Delta travel priviledges

[Flyer1015]

will use any canceled flights for lack of crew during performance evaluation of the contract you are flying for them.

Meh, they're all the same. And in case you haven't noticed, the pool of people willing to do this job for crap wages is diminishing, thanks to a crappy economy and banks being tough on giving flight loans.

Ummmm, ever heard of ready reserves sweet cheeks?

For many regionals, it is cheaper to understaff and take the occasional performance penalty ($) hit from the mainline.

 

[BOX OFFICE]

Ummmm, ever heard of ready reserves sweet cheeks?

Ummmm, you obviously know nothing about the regionals, sugar lips. That will get them through one or two calls.

 

[Cpt Oveur]

Delta is preparing to cut DCI flight benefits. I do not know the exact details, but those on the ASA/Skywest/expressJet side may notice the new ZED agreements they're trying to get. Take note on that; there's areas on coming down the road...

 

[Freebrd]

even with the pass charge they get from us just over $200 yearly? that's a lot of dough multiplied out by what, 12-15,000 employees?

 

[BOX OFFICE]

Delta is preparing to cut DCI flight benefits. I do not know the exact details, but those on the ASA/Skywest/expressJet side may notice the new ZED agreements they're trying to get. Take note on that; there's areas on coming down the road...

I doubt it. First, the only worse the DCIs could get is below buddy passes, or losing them altogether. Second, I see a huge withdrawal of services if that happens. I was at a DCI carrier when they lost S3 priority and it wasn't pretty. Many of those employees (not just pilots!) only work there for the passes. DAL will have a hard time feeding those wide bodies since DCI carries 50% of domestic feed, when the regionals shut down because half their employees walked. Not to mention how many DCI pilots rely on pass benefits to commute and cover DAL flights. DAL knows they can only push them so far.

 

[silver02ex]

Delta is preparing to cut DCI flight benefits. I do not know the exact details, but those on the ASA/Skywest/expressJet side may notice the new ZED agreements they're trying to get. Take note on that; there's areas on coming down the road...

And how many do FA do you think will quit if what you say is true. Lets not forget that most of the FA are only working at the regionals because of the travel benefits. You thought regionals have problems finding FA now.

 

[higherflyer]

Years? I just saw a 2010 hire listed as retiree go in front of a Comair guy who was hired in the 80's today.

That '2010 retiree' was actually the parent of an employee hired in 2010. Delta parents generally travel on a S3B priority with the employee's hire date. Hope that clarifies it for you.

 

[linder]

I just heard of an extreme example, that nevertheless shows the absurdity of the priority system. (I'm not sure if it's true, but I'm passing along what I heard). My (DCI) FO was trying to nonrev to work, and recognized two pot-smoking twenty-something losers who were also trying to nonrev at the gate. They happened to be the sons of a family friend. This friend had once worked for Northeast Airlines in the 1970's, for six years as a FA. She also was on medical disability for 4 years, making her 10-year total employment qualify for lifetime retiree benefits. Northeast merged into Republic (the original one), which merged into Northwest, which merged into Delta. The two pot-smoker losers got on before my FO.

At least part of what you heard is incorrect. Northeast did not merge with the original Republic. They merged with mainline Delta (actually, back in those days there wasn't anything other than "mainline"). Northeast (original one) ceased to exist in 1972.

Kinda curious about the twenty-something pot smokers. Are you saying that all twenty-somethings are pot smokers, or were they smoking pot while waiting for their flight?

 

[flyboyike]

Kinda curious about the twenty-something pot smokers. Are you saying that all twenty-somethings are pot smokers, or were they smoking pot while waiting for their flight?

Generally speaking, cannabis users have distinguishing characteristics that are hard to miss (for me, at least).

 

[N813CA]

Comair was the one that got really screwed on the deal.... Oh never mind Comair got screwed a lot more than that

 

[JonnyKnoxville]

I really do not see what the big deal is. After Delta changed our priority, I changed my attitude. If Delta wanted me to get to work to fly 20 flights in 4 days then they will make it happen. If you care enough to call them (I did not), they will give you positive space to prevent cancelling all of those flights. Then you can get on an airplane ahead of the #1 pilot at Delta, again, if getting to work is that important to you.

I would show up to the gate, get treated like s.... by Delta gate agents, miss my two flights and go home. If 20 Delta Connection flights are cancelled in four days because I could not get to work, more reason for me to celebrate on my extra days off work! F...Delta!!!

