ASA Thread Du Jour 09/04/07

[Captain Morgan]

XPOO: Just an honest question. If you hold the airline by the short and curlies just as much as the pilots, why don't you do something about your working environment? I believe dispatchers ARE worth more than they are getting. Lord knows, I wouldn't want to do you job just because of the stress.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

I'm sorry, what's that? You need a release in order to do your job? But I thought YOU were the brains behind this whole operation. Because this airline would never grind to hualt because there's no dispatch release, no-sir-ree-bob.

Brains behind the operation? Sorry, no brains behind the operation at ASA. Not before Skywest bought us, and definately not after Skywest bought us.

I prefer to think of myself as a dreamer. For instance, I always dreampt of becoming a pilot, much like you probably always dreampt of becoming a dispatcher. Right????

 

[WalterSobchak]

It's almost like a Mexican stand-off in here...there are 20 guys in the thread and no one is talking.

So let's hear about what happened yesterday...I'm actually interested.

 

[sweptback]

I'm sorry, what's that? You need a release in order to do your job? But I thought YOU were the brains behind this whole operation. Because this airline would never grind to hualt because there's no dispatch release, no-sir-ree-bob.

It's happened many times at ASA, before we got the mother of all computers that supposedly would never fail. Then it happened again two weeks later.

I don't understand why there's this "holier-than-thou" mentality on this board when it comes to dispatchers and pilots. Don't we all realize that we both have important jobs? I will say this, though. I haven't seen too many dispatchers become pilots, but I have seen several pilots become dispatchers after they were furloughed or lost their medical. It must not be that hard of a job if a stupid pilot can do it.

By the way, what's a CL6, CL7, and CL9? As a dispatcher you should really know the correct identifiers for the aircraft you dispatch.

 

[Captain Morgan]

Additionally, just to clarify... It's true dispatchers have the same amount of responsibility getting that aircraft from A to B. Once the aircraft is in the air, the pilots are the ones with their a**es on the line and they can snatch that decision making from you just by uttering the word "emergency."

CM

 

[XPOO]

By the way, what's a CL6, CL7, and CL9? As a dispatcher you should really know the correct identifiers for the aircraft you dispatch.

It's a joke. And after almost 400 posts, you're the first one to call me out on it. It kind of goes along the lines of listing "doggy" in the position field.

I'm not holier-than-thou, this thread was started with sarcasm in mind and Stifler's Mom, who I actually used to respect on this board, attacked me personally. So, if you want to bring it, I'll carry it the rest of the way.

What I think the ASA pilot group does not understand is how many fellow employees they hurt in the process of their greed for a better contract. And can you honestly deny that about half the posts in this forum lately are directly attributed to ASA? This forum used to be fun and informative but now it's just an ASA bitch-fest and it's getting old.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

I'm not holier-than-thou, this thread was started with sarcasm in mind and Stifler's Mom, who I actually used to respect on this board, attacked me personally. So, if you want to bring it, I'll carry it the rest of the way.

Oh geez, you mean you don't respect me anymore? Would you feel better if I said I was sorry for hurting your feelings? Are you going to tell my mommy that I hurt your feelings too? You start a thread taking a poke at the ASA pilots and then you are the one who feels insulted.

In all of your "creativity", you start another thread about ASA pilots complaining, blah, blah, blah...and it doesn't turn out the way you wanted it to. Boo hoo.

Sawmill just did that yesterday, and it went on for 30 responses, and was pretty much a complete waste of bandwidth for all involved. But hey, maybe you thought you could pull it off better than he did. I don't know.

What I think the ASA pilot group does not understand is how many fellow employees they hurt in the process of their greed for a better contract. And can you honestly deny that about half the posts in this forum lately are directly attributed to ASA? This forum used to be fun and informative but now it's just an ASA bitch-fest and it's getting old.

Yes, it has become an ASA bitchfest because we are trying to force this industry in a better direction for other airlines too, including SKW. Enough of this going backwards crap that has been happening for the past 5 years.

I wouldn't use the word "greed" to describe what we are trying to do. We can't even keep up with inflation right now, and you want to call us "greedy"? ASA has made between $30-40 million in profits for the past 8 quarters, and we are the "greedy" ones?

Man, you are out of touch with reality.

 

[Secret Squirrel]

I find if funny that people are so upset that there are a lot of threads about ASA. Don't read it. Is your life so boring that you feel the need to read every thread of FI and feel the need to critique it. Get a life. This is a group of people who feel wronged (rightfully so I think) and are trying to make their lives better and help make the profession better. They are currently flying their current contract and making sure their aircraft are safe for flight. Are you saying that is wrong? Just be careful what group you alienate because you will eventually negotiate a contract yourself and if ASA is beaten down like a red headed stepchild management will surely do the same to you. Oh yea, you are probably SKYWEST from the sound of it with no union protection so management will basically do what they want anyway. Good luck Guys, fly safe.

