AMR pilots; how many on furlough, when do you expect recalls to start?

[AA717driver]

PB saves in end of the month trip drops due to conflicts in addition to vacation. Trip trades and drops weren't a factor in my experience but we had a different contract.

The REAL "savings" (read job losses) comes with Demand Staffing (as it was called at TWA). This allows total flexibility to pick up extra flying (to make up for pay cuts...) and allows for 10-50% fewer reserves.

The way it worked at TWA was that reserves (or line holders but the real benefit was for reserves) could pick up trips on their days off and get paid over RSV Guarantee. This sucked up the open time--ALL of it and reserves never flew on their days off. Some guys even had to go to the sim or get assigned trips to maintain currency. TWA was run pretty lean on manpower so you can see the effect of this system. AAslag can vouch for this as he sat reserve and didn't load up on open time.

There was little, if any open time for lineholders to trade trips or pick up trips. Reserve was very senior. Since TWA had tremendous attrition during that period, no one's career progression really suffered--noticably.

But you can see how an airline that is staffed properly for traditional bidding would suffer from stagnation if PB/DS is implemented. Attrition would only allow the full effect of DS to be implemented with virtually no career progression happening until 5-15% attrition had occured in the seniority list.

Unless you have significant attrition like AA will starting in 5 years or so or significant growth like SWA has had, PB/DS is NOT a good deal.TC

 

[Andy]

AA717driver, you explained PB better than me.
I'd just change your last sentence. PB is never a good deal when implemented. It allows the company to get increased productivity from their pilot group, allowing them to accomplish the same amount of block hours with less pilots. I've never crunched the numbers, and I imagine that it varies depending on the pilot contract, but I'll buy the concept that it reduces pilot headcount by ~5%.

 

[AA717driver]

Andy--Thanks. I was trying to look at it from a neutral point of view. In fact, I may have been able to hold 767 Captain without PB/DS instead of mid-pack 717.

The numbers I have are from a friend on the AA Nego. Com. He says PB alone will only save 1-2% by reducing conflicts. The >10% savings comes with the reduction in reserves with Demand Staffing--and that is the max. That is if ALL possible effeciencies are realized. If you start putting restrictions on the DS system, you save jobs.

Above everything else, the union or pilot group MUST control PB. This system in the hands of a company like AMR would be disasterous. If you think they violate the contract now, just wait! No control, no deal.TC

 

[TWA Dude]

Just FYI, here at AWA, oops, I mean USAirways West, we have PBS and a monthly cap on credit of 99 hours. Not very easy for reserves to get rich, especially since there are very few two-day or one-day trips. FIFO was much better.

 

[AA717driver]

Dude--That was a problem at TWA before PB and when you came. Nearly all the trips on the DC9 were 4-5 day trips. Scheduling couldn't figure out why no one was picking up open time...

Duh! If your flying 5 on and 3 or 4 off, you shure can't pick up a 4 day trip. They finally realized it--after a couple of years.TC

P.S.--How're the newlyweds doing? Good, I hope.

 

[TWA Dude]

P.S.--How're the newlyweds doing? Good, I hope.

Two consecutive months and counting! Is this a record for a pilot?