 

[Inconceivable]

If you care enough to call them (I did not), they will give you positive space to prevent cancelling all of those flights.

Really? I don't think anyone at PCL is able to do that.

 

[SplitBar]

Actually, I AM a Delta Connection pilot. Sure I work for a contracted carrier, but my regional airline does not sell tickets. They are ALL sold by Delta. People book on Delta. They book a flight from Pittsburgh to Rome via Atlanta, and no one knows the PIT to ATL flight is on a RJ operated by Pinnacle. My airline operates 142 jets throughout the Delta system. Now that we've merged with another Delta Connection carrier, we operate 202 RJs for Delta.

"Self entitled prick"? Hey, I'm just trying to get to work. Sure, go ahead, let that retiree get to where he's going, while I'm left behind and then have to call in honest. One time, due to lack of staffing, my flights were actually cancelled then. Your retiree getting onboard just cost Delta passengers a couple cancellations. Sure, we don't staff properly, but it wouldn't have been an issue if a working pilot could have gone on before a retiree, even if it's a contracted carrier. Because here is the bottom line: Delta Connection makes up almost half of the domestic operations of Delta. For Delta's own operational benefit, we Delta Connection pilots do matter.


How about "any pass-privilieges you do get as a retiree is a gift." GM retirees got industry leading medical bennies even throughout retirement and were taken good care of by GM in a retirees golden years. That was years ago, and today, you get a middle finger when you retire. So why don't you consider yourself lucky. And during the time your father worked the 35 years at Delta, Delta did not have nearly 50% of their domestic ops being operated as Delta Connection. Today, they do.


Sure, why don't you hire first? I already heard about an internal Delta memo stating no planned hiring for 2012.

Sounds like BS to me. If the company was so short that the result of you not getting on the flight was a cancellation then the company would have positive spaced you. You said other non revs got on so the company would have no problem bumping off a non rev to get you on. Again, sounds like BS to me.

 

[WMUSIGPI]

Sounds like BS to me. If the company was so short that the result of you not getting on the flight was a cancellation then the company would have positive spaced you. You said other non revs got on so the company would have no problem bumping off a non rev to get you on. Again, sounds like BS to me.

Under NWA, yes we would get on for sure as PS.... under Delta, as a "contract carrier" if there aren't any passengers willing to "volunteer" to give up their seat then we are left behind. I have had training cancelled because of it and also had 1 denied boarding to work a flight and 2 denied return home to base denied because of Delta's policy to basically say F its contractors.

 

[SplitBar]

Under NWA, yes we would get on for sure as PS.... under Delta, as a "contract carrier" if there aren't any passengers willing to "volunteer" to give up their seat then we are left behind. I have had training cancelled because of it and also had 1 denied boarding to work a flight and 2 denied return home to base denied because of Delta's policy to basically say F its contractors.

If it means bumping a paying passengers than you have somewhat of a limited point but if there are empty seats left over for non-revs than scheduling has full authority to get the pilot on the flight. I just confirmed this with a friend who is a crew scheduler. In his case he said there were non revs getting on so thats why it seemed like BS.

 

[Flyer1015]

Sounds like BS to me. If the company was so short that the result of you not getting on the flight was a cancellation then the company would have positive spaced you. You said other non revs got on so the company would have no problem bumping off a non rev to get you on. Again, sounds like BS to me.

No, because the "company" (Pinnacle) will not positive space you if you can't get to work. You're allowed 2 call-in-honest events in a rolling 12 monhts. After that, you will be disciplined. They'll never positive space you from home to get to work. Instead, you'll get a lecture that commuting is a choice. They WILL positive space you for deadheads, which are work related movements within a trip. But getting TO work (as in commuting) is entirely up to you, and I don't know a single regional under Delta that will positive space you for your commute flight to work.

 

[cfi on the fly]

No, because the "company" (Pinnacle) will not positive space you if you can't get to work. You're allowed 2 call-in-honest events in a rolling 12 monhts. After that, you will be disciplined. They'll never positive space you from home to get to work. Instead, you'll get a lecture that commuting is a choice. They WILL positive space you for deadheads, which are work related movements within a trip. But getting TO work (as in commuting) is entirely up to you, and I don't know a single regional under Delta that will positive space you for your commute flight to work.

