Anybody else tired of the excuses and extensions at ASA?

[Freebrd]

see mgt's latest update? 700/900 flights going to places where ASA will have contract mtc, hope no one breaks at the outstations, will really screw up our performance

 

[twott driver]

"The secret to managing is to keep the guys who hate you away from the guys who are undecided........."

 

[JoeMerchant]

I for one am getting so sick and tired of getting extended, then notified via ACARS of an additional extension!! Getting JM calls on my vacation, having my days off moved at the whim of scheduling. If this is the way of the future I am leaving.

All we get are excuses!! When are we gonna fight this idiocy? The weather has been great, what happens when it isn't?

I looked forward to "making it through" the summer. Now were being told it will be bad again in December? Well, I guess it could be worse, we could be losing flying.

I'm done!!! I'm burned out.....

As you said, it could be worse.....I'm sure there are some CMR pilots who would gladly trade places with you.

I've been here over 16 years, and I just got integrated for a 3 day trip next weekend and I had plans...I've never been integrated for a 3 day trip in all of those 16+ years. Am I happy about it? No....But I understand that we gained some flying that we weren't expecting and I am glad we are growing instead of shrinking like many of our colleagues.

If it is really that bad, then walk the walk and quit like you said you are willing to do....

Whether we like it or not, we earned more flying, and Delta keeps moving the flying around from month to month.

Whether we like it or not, Delta is pressuring us to lower our costs by being "second most cost competitive".

Whether we like it or not, this business is very competitive right now. We are competing for a shrinking piece of the pie with smaller margins.

Whether we like it or not, ASA in the process of the largest merger ever of two regionals and preparing to more than double in size...There is a lot on the plate right now...

Stay focused, keep your eye on the prize, look down the road.....We are in better shape than most....If that doesn't work, and you have something better to do, by all means go for it....

Flame away.....

 

[overseas boy]

If it is really that bad, then walk the walk and quit like you said you are willing to do....

Whether we like it or not, we earned more flying, and Delta keeps moving the flying around from month to month.

Whether we like it or not, Delta is pressuring us to lower our costs by being "second most cost competitive".

Whether we like it or not, this business is very competitive right now. We are competing for a shrinking piece of the pie with smaller margins.

Whether we like it or not, ASA in the process of the largest merger ever of two regionals and preparing to more than double in size...There is a lot on the plate right now...

Stay focused, keep your eye on the prize, look down the road.....We are in better shape than most....If that doesn't work, and you have something better to do, by all means go for it....

Flame away.....

Tell that to the Judge or the families of the deceased. That's assuming you survive the accident yourself. "Tiredness kills-Take a break"

 

[maxcackel]

As you said, it could be worse.....I'm sure there are some CMR pilots who would gladly trade places with you.

I've been here over 16 years, and I just got integrated for a 3 day trip next weekend and I had plans...I've never been integrated for a 3 day trip in all of those 16+ years. Am I happy about it? No....But I understand that we gained some flying that we weren't expecting and I am glad we are growing instead of shrinking like many of our colleagues.

If it is really that bad, then walk the walk and quit like you said you are willing to do....

Whether we like it or not, we earned more flying, and Delta keeps moving the flying around from month to month.

Whether we like it or not, Delta is pressuring us to lower our costs by being "second most cost competitive".

Whether we like it or not, this business is very competitive right now. We are competing for a shrinking piece of the pie with smaller margins.

Whether we like it or not, ASA in the process of the largest merger ever of two regionals and preparing to more than double in size...There is a lot on the plate right now...

Stay focused, keep your eye on the prize, look down the road.....We are in better shape than most....If that doesn't work, and you have something better to do, by all means go for it....

Flame away.....

Wow. I was trying to respond to this but after reading it my brain went numb.

 

[damnflyboy]

I'm not a business major. Can someone explain this "second most cost competitive" thing? I keep hearing it from SH and the gang...and I'm lost. Serious answers please. Okay...silly ones too.

 

[damnflyboy]

Holly crapolla, have you looked at the comment section of BH's last update on Ourasa? I'm surprised the whole thing hasn't been deleted. Even Clap Clap GO ASA is getting on the band-wagon. Some men with big brass balls putting their names to scathing criticism of the tri-fecta of Holt/Tutt/Hall! Got to give the boy credit for calling it like it is.

And, yes. It's shocking. I wonder if there will be repercussions. Our retarded cheerleader FA threw up her cool-aid. The one Captain calling out Chief H*#t, King T*#t, and (love this one because he puts Captain in quotations) "Captain" H@^^ is profoundly ballsy. We're over the edge! This whole operation is falling apart at the seams.

I ask: What in the hell is going on?!

