagree with you doesn't solve a problem.

 

The ridicule was more lighthearted joking based on what i've heard and seen from flying with captains.

I'm not saying that what you have or use is inferior to all the out of base captains picking up open time. But I don't see any advantage they may have just by being out of base. Maybe they too have the same issues you have with getting denied all the time.

 

Well, when FLL DOT processing hits a wall because someone put in a mandatory float request and DFW LAS pilots can (while FLL is halted) trade their OOB trips for FLL open time it's like shooting fish in a barrel. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go throw a full-on millennial entitlement type tantrum... 'cause it's just not fair.

 

We all have the same issues, but I think we need to be careful before we change anything. The company seems to be semi-overstaffed, but we can already see that changing for the summer schedule. Remember that 15 planes are coming this year alone, don't you think that will change? In the future, I think certain other bases will go through the same issues as is happening in FLL as FOs upgrade for a period out of thier former home bases. The opentime system is fine, these are just growing pains.

 

Im sure others have the same problem, and maybe its just growing pains. The main factor is OOB pilots living in FLL bidding FLL trips. three bases worth of pilots trying to get the same trips. If I were in their shoes I would do the same.

I dont take unnecessary offence at anything on a message board. Its easy to miss humor or lighthearted teasing.

is there a flica bias against mac users? I have wondered if that slows things down.

 

Times are changing. Plenty of open time in DFW, ORD and LAS. Instead of following the contract, a few self centered captains in 109 want to tilt the table to their advantage and in the process weaken our bargaining position and harm the quality of life of many on this seniority list. Good thing that 'resolution' will get nothing more than a laugh from the MEC.

 

Did you guys forget already? There is a grievance on the table right now that documents how a senior ACY captain submitted a bid at 12:01:02 but was beat out by Captain Scott who was awarded a trip at 12:00:10. That's 50 seconds before DOT opens. ( in April they changed it to 12:00, interesting. )

I guess this old, technologically handicapped captain didn't have the time machine app.

 

I agree. This compeitiveness for open time will migrate, however, it seems unlikely FLL will be the epicenter for growth anytime soon so the 'hardship' will continue there for a while.