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So how could someone describe flying with someone with an attitude without being construed as "whining" as not to incur your wrath?

We’re on the van ride….don’t talk to me about work. We can chat when we get to the plane.

This right here. Have a guy trying to brief on the van. No, I don’t want to listen to you right now. And clearly neither do the FAs as of the three of them, all of them are on their phones. 45 minutes is enough to get everything done, if it isn’t we push late. Simple as that.

How about the capt that texts you 2 hours before show asking if it would be ok to add gas? 2000 lbs on a 14 hour flight is a rounding error. do whatever you want, just dont talk to me about it until i am at work.

I’ve been on medical leave for a few years, but it was very common in the first 20+ years of my career to talk about the upcoming flight on the way to work. I see two people after you posted similar opinions. Is it kind of taboo now to talk about work on the van? I’m hoping to come back in a few months and am curious. If you don’t talk about work, do you just stare at your phone (like I’m doing now?)

Disclaimer: The following is my opinion and mine alone. It doesn’t necessarily reflect that of others.

I am of the opinion that work stays at work. This comes from 22 years of being in the military where I didn’t have that luxury. So, now that I have well defined times of when I have to be in work mode I prefer to keep it that way. No, I haven’t looked at the release while I was getting ready for the van time. That would have made me get up earlier. We do enough work off the clock as it is, I’m not extending that clock.

again, this is just my opinion. If you want to talk about other stuff, sure, just don’t ask if I’ve read the MEL procedure. If it’s that involved we’ll do it and get the extra 30 minutes of pay for doing it at the aircraft.

I agree. Van time is my time. I will talk about work, airplanes, gossip, pretty much anything except the upcoming flight. UAL has repeatedly beat any enthusiasm out of me over the decades.

It really comes down to this, I don't work for free or on my own time.

I talk about work on the van so that when I get to the airport we have time for me to buy you a cup of coffee.

if you don’t want to talk that’s fine we will go talk on the jet and drink airplane coffee.

my time is important to me too…..I just have different priorities when I get to the airport!

I review before the van because I suck and need all the time I can to review, especially when the weather, MEL's, tight on weights, etc are in the mix. It's not because I want to work for free for the company. It's part of wanting to get it right every time. If we delay because extra time it needed so be it but I don't stack the deck against myself in the first place.

That's actually the professional way to do it.

Domestic flying you can wait until the airport, chances are you already know what the weather is going to be like because you had to pack you clothes for the trip. International is a different game. Lots more things going on and if you have an hour ride to the airport you may as well look at the release and see how well the dispatchers did. Getting new fuel ordered overseas is quite often a time issue and that's always the go home leg.

Airport is coffee and checking out the bargains at duty free. World of Whiskey in T3 at LHR. Plus Cafe Nero. That's a time suck.