 

[WalterSobchak]

XPOO: Just an honest question. If you hold the airline by the short and curlies just as much as the pilots, why don't you do something about your working environment? I believe dispatchers ARE worth more than they are getting. Lord knows, I wouldn't want to do you job just because of the stress.

Additionally, just to clarify... It's true dispatchers have the same amount of responsibility getting that aircraft from A to B. Once the aircraft is in the air, the pilots are the ones with their a**es on the line and they can snatch that decision making from you just by uttering the word "emergency."

CM

Well, since this is no longer an ASA thread (praise Allah!) and Stifler's Mom turned it into a Pilots vs. Dispatchers thread....I don't understand this d-bag attitude towards us either.

Have I ever wanted to be a pilot?...sure I did. However, I was smart enough to realize that I didn't LOVE the flying part enough and it wasn't worth the return on investment (I just dig the insanity of the industry) .

As far as the quotes above go...

I think that we, as a "professionial group" are slowly, but surely biding our time on pay and QOL issues. We, on the whole, are a contemplative group of people. We know that, just like the pilot shortages, there are even fewer people getting their dispatch certificate...and truly feel we will jump on that when the time is right.

I don't know one dispatcher that thinks their decision making extends to after the wheels are up. Yeah, we share the responsibility...but we're not up there...and we understand that. Sure, we will make suggestions that are what we feel may be safer and make more sense for the sake of the operation...but we know it's not our bird when the wheels are up. However, let's not forget that, in extreme cases, that "just say emergency" thing can go the other way.

Frankly, if you know your stuff, this job isn't hard on most days. But, when the crap hits the fan with bad wx/Traffic Management Initiatives/etc. everywhere...let's not forget who is busting their arse to keep your workload to a minimum and try to put things back together.

 

[XPOO]

ASA has made between $30-40 million in profits for the past 8 quarters, and we are the "greedy" ones?

I don't know where you get your info, but I believe SkyWest, Inc. made that money. Also, correct me if I am wrong, but SkyWest Airlines flies roughly 1800 flights a day to ASA's roughly 500 flights a day. You still want to tell me that ASA made all that money? But my math could be totally wrong since I'm a dispatcher and not a pilot, you know.

Also, I changed my "A/C Flown" info for you all, because I don't wanna be that dispatcher that has no clue what he's dispatching.

 

[siucavflight]

What I think the ASA pilot group does not understand is how many fellow employees they hurt in the process of their greed for a better contract. And can you honestly deny that about half the posts in this forum lately are directly attributed to ASA? This forum used to be fun and informative but now it's just an ASA bitch-fest and it's getting old.

What you dont understand is that this will help you out also, give you more ground to stand on when it comes to contract time.

 

[XPOO]

Well, until ASA gets liquidated I guess the rest of us will just have to conceed the "REGIONAL" board to you ASA guys. They may as well just change the name from "REGIONAL" to "ASA" and they can start a new forum entitled "OTHER REGIONALS ASA WILL SOMEDAY SAVE"

 

[sweptback]

I don't know where you get your info, but I believe SkyWest, Inc. made that money. Also, correct me if I am wrong, but SkyWest Airlines flies roughly 1800 flights a day to ASA's roughly 500 flights a day. You still want to tell me that ASA made all that money? But my math could be totally wrong since I'm a dispatcher and not a pilot, you know.

Actually, ASA operated 40% of SkyWest, Inc.'s ASMs for that period. So even though we fly less flights (and the number is closer to 1000 daily than 500), we're still a very profitable cog in the SkyWest machine.

If we're ever going to be one big happy family (and I do have my doubts) we're going to have to get over this whole SkyWest is better than ASA BS. Jerry wouldn't have bought us if we didn't provide value to his bottom line.

 

[XPOO]

Oh, and.....Secrist, out!

 

[WalterSobchak]

Enough of this going backwards crap that has been happening for the past 5 years.

I don't disagree that everything is bass-ackwards...but I think the part that you guys fail to process is this:

You work for a contract airline. Contracts are typically signed based on the following criteria:

1.) Cost
2.) Performance

While I don't disagree that you all deserve a helluva alot more than you are making, you're not going to get the groundbreaking monster pay raise at any contract carrier.

What are you accomplishing by destroying performance stats? Sure, it's a nice "F**k You" to management...but all it hurts you all the more when contract negotiations are up. At this point, you're already in the hole because of your payroll costs...and now you look like you can't do the job.

I know these facts are obvious. I know that I'm about to be accused of "management cronyism"...but it seems that these facts are often forgotton when the fun of CHAOS tactics are in place.