Alaska Application Submission Difficulties...Anyone Else?

[Ocity]

I'm willing to give half of that PBP back, if it meant I could occasionally drop or trade a trip during a month. I guess there are worse thing's I could be complaining about!!!

This summer will be a nightmare, short staffed, high block lines, and an occasional nice day thrown in the mix along with graduations, wedding's etc!!

A great schedule is just a phone call away! If one intends to wait around until an airline provides them with happiness, one will be waiting a hell of a long time. Just do whatever you need to do...within reason, and nobody will even notice. High pay and stability, even from the right seat, is paramount to me. The check is literally, the only thing you can take to the bank. The rest is just wishful thinking and words.

 

[igneousy2]

if someone is that unhappy at AS then leave.

Which is the exact attitude that prevents anything from getting done at this airline. If anytime anyone criticizes the current regime they say...well, if you're not happy leave - which is a conversation ender that is not constructive if not destructive...and people wonder why nothing REALLY gets done.

How about something more constructive...how about if you're so unhappy volunteer for the union. How about come up with some ideas and submit a resolution.

The truth about the Alaska pilot group is that we have never had to fight for anything. Years of contractualy mandated binding arbitration will do that to you. We do not know what it means to act like a union in order to effect change. The vast majority of our pilot group voted in a contract with efficiency gains for the company while we had pilots on the street. Created a 'B' scale retirement scheme. Neutered our ability to have our grievances heard in a timely fashion.

With this companies insistence on a "cost-neutral" contract, this pilot groups proven inability to look past an increased hourly rate as the measure of a contract, and our painfully obvious lack of foresite (we are only trying to bind Air Group to our scope clause now...really?!). I fear what surprises a new contract will bring.

 

[Ocity]

Which is the exact attitude that prevents anything from getting done at this airline. If anytime anyone criticizes the current regime they say...well, if you're not happy leave - which is a conversation ender that is not constructive if not destructive...and people wonder why nothing REALLY gets done.

How about something more constructive...how about if you're so unhappy volunteer for the union. How about come up with some ideas and submit a resolution.

The truth about the Alaska pilot group is that we have never had to fight for anything. Years of contractualy mandated binding arbitration will do that to you. We do not know what it means to act like a union in order to effect change. The vast majority of our pilot group voted in a contract with efficiency gains for the company while we had pilots on the street. Created a 'B' scale retirement scheme. Neutered our ability to have our grievances heard in a timely fashion.

With this companies insistence on a "cost-neutral" contract, this pilot groups proven inability to look past an increased hourly rate as the measure of a contract, and our painfully obvious lack of foresite (we are only trying to bind Air Group to our scope clause now...really?!). I fear what surprises a new contract will bring.

Go ask literally, ANY other pilot group that HAD an A plan if a 13.5% defined contribution is a "B" scale retirement plan. I take my money off the table every two weeks. Do you honestly think the A plan will not be threatened in the next 40 years? Your pension can evaporate with the strike of a gavel. I'm not willing to bet on that. I soft froze mine and went option C.

 

[Z_Pilot]

I agree. We've had a great run recently. However, new market challenges, such as JetBlue and VirginAmerica up to Anchorage, Allegiant and SWA ready to pounce on Hawaii are heating up, and our stubbornly conservative management has put us into a position not to respond (very little, or no new airframes...mostly replacements...also, just a trickle of hiring and hardly any upgrading).

Additionally, they're eager to farm all of the North-South California-Oregon-Washington flying out to Skywest.

I am not saying we're doomed, I just think we had our 15 minutes of fame, and that is winding down.

ZP

 

[flythere]

I agree. We've had a great run recently. However, new market challenges, such as JetBlue and VirginAmerica up to Anchorage, Allegiant and SWA ready to pounce on Hawaii are heating up, and our stubbornly conservative management has put us into a position not to respond (very little, or no new airframes...mostly replacements...also, just a trickle of hiring and hardly any upgrading).

Additionally, they're eager to farm all of the North-South California-Oregon-Washington flying out to Skywest.

I am not saying we're doomed, I just think we had our 15 minutes of fame, and that is winding down.

ZP

Isn't that what I said earlier?!?!

Now Daddy Delta is ramping up on the west coast? LAS flying?

 

[Z_Pilot]

Isn't that what I said earlier?!?!

Now Daddy Delta is ramping up on the west coast? LAS flying?

It is. I am only reinforcing your perspective.

 

[flythere]

It is. I am only reinforcing your perspective.

You Da Man!!

 

[Mamma]

Go ask literally, ANY other pilot group that HAD an A plan if a 13.5% defined contribution is a "B" scale retirement plan. I take my money off the table every two weeks. Do you honestly think the A plan will not be threatened in the next 40 years? Your pension can evaporate with the strike of a gavel. I'm not willing to bet on that. I soft froze mine and went option C.

They just can't dump your pension anymore. Look at the difficulty American had trying to do it in bankruptcy. Alaska will not dump the pension. At worst, they will buy us out down the road once enough geezers retire. It is a closed pension now anyway with known costs. Also, if guys keep going to 65, they defer 5 years of payouts from the pension program and will probably croak earlier so less payouts.

 

[CesnaCaptn]

Also, if guys keep going to 65, they defer 5 years of payouts from the pension program and will probably croak earlier so less payouts.

That's not entirely true. There is an actuarial increase, dependent on interest rates. For every year beyond normal retirement, as defined by our CBA (usually 60), the factor goes up by 7%-10%. A retiree retiring at 65 will see his monthly pension increase by 50% to account for the shorter retirement.

If you have 35 years with the status quo pension option, a 65 year old would retire with 100% of his annual salary.

If you were a senior gummer, why not hang around?

 

[Mamma]

That's not entirely true. There is an actuarial increase, dependent on interest rates. For every year beyond normal retirement, as defined by our CBA (usually 60), the factor goes up by 7%-10%. A retiree retiring at 65 will see his monthly pension increase by 50% to account for the shorter retirement.

If you have 35 years with the status quo pension option, a 65 year old would retire with 100% of his annual salary.

If you were a senior gummer, why not hang around?

That is true...provided they live long enough to reap the benefits.

 

[igneousy2]

Go ask literally, ANY other pilot group that HAD an A plan if a 13.5% defined contribution is a "B" scale retirement plan. I take my money off the table every two weeks. Do you honestly think the A plan will not be threatened in the next 40 years? Your pension can evaporate with the strike of a gavel. I'm not willing to bet on that. I soft froze mine and went option C.

It's a "B-scale" because the new hires coming on don't have any vested interest in the A-plan. There will be a point where the have nots will represent the majority of the pilots at Alaska. We should have insisted on everyone at least having a choice.

I to opted for the C plan to, but that's not the point. The point is that even those of us who opted for C going forward have some interest in the A plan. When the non-A plan people hit a majority, how long will it before our soft-freeze gets traded for a hard freeze?

The problem with a 'B scale' isn't really about the numbers or if an A-plan is a good deal or not...it's about the division it has forever put in our pilot group that will have unknown implications in the future when the tables are turned on the "haves" and they become the minority.

 

[AKMD80GUY]

The problem with a 'B scale' isn't really about the numbers or if an A-plan is a good deal or not...it's about the division it has forever put in our pilot group that will have unknown implications in the future when the tables are turned on the "haves" and they become the minority.

This was my number one reason why I voted no on the last contract. I did stay status quo. Good luck to those of us that have to look at the pilot in the right seat and convince him to give up pay, benefits etc... so I can keep my retirement. Big win for the company on that one. We have to make scope the number one issue this time around.