Displacement Irony

[CFI2766]

Sad Irony:

My original Captain called in sick, and the last half of the trip was given to a junior ready-reserve guy. He was supposed to go off of reserve at 10:00 pm and was called at 9:59. He was in the parking lot getting into his car, when the poor b*****d got stuck with a three day! This assignment came on the day that he was notified that he was being displaced back to the right seat effective 1 Sep.

The irony part is that he's one of the best guys I've flown with in quite a while.

Let's hope this all turns around sooner rather than later.

 

[EV120]

Bout the same happened to my FO Monday. Reserve FO extended for a r/t. Called by CPO, and notified of furlough while on flightdeck. Not too motivated to work after that...

 

[JustaNumber]

Not to make light of the terrible situation, but for some F/Os being furloughed, such a situation, other than the timing, may actually be welcome.

My last F/O was one of the unlucky few, but since he had relatively low flight time, he was hoping to get as many hours (and as much pay) as he could prior to being let go. He figured it would increase his options should another flying position open up to him prior to returning to ASA. I know it would be very difficult to do, but having a can-do attitude might make things easier to handle, even if it makes little actual difference. But, however each furloughee handles the situation, I feel for them all and wish them all the best of luck.

 

[WMUSIGPI]

Bout the same happened to my FO Monday. Reserve FO extended for a r/t. Called by CPO, and notified of furlough while on flightdeck. Not too motivated to work after that...

WOW, I'd have said to the CP "thanks I didn't want to fly to XXX anyway" grabbed my stuff and went home right then and there.

 

[79%N1]

WOW, I'd have said to the CP "thanks I didn't want to fly to XXX anyway" grabbed my stuff and went home right then and there.

Um, yeah......sure! The furloughs are not effective until Sept 1, so why jeapordize your job by walking off a trip 7 weeks out? Nobody is going to do that.

There is no irony here, guys. We are short staffed now, mainly due to high block hours and the summer season when there are a lot of sick calls, etc.

This fall (Sept) ASA's block hours are THEN going to be drastically cut to levels rarely seen in years and years! It is at this time that we will not need the amount of pilots we currently have. One months staffing needs have nothing to do with another. We need everyone now......In Sept, not so much. This is Delta's doing and only Delta!

BTW, I think the "New Delta" is the most poorly managed airline ever now! This is a beancounter airline only. Every flight out there is loaded to capacity, so lets cut them way back!!!! Sound business sense!

 

[aircombat]

I may be spitting in the wind but maybe we should think twice before picking up open time!!

 

[Cpt Oveur]

If ASA doesn't furlough more pilots, look for them to lower the monthly guarantee. You just wait and see, bt you know they're talking about it...

 

[DX Rick]

I may be spitting in the wind but maybe we should think twice before picking up open time!!

I recently flew with a very senior captain who commutes out of PHX. He was complaining that the reduced flights makes it harder for him to pick up open time.
We had a discussion about picking up open time while guys are fuloughed and he just didn't get it. He made some jabs at me one time saying "well, you FO's these days are too over qualified for the regionals anyway. Maybe it's best"
In the end, I said "I'm surprised they didn't teach you this at GIA. Seeing how much you paid for that job there, you'd think they would atleast teach you some code of ethics there...but then again, you paid $30k a year to fly a Beech".
He said "Well, after this leg we're done flying together"...I held up my schedule and said "You're right, I'm off for the next 3 days!"
That was the only time I have been smart with a captain. dikc deserved it though.

 

[sweptback]

If ASA doesn't furlough more pilots, look for them to lower the monthly guarantee. You just wait and see, bt you know they're talking about it...

That would be hard to do, seeing how a 75 hour guarantee is in the contract that both the company and the pilots agreed to.

 

[SLUF4]

won't flying probably pick up over the holidays and we will then be very short staffed again?

 

[Cpt Oveur]

That would be hard to do, seeing how a 75 hour guarantee is in the contract that both the company and the pilots agreed to.

Anything is negotiable

 

[ohplease!]