ASA has done it on a few select occasions that I know of, this was about two years ago...definitely not company policy though. What does a "call in honest" event consist of?

 

[DYLIN]

But getting TO work (as in commuting) is entirely up to you, and I don't know a single regional under Delta that will positive space you for your commute flight to work.

They do exist, but the one or two I'm thinking of have to be screwed for staffing in that seat that day for them to do it.

 

[titans10]

No, because the "company" (Pinnacle) will not positive space you if you can't get to work. You're allowed 2 call-in-honest events in a rolling 12 monhts. After that, you will be disciplined. They'll never positive space you from home to get to work. Instead, you'll get a lecture that commuting is a choice. They WILL positive space you for deadheads, which are work related movements within a trip. But getting TO work (as in commuting) is entirely up to you, and I don't know a single regional under Delta that will positive space you for your commute flight to work.

So, Actually as you stated it is a Pinnacle(DCI) problem not Delta's. As a DCI employee you work for Pinnacle not Delta and have a contract with Pinnacle. So, the pass/cummuting problems should be blamed on your company not mainline. It is your company that makes the commuting policies for there employees, correct?

 

[flyboyike]

I really do not see what the big deal is. After Delta changed our priority, I changed my attitude. If Delta wanted me to get to work to fly 20 flights in 4 days then they will make it happen. If you care enough to call them (I did not), they will give you positive space to prevent cancelling all of those flights. Then you can get on an airplane ahead of the #1 pilot at Delta, again, if getting to work is that important to you.

I would show up to the gate, get treated like s.... by Delta gate agents, miss my two flights and go home. If 20 Delta Connection flights are cancelled in four days because I could not get to work, more reason for me to celebrate on my extra days off work! F...Delta!!!

Amen.

 

[Hovernut]

Scheduling supposedly got whacked by mainline for doing this and it seems like NRPS commute option is out the window. When our trips don't pass through our domicile (DTW) in all 4 days, save for the 1st outbound and last inbound, making any above-and-beyond (beyond the 2 options) effort will only get you rewarded displacement, reserve, or some other $crew-job instead of catching back up with the trip with just having missed an out-n-back or so.

If DL wants mom/dad/kiddos/retirees to get to their leisure destination and a wholly-owned subsidiary pilot to miss the flight...more power to 'em!

I really do not see what the big deal is. After Delta changed our priority, I changed my attitude. If Delta wanted me to get to work to fly 20 flights in 4 days then they will make it happen. If you care enough to call them (I did not), they will give you positive space to prevent cancelling all of those flights. Then you can get on an airplane ahead of the #1 pilot at Delta, again, if getting to work is that important to you.

I would show up to the gate, get treated like s.... by Delta gate agents, miss my two flights and go home. If 20 Delta Connection flights are cancelled in four days because I could not get to work, more reason for me to celebrate on my extra days off work! F...Delta!!!

 

[silver02ex]

If a flight cancells then I believe your DCI carrier should look into why you could not get to work. They do not make you live out of base. YOu decided to. So the blame should and will come down to you.

When you took the job at an DCI carrier did you not know that delta could move flying around? .

I get it now... Everything is the regionals guys fault. When all the DCI open and close their based because DEALTA wants the flying here or there, and because we can't pack up and spend thousands of dollars in moving expense. Having to sell and buy a new house, or breaking a lease. Since not everyone can do that, we HAVE to commute for whatever and can't get to work it our fault... Delta choose to put us behind their retirees. We didn't, but since all those retirees to go in front of us it's our fault for not being able to get on a Delta's flights? Like I said before I will choose another airline to J/S over Delta since I don't agree with thier priority, and I prefer how I get treated on UAL, Frontier, and Sothwest. I'll pass on Delta.

Sorry, but I didn't signed up to be a DCI pilot. I was flying for Northwest who I knew always had MEM, MSP and DTW. I didn't have to worry about getting kicked out of one of those bases. We didn't start seeing guys getting moved around all over the place til Delta took over.

 

[makersmarc]

Scheduling supposedly got whacked by mainline for doing this and it seems like NRPS commute option is out the window. When our trips don't pass through our domicile (DTW) in all 4 days, save for the 1st outbound and last inbound, making any above-and-beyond (beyond the 2 options) effort will only get you rewarded displacement, reserve, or some other $crew-job instead of catching back up with the trip with just having missed an out-n-back or so.