 

[Redan]

As you said, it could be worse.....I'm sure there are some CMR pilots who would gladly trade places with you.

I've been here over 16 years, and I just got integrated for a 3 day trip next weekend and I had plans...I've never been integrated for a 3 day trip in all of those 16+ years. Am I happy about it? No....But I understand that we gained some flying that we weren't expecting and I am glad we are growing instead of shrinking like many of our colleagues.

If it is really that bad, then walk the walk and quit like you said you are willing to do....

Whether we like it or not, we earned more flying, and Delta keeps moving the flying around from month to month.

Whether we like it or not, Delta is pressuring us to lower our costs by being "second most cost competitive".

Whether we like it or not, this business is very competitive right now. We are competing for a shrinking piece of the pie with smaller margins.

Whether we like it or not, ASA in the process of the largest merger ever of two regionals and preparing to more than double in size...There is a lot on the plate right now...

Stay focused, keep your eye on the prize, look down the road.....We are in better shape than most....If that doesn't work, and you have something better to do, by all means go for it....

Flame away.....

I was also going to respond but likewise my brain froze on seeing this. Maybe I can come up with something tomorrow. In any event, is there anyone who still takes this jack-ash seriously?

 

[OCP]

Hey Joe, If you want to know what we are talking about, bid reserve next month. You'll get a better understanding. Then maybe you'll reserve your snide comments.

 

[CFI2766]

How do you go about organizing a phone calling campaign from the reserve pilots to the MEC officers/committee members?

Maybe we should make up flyers with all of their phone numbers/email addresses listed and a bullet list of potential, reasonable remedies desired for inclusion in the next contract? Hand those out in the pilot lounges? Put them in mailboxes? Make 'em available online?

What can be DONE about it?

Phone campaign? I simply call my reps. Have them both on speed dial in the phone. They always get back to me.

 

[outtahere]

FU Joe. You have no idea what non-sense you spout.

 

[Data]

Tell that to the Judge or the families of the deceased. That's assuming you survive the accident yourself. "Tiredness kills-Take a break"

You'll have an accident from being jm'd? That's new. If you don't feel you're up to it, you call in fatigued, it's really that simple. If you aren't professional enough to do that, this isn't the industry for you.

 

[overseas boy]

Yeah data that's right cause fatigue has never played a part in any accident has it. Another idiot that thinks they're to good for it to happen to them until it does and then you'll probably still be saying "how could this happen to me".

 

[crj567]

As you said, it could be worse.....I'm sure there are some CMR pilots who would gladly trade places with you.

I've been here over 16 years, and I just got integrated for a 3 day trip next weekend and I had plans...I've never been integrated for a 3 day trip in all of those 16+ years. Am I happy about it? No....But I understand that we gained some flying that we weren't expecting and I am glad we are growing instead of shrinking like many of our colleagues.

If it is really that bad, then walk the walk and quit like you said you are willing to do....

Whether we like it or not, we earned more flying, and Delta keeps moving the flying around from month to month.

Whether we like it or not, Delta is pressuring us to lower our costs by being "second most cost competitive".

Whether we like it or not, this business is very competitive right now. We are competing for a shrinking piece of the pie with smaller margins.

Whether we like it or not, ASA in the process of the largest merger ever of two regionals and preparing to more than double in size...There is a lot on the plate right now...

Stay focused, keep your eye on the prize, look down the road.....We are in better shape than most....If that doesn't work, and you have something better to do, by all means go for it....

Flame away.....

Anyone ever notice that joe wets the tip of his finger, sticks it in the air to figure out where the popular opinion is coming from-and goes the opposite way?

I mean, hell-not everyone is going to agree all the time, but just damn! Is there a windmill left that this guy hasn't charged straight at in a blaze of glory?

Joe-You are an ass. You love to brag about how senior you are, how great life is, and so on and so forth. Let me clue you in on a tiny secret: Life ain't that great for a lot of pilots. We have folks flying tired and wrung out, they are also flying pissed, and that is not a good combo.

We don't give a rat's narrow ass how freaking senior you are, how happy you are, of how much of a tool you can be. What we care about is not putting our pilots into a position where some dog-tired crew makes a mistake which leads to an accident. What the hell good will all your horn-tootin' seniority do when we are ALL out of a job because of a mishap?

-Go find another group to sling stones at. Our overworked, worn-out pilot group is a very poor target. You will find no one stupid enough to back you up here.

 

[Redan]

You'll have an accident from being jm'd? That's new. If you don't feel you're up to it, you call in fatigued, it's really that simple. If you aren't professional enough to do that, this isn't the industry for you.

