Delta/ASA travel benefits

[SoberIrishman]

Just wondering how many mainline Delta employees are aware of the recent completely "one-sided" new travel program.

My opinion;
ASA employees S3C on mainline (that's OK)
Delta employees S3C on ASA (that's OK too)
ASA pays $5 plus 1 cent per mile on Delta (not OK!)
Delta pays nothing on ASA (not OK!)
Delta removes ASA from ID 90 purchase on all OAL carriers.

Not complaining about the S3C priority, because ASA is no longer wholly owned, but the payment of $50 per year and also per segment is hard to swallow. To have a Delta pilot come into the cockpit to request the jumpseat, and then claim to know nothing of this new travel "agreement" is hard to swallow. When ASA requests same, they get "flowed back" to the cabin if a seat is open, and then get charged the fees as above, because they now become S3C!

I encourage all mainline employees to get the word out on this "slap in the face" that was handed down to ASA, and would respectfully ask for opinions from those of you that are lucky enough to be employees of DAL about what you all think.

What do the other connection carriers get with respect to mainline, can you buy ID 90's on OAL's, and do you pay the same fees on DAL?

No ASA bashing. Sensible comments please!

 

[IronCityBlue]

I think the new S3C is completely fair, as is the 50 dollar charge because don't Delta employees have to pay that same fee?

I agree that its insulting that Delta can ride ASA completely for free, but ASA has to pay to ride Delta. Insulting, but what can you do? Its Delta's flying (and I'm not talking about pilot versus pilot issues or scope; its 2 seperate companies with one selling its flying to another and then dictating the terms of that sale...arrogant but legitamate).

Now the jumpseat forced flowback for a charge is absolutely insane. That's management charging pilots to ride the jumpseat and is a huge step back. If Delta as a company wants to be arrogant towards ASA as a company, that's Delta's right. But to effectively charge you for a jumpseat out of nowhere is disgusting and an extremely hostile act.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Agreed. Have your jumpseat chair talk to ours. I thought that they were to rectify this?

 

[michael707767]

I agree that its insulting that Delta can ride ASA completely for free, but ASA has to pay to ride Delta. Insulting, but what can you do? Its Delta's flying (and I'm not talking about pilot versus pilot issues or scope; its 2 seperate companies with one selling its flying to another and then dictating the terms of that sale...arrogant but legitamate).

He is right. Every seat on an ASA flight belongs to Delta. You can't even buy an ASA ticket. ASA is not an airline, it is a contractor. If you don't like the terms of your companies contract with Delta, talk to your management, don't complain to us.

 

[jonjuan]

He is right. Every seat on an ASA flight belongs to Delta. You can't even buy an ASA ticket. ASA is not an airline, it is a contractor. If you don't like the terms of your companies contract with Delta, talk to your management, don't complain to us.

Just like every seat on a DL plane belongs to DL management and not the pilots. CAs, afterall don't have anything to do with inventory management and seat prices.

 

[Bill Mostellar]

To have a Delta pilot come into the cockpit to request the jumpseat, and then claim to know nothing of this new travel "agreement" is hard to swallow.

It's not uncommon for many pilots (Delta, etc.) to non-rev once a year. Delta routinely changes policies regarding our benefits. I doubt you'll find many pilots who know all the changes, especially those that only affect a connection-carrier.

Are you trying to imply that this pilot was being less than honest? I didn't think so.

 

[michael707767]

Just like every seat on a DL plane belongs to DL management and not the pilots. CAs, afterall don't have anything to do with inventory management and seat prices.

fair enough. Mangement controls the seats. So why are you bitching to pilots about the non rev policies?

 

[SoberIrishman]

Noboby is bitching to any pilot or employee over a stupid management decision.

The fact remains that we all are working to deliver Delta passengers safely and efficiently to their destinations. We are just attempting to get some SUPPORT from mainline employees by raising the level of awareness about how the DCI guys feel.

It appears that such support is unlikely to be forthcoming.

 

[SoberIrishman]

It's not uncommon for many pilots (Delta, etc.) to non-rev once a year. Delta routinely changes policies regarding our benefits. I doubt you'll find many pilots who know all the changes, especially those that only affect a connection-carrier.

Are you trying to imply that this pilot was being less than honest? I didn't think so.

My choice of the words "claim to know nothing...." was not appropriate. The majority do not know about the changes, simple as that.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

I have to say that most do not know. Only the guys that commute on ASA would be aware of the changes. That makes the majority unaware.
I will tell you this. It was not a pilot thing. These changes were not negotiated by the delta pilots. Most guys that I have flown with were surprised when we had a few ASA guys make the comment to them when they were jumpseating the other week.
Like I said, talk to your coordinator and see if they can work this out. If not, blame the correct people. We have to beef with you. Heck I used to work there, and think it is a little tilted in one direction, it does not mean that anything will be done about it.

 

[DAL737FO]

Actually you only have the situation partially right. We are being charged to fly on ASA just like you are being charged to fly on us. The difference is that Delta is picking up the tab for us so we know nothing about it. I took this subject up with our jumpseat coordinator and the company POC also. They had hoped that since Charlie T is now at ASA that he would have your company pick up the fee for your employee's as well. So it does look one sided, however it is YOUR management that wanted this arrangement this way. A secondary part of the arrangement was that you got to keep your jumpseat priority classification. Which means although you are no longer wholly owned, you still come in front of OAL's in the priority order for the jumpseat.

Now I did get straight from both the company and the union that if you apply for the jumpseat and flow back to the cabin you should not be charged the fee's. If this is actually happening then we need to know about it so it can be corrected.

 

[Exskydiverdrivr]

Jumpseating is something a pilot group negotiates. If you're a Delta Pilot, you have the reasonable expectation of going to a UAL/NWA etc. counter and not have to pay for a jumpseat. (Even if there is room in the back. Why then, should a pilot who proudly flies an airplane in DAL colors (contractor or not)have to pay when UAL/NWA could have the same JS for free.

Delta Pilots- please ask your union reps to inform mgmt. that this end run on one of our very basic privileges is unacceptable!

 

[jetracer5]

If you list for the jumpseat and are flowed back to the cabin you will not be charged. There have been a few memos about this. Save your jumpseat request card as proof you listed for the jumpseat.

 

[John Pennekamp]

He is right. Every seat on an ASA flight belongs to Delta. You can't even buy an ASA ticket. ASA is not an airline, it is a contractor. If you don't like the terms of your companies contract with Delta, talk to your management, don't complain to us.

Hmmm. Don't a lot of Delta pilots commute to work on ASA? Didn't you just go to S3C? Seems to me a lot of you won't be making it non-rev or jumpseat this winter as fuel loads and weight problems increase.

Sounds like a mutual problem. Maybe DALPA and pilots like you should get off the high horse about how we're your slaves and find a mutual solution to the problem. I do believe a jumpseat war would get ugly, but many of us at ASA are getting ready for one.

And yes, we are complaining to you, because your union has the 800 pound gorilla on Delta's back to get this fixed, not us.

 

[John Pennekamp]

A secondary part of the arrangement was that you got to keep your jumpseat priority classification. Which means although you are no longer wholly owned, you still come in front of OAL's in the priority order for the jumpseat.

Do you have documentation for this statement?

I'm pretty sure we lost the priority some time ago. Delta jumpseat priority is DAL, then Comair, then DCI, then OAL. It used to be DAL, then ASA/CMR, then DCI, then OAL.

And it really doesn't matter since you have to get past the gate now with CASS and such. Most of the gate agents in ATL couldn't care less about the priority and view anyone not a DAL pilot as a first come, first served OAL.