ASA summer flying increase

[shamrock]

You "imagine" there have been a few? There either have been or have not been. Did you have any dreams last night about extensions that you want to share with us?

Last night I had a dream that I wrote a book called "CrewBid for Idiots", made a fortune from it, and rewarded the guy who inspired it with a free copy. Just thought I'd share that....

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Very funny A-hole. Actually it was funny, and you're still an a-hole. :beer:

 

[SLUF4]

how would I know if there have been any extensions? I'm not a scheduler. It's my opinion that there have been some probably What's your problem?

 

[Stifler's Mom]

What's your problem?

My problem is that I am afraid yourself and others are not looking at the big picture with ASA.

ASA announces an increase in block hours for the summer, and as a result increases the line values during that same period. Instead of everybody being blocked at 75 hours, and running reserves too thin, they increase line values into the mid 80s, and keep staffing the same.

You are obviously a reserve captain because in many of your posts you announce a lack of coverage of Captains on the 200. This increase in flying will most likely be temporary in nature, then things will go back to the way they are right now.

You are worried about what the day-to-day staffing levels are on reserve, but I believe we have bigger problems staring us down right now. 1) What happens if we don't get our costs down into the bottom 2 DCI carriers in another year? 2) What happens if we don't find a use for the 20, 200's that are slated to be parked in 2010?

If those two problems aren't addressed, you won't have to worry about Captain staffing levels because you will most likely be a First Officer again.

If the company wants us to get something, it's probably not good for us (as a pilot group). It may be good for reducing cost.

Management and ALPA are working together in all of our interests to make sure that if we do go with a PBS, that it is something that we can all live with, as it will most likely be permanent. Nothing will go to the pilot group until the Union is happy with it.

Quit looking at our management team as an adversary. In case you didn't get the memo, Brad and Jerry are giving us our Performance Plus money for the quarter even though we missed our numbers. Do you still think they are out to get us? I think they are busting their asses to keep this company alive, and are trying to show us that they are different than management of the past.

 

[Smacktard]

My problem is that I am afraid yourself and others are not looking at the big picture with ASA.

ASA announces an increase in block hours for the summer, and as a result increases the line values during that same period. Instead of everybody being blocked at 75 hours, and running reserves too thin, they increase line values into the mid 80s, and keep staffing the same.

You are obviously a reserve captain because in many of your posts you announce a lack of coverage of Captains on the 200. This increase in flying will most likely be temporary in nature, then things will go back to the way they are right now.

You are worried about what the day-to-day staffing levels are on reserve, but I believe we have bigger problems staring us down right now. 1) What happens if we don't get our costs down into the bottom 2 DCI carriers in another year? 2) What happens if we don't find a use for the 20, 200's that are slated to be parked in 2010?

If those two problems aren't addressed, you won't have to worry about Captain staffing levels because you will most likely be a First Officer again.



Management and ALPA are working together in all of our interests to make sure that if we do go with a PBS, that it is something that we can all live with, as it will most likely be permanent. Nothing will go to the pilot group until the Union is happy with it.

Quit looking at our management team as an adversary. In case you didn't get the memo, Brad and Jerry are giving us our Performance Plus money for the quarter even though we missed our numbers. Do you still think they are out to get us? I think they are busting their asses to keep this company alive, and are trying to show us that they are different than management of the past.

Well said.

 

[SLUF4]

Yes, i've said I'm a reserve captain. I see the reserve list on a daily basis and I've just reported what it shows. My point is that nothing here ever seems to be planned for appropriately-not that I have a "big picture"-it's just my opinion. You're right-they are going to raise line values, but what were they last summer? I don't think we had 1000 flights a day last summer and i worked everyday on reserve crediting about 95 a month-now we have less pilots. But I guess you have the big picture so I'll rest easy. Thanks. I also suppose that if my opinion differs from yours then I'm wrong. I never said management is my adversary. I don't have adversaries, but what's good for managers isn't always good for us.

 

[waterski45]

Quit looking at our management team as an adversary. In case you didn't get the memo, Brad and Jerry are giving us our Performance Plus money for the quarter even though we missed our numbers. Do you still think they are out to get us? I think they are busting their asses to keep this company alive, and are trying to show us that they are different than management of the past.

You guys still got the performance money despite the mx meltdown at the end of March? Did they just throw out the numbers from those cancellations?


If that's the case, that really says a lot about Brad and the new management culture. I knew things were slowly changing on your side, but that gesture of goodwill is quite a surprise.

 

[JumpersAway]

You guys still got the performance money despite the mx meltdown at the end of March? Did they just throw out the numbers from those cancellations?


If that's the case, that really says a lot about Brad and the new management culture. I knew things were slowly changing on your side, but that gesture of goodwill is quite a surprise.

Yes, they are going to pay us for our performance despite the April MX meltdown. They put out a memo that summed up the situation with the view that it was a maintenance mess up, and not a pilot induced one. Thus, since we've done what we were supposed to do, we should be rewarded for our sincere attempt to keep things going in a possitive direction.

Who would have thought that was coming. In my opinion, they are showing some true class and recognizing our efforts. I'm actually thankful we've got the management team we've got- one with common sense and the pulse of the employees.

 

[OCP]

You're right-they are going to raise line values, but what were they last summer? I don't think we had 1000 flights a day last summer and i worked everyday on reserve crediting about 95 a month-now we have less pilots.

Though we do have less pilots, there are actually more 200 capts than there were a years ago, due to ATR going away.

 

[jstyle13]

Though we do have less pilots, there are actually more 200 capts than there were a years ago, due to ATR going away.

They still will need to have more guys on reserve though if they don't want to run out of reserves every day. I think we have some 80ish outta 500 captains on reserves. I imagine they will try to get closer to 100/500 for the summer which means they will have to increase the credit/block on the pairings. Guess we will know by the 10th.

If they keep 400+ lines and the same amount of reserves...its gonna be a looooong summer. Prepare for extensions.