Ah, this is not the case at Comair, if that is where you are. Scheduling would love for you to believe that you are on reserve if you call in commuter, but they have to displace you (DS) for the rest of your trip. You are pay protected once you get to CVG or DTW.

 

[Hovernut]

Ah, this is not the case at Comair, if that is where you are. Scheduling would love for you to believe that you are on reserve if you call in commuter, but they have to displace you (DS) for the rest of your trip. You are pay protected once you get to CVG or DTW.

Yeah, but then once on DS, you have to hang around unless you're extremely lucky and can commute when a trip is assigned in your DS window. Kind of like a really short long-call! No thanks!

 

[WMUSIGPI]

So, Actually as you stated it is a Pinnacle(DCI) problem not Delta's. As a DCI employee you work for Pinnacle not Delta and have a contract with Pinnacle. So, the pass/cummuting problems should be blamed on your company not mainline. It is your company that makes the commuting policies for there employees, correct?

Not correct, it's Delta's policies. Heck we have a clause in our contract that states any deadhead over 3.5 hours will be in first class as long as it is allowed by the mainline partner. Guess how many times I have been in first on those flights, 0.
Delta makes the policies for nonrev and pos space travel for us. We have basically no say in it. It's dictated and we are clearly NOT partners to Delta, we are pawns. Numerous times I have had to wait for later flights going home (positive space back to domicile) because when scheduling went to build my reserve trip and book my deadhead on the first (and a couple times second) available flight home it was already oversold and per Delta policy, they then cannot book me on the flight. Delta doesn't care if I ever get home even on a working trip.

 

[makersmarc]

Yeah, but then once on DS, you have to hang around unless you're extremely lucky and can commute when a trip is assigned in your DS window. Kind of like a really short long-call! No thanks!

The last guy I flew with called in commuter for the first leg (trip didn't come back to DTW until the last day). Sked wanted to give him a reserve window and he said "okay - just put a 'DS' on my line so I am pay protected." They then decided to DH him to the overnight to meet the trip the next day, complete with credit for everything he would have flown other than the first leg. YMMV.

 

[titans10]

Not correct, it's Delta's policies. Heck we have a clause in our contract that states any deadhead over 3.5 hours will be in first class as long as it is allowed by the mainline partner. Guess how many times I have been in first on those flights, 0.
Delta makes the policies for nonrev and pos space travel for us. We have basically no say in it. It's dictated and we are clearly NOT partners to Delta, we are pawns. Numerous times I have had to wait for later flights going home (positive space back to domicile) because when scheduling went to build my reserve trip and book my deadhead on the first (and a couple times second) available flight home it was already oversold and per Delta policy, they then cannot book me on the flight. Delta doesn't care if I ever get home even on a working trip.

Elite and paying passengers should always go above DH crew members in first class. I believe DALPA contracts states that also about DH in first also. Who do you believe should go in first Delta pilots or you on Delta flights. I did not mean the non rev policy. I was talking about the Call in honest policy of the DCI companies. That is the policy/contract that you guys have with your companies. Just like at any mainline companies have it in there FOM or PWA.
I understand your frustration about not getting back to your base at the end of your trip. However, Delta is looking out for there paying passengers and the expense of bumbing them instead of a crew member.

 

[WMUSIGPI]

Elite and paying passengers should always go above DH crew members in first class. I believe DALPA contracts states that also about DH in first also. Who do you believe should go in first Delta pilots or you on Delta flights. I did not mean the non rev policy. I was talking about the Call in honest policy of the DCI companies. That is the policy/contract that you guys have with your companies. Just like at any mainline companies have it in there FOM or PWA.
I understand your frustration about not getting back to your base at the end of your trip. However, Delta is looking out for there paying passengers and the expense of bumbing them instead of a crew member.

I would expect on mainline (though not on my own airlines') those pilots would get first initially. I also wouldn't expect to bump a passenger buying a first class seat out of it.
As for looking out for paying passengers, that ship seems to have sailed long before the NWA merger, and most Diamond and Platinums I have talked to agree. Also, have you ever heard of taking care of the employees that take care of your passengers? Seems to work great for Southwest. The alternative, well look at the rest of the US airline industry.

 

[silver02ex]

deleted

 

[filejw]

FYI domestically DAL DH's are supposed to get certain seats depending on the length of the leg. I'm pretty sure we go behind non revs for 1st class, at least we did at NWA and friend told me its the same. If you DH over an ocean it is always 1st.