This is what the ALPA rep told me is the reason we are going downtown IAH and ORD for 13.5 hr layovers, spending 90 minutes in rush hour traffic. Great logic......

Unfortunately, and given our past history under the RLA, it is.

Having flown for a major 121 carrier that did not have "downtown" layovers, I'll take the occasional inconvenience to keep the other decent layovers. Staying at the airport on every layover gets old real fast.

All that said, we were all surveyed a while back in preperation for contract negotiations. If folks didn't complain about this issue in numbers back then, it's probably not at the forefront for the next contract.

There's always room for improvement, but we need to keep abreast of the big picture and the likely unintended consequences of quick solutions.

And besides, ORD is already a "14-Hour Rule Exemption" layover.

its supposed to run every 15. There’s been several times after an all nighter that it hasn’t. There’s been a couple times the front desk could not reach a van driver and suggested an alternative.

Laundry, missing meals, cabs, and sometimes hotel rooms. I’m amazed that pilots wait for transportation that’s not there, or call the provider. That’s not required, and my goal is to get to crew rest ASAP. Also, it the meals are missing or incomplete I expense a reasonable substitute. Laundry tends to be expensive at hotels, but that’s something the company can negotiate if they wanted too so I don’t sweat it.

I think it happens quite often but most pilots just take tolerate it.

No, you shouldn't have. Per union guidance, this is exactly why they don't want us calling. The expectation is for then to be there WITHOUT a phone call.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

I get that. I called. They weren’t there WITH a phone call. Took a taxi.

I have expensed more than one Uber to Manhattan....Uber black...$120ish plus tip. If it Happens enough the van will stop being late. I don’t call....that’s the companies job. I expense my uniforms and laundry at hotels when contractually allowed. These guys that drag their crap down the street in Denver crack me up....just drop it at the front desk when you go home for the weekend and it’s waiting for you when you get back. Easy peasy