Oh great, here comes another one. In a climate with your reserve COLLEAGUES being pushed beyond any rational reasonable limits, continuous Chief Pilot harassment and then being docked pay for fatigue calls I regret to inform you sir, that it's a long way from being "really that simple."

I don't know if there's anything I find more contemptible than senior pilots (yeah, talking about you Cap'n Joey) clearly illustrating how little appreciation they have for what their BROTHER and SISTER COLLEAGUES are enduring. Or perhaps, how little they care.

 

[Max Q]

Brad has never sounded more detached from this company.

 

[Abernathy]

ASA is and has been operating at the stick shaker. Squeezing the shat out of our performance will work until we go just that one step too far, and then it spirals out of control and we crash. BH plays dumb and twists it around to make it sound like "well maybe I shouldn't have gotten us more flying." We're not that stupid. It's not the new flying we're pissed about. Furthermore, there's always some BS excuse from them, from the past 2 years, as to why we're understaffed.

Too bad his "talent" couldn't hold onto the most fuel efficient airplane in DL's fleet.

 

[crj567]

ASA is and has been operating at the stick shaker. Squeezing the shat out of our performance will work until we go just that one step too far, and then it spirals out of control and we crash. BH plays dumb and twists it around to make it sound like "well maybe I shouldn't have gotten us more flying." We're not that stupid. It's not the new flying we're pissed about. Furthermore, there's always some BS excuse from them, from the past 2 years, as to why we're understaffed.

Too bad his "talent" couldn't hold onto the most fuel efficient airplane in DL's fleet.

Welcome to the future!

-And we thought the "bad ol' days" were bad!

 

[COOPERVANE]

Brad has never sounded more detached from this company.

I don't know why. I and MANY others sent letters to him. At least one group had meetings with Brad to let him know this was going to happen. I told him I felt like the sailor who tells the captain the crew is about to mutiny if something didn't change. (see "the Bounty")

I told him the BP rig workers warned MGMT they and the equipment were being pushed too hard and things were getting unsafe. BP execs KEPT pushing. See what the result was.

When I first started at ASA, I often wondered why pilots thought they could run the airline better than MGMT. It seemed so silly to me. After a time, I learned something. Sometimes the FRONT line worker has a unique perspective on how things are running in day to day operations. We have a THOUSAND+ college educated cadre of individuals who see daily issues from a front row seat. Some have been here for DECADES. They/we see issues with Sched,Maint,Dispatch,Catering,Gates,ATC EVERYDAY. No other department in the company is exposed to so many aspects of the operation.

MGMT needs to LISTEN to the group that is in this unique position......The PILOTS!! But no...ASA management runs this place based on TPS reports. Maybe we have whined so much over the years they just ignore it and tune us out. Maybe they were counting on PBS to solve the staffing issue.

 

[ASA_Aviator]

I don't know why. I and MANY others sent letters to him. At least one group had meetings with Brad to let him know this was going to happen. I told him I felt like the sailor who tells the captain the crew is about to mutiny if something didn't change. (see "the Bounty")

I told him the BP rig workers warned MGMT they and the equipment were being pushed too hard and things were getting unsafe. BP execs KEPT pushing. See what the result was.

When I first started at ASA, I often wondered why pilots thought they could run the airline better than MGMT. It seemed so silly to me. After a time, I learned something. Sometimes the FRONT line worker has a unique perspective on how things are running in day to day operations. We have a THOUSAND+ college educated cadre of individuals who see daily issues from a front row seat. Some have been here for DECADES. They/we see issues with Sched,Maint,Dispatch,Catering,Gates,ATC EVERYDAY. No other department in the company is exposed to so many aspects of the operation.

MGMT needs to LISTEN to the group that is in this unique position......The PILOTS!! But no...ASA management runs this place based on TPS reports. Maybe we have whined so much over the years they just ignore it and tune us out. Maybe they were counting on PBS to solve the staffing issue.

The frontline employees do have a good understanding of how things are running on the day to day basis. What frontline employees lack is a understanding of the bigger picture, and the overall direction of the company. We aren't informed of all of the things that may be coming or going a few months from now, and I trust that for the most part, our management does a good job. There are a few people in the office who need to move on, and everyone knows who they are.

I was in recurrent class the other day, and Scott Hall came in and said that we had a choice to either accept flying that Delta was throwing our way in July, or let it go to Pinnacle. Combine that with Delta then extending the contract on the 6 CRJ-200s unexpectedly, and we are understaffed. The alternative was to let that flying go to a competitor.

Hopefully soon things will ease up, but I would rather take flying and run lean than let more flying go to another company.

Don't fly if you are fatigued. Fill out an ASAP, and a fatigue form. But don't abuse the system. If you are angry, and want to send a message then quit.