I think you may have misunderstood some things from your JSC (Craig I assume you mean). First Skywest Inc management did not ask for the new gate computers software that uses this "flow back", nor did they ask for these fees. Second, DCI has had a higher priority over OAL's since I have been here (Skywest) so that was nothing gained. Last the person I have been talking to had this to say in his latest email to me:
"Based on a meeting with corporate ticking and ACS folks, this is what I was told. Charges were not made in December because no mechanism was in place to do so. I believe charges started occurring January 1 but I am not certain.
I did learn that the whole program is being looked at and may be altered. I do not know any more information regarding changes.
As far as software implementation if the program still requires it; I have been given no guarantees other than it will most likely take several months to implement."
The software he (Delta management) is speaking of had to do with a change to the flowback priority which would eliminate the charge when it occurs to a DCI pilots (currently Skywest and ASA are the only DCI getting charged) jumpseating. It would change a jumpseating pilot to an S3(D?) which would keep them higher than an OAL, but lower than a passrider (who is paying the segment fee), and would eliminate the charge to jumpseat. I was told Delata did not want to implement the software changes during the holidays, but now we are talking months (if at all).
The reason you are not seeing any posts with a date, and flight number and $$$$ is because it went into effect Jan 1st and has not gone on anyones payroll deduct yet. It's coming though, and it is not fair to charge DCI for a jumpseat to/from work while OAL's are not charged....simply because of a software glitch. DAL pilots need to put the pressure on to get it fixed. DCI pilots will put as much pressure as we can from our end, but our management says "it's Delta's program, and they handed it to us. There isn't anything we can do about it."
Hope this clears it up for you.
I will cut and paste this post and forward it to Craig. Hopefully no one gets charged anything. If they do it does need to be documented. I will say that a "jumpseat war" will end badly all the way around.