I may be spitting in the wind but maybe we should think twice before picking up open time!!

not this again? really?...look, heres the deal. I (and I'm sure others) was picking up open time before the first furlough (even before it was being talked about), I will continue to pick up open time as I see fit. The only thing NOT picking up open time is going to do is have me get JM'd at the end of some trip I bid for very specific reasons. If I decide to pick something up to keep from being JM'd or INT or just to make some additional $$ You'll just have to deal with it. Or not, its your choice. BUT, not picking up open time WILL NOT KEEP OR BRING BACK ANYONE! PERIOD! END OF STORY!

It really sucks and I hope they are brought back quickly (if they choose to come back).

 

[Data]

I recently flew with a very senior captain who commutes out of PHX. He was complaining that the reduced flights makes it harder for him to pick up open time.
We had a discussion about picking up open time while guys are fuloughed and he just didn't get it. He made some jabs at me one time saying "well, you FO's these days are too over qualified for the regionals anyway. Maybe it's best"
In the end, I said "I'm surprised they didn't teach you this at GIA. Seeing how much you paid for that job there, you'd think they would atleast teach you some code of ethics there...but then again, you paid $30k a year to fly a Beech".
He said "Well, after this leg we're done flying together"...I held up my schedule and said "You're right, I'm off for the next 3 days!"
That was the only time I have been smart with a captain. dikc deserved it though.

Was this before or after you took the controls?

 

[DX Rick]

Was this before or after you took the controls?

I had to take the controls afterwards, because I stuck my shank in both of his eyes!!!

 

[DX Rick]

Anything is negotiable

The senior guys will take their union buddies aside and say "Fock those junior guys, let them get furloughed! I can't go below 75 hours because I need to pay for another suround sound system in my house!"

 

[aircombat]

not this again? really?...look, heres the deal. I (and I'm sure others) was picking up open time before the first furlough (even before it was being talked about), I will continue to pick up open time as I see fit. The only thing NOT picking up open time is going to do is have me get JM'd at the end of some trip I bid for very specific reasons. If I decide to pick something up to keep from being JM'd or INT or just to make some additional $$ You'll just have to deal with it. Or not, its your choice. BUT, not picking up open time WILL NOT KEEP OR BRING BACK ANYONE! PERIOD! END OF STORY!

It really sucks and I hope they are brought back quickly (if they choose to come back).

Wow I couldn't have altered this post better if I tried. The BOLD "I" says it all. Don't worry you aren't alone with that selfish attitude. However I would like to know why you think that you getting paid time and a half getting JM'd would not bring people back. Plus you would make the extra cash that you won't if you pick the trip up so it's a win win. Plus there has been instances were there were no people available to JM and in that case flights would have to be canceled.

 

[Speedtape]

The senior guys will take their union buddies aside and say "Fock those junior guys, let them get furloughed! I can't go below 75 hours because I need to pay for another suround sound system in my house!"

The Company has less block hours to fly for Delta--much less. The economy is in the tank. They don't need 1700+ pilots.

Sorry, that's the reality. I am fairly Senior, and I don't know anyone who has said anything that resembles your quote. Maybe the Company bean counters said what you said. No one benefits in a furlough. Everyone moves backwards and the schedules get worse. Hope it is shortlived, for all of us.

 

[JustaNumber]

Wow I couldn't have altered this post better if I tried. The BOLD "I" says it all. Don't worry you aren't alone with that selfish attitude. However I would like to know why you think that you getting paid time and a half getting JM'd would not bring people back. Plus you would make the extra cash that you won't if you pick the trip up so it's a win win. Plus there has been instances were there were no people available to JM and in that case flights would have to be canceled.

The problem is that there is extra flying to be done this month and next, but that's it. If not a single open time trip was picked up, furloughees will not be brought back for such a close time frame. Come September 1, there will be less flying, although at that time we will be properly staffed. Expect to see average line values in the low '80's. Could we force them to require more pilots than is traditionally needed for such flying? Maybe, although ASA would then have a hard time being profitable. But the real problem comes next spring, when we very well may lose 20 airframes, at which time we would be massively overstaffed, even with the current number of pilots. So it just doesn't make sound business sense to have more pilots on the payroll. I know it sucks, but it is a business.

As the last guy said, let's hope the economy turns around first, before we sabotage our own company's operation and therefore our company's viability.

 

[ohplease!]

Wow I couldn't have altered this post better if I tried. The BOLD "I" says it all. Don't worry you aren't alone with that selfish attitude. However I would like to know why you think that you getting paid time and a half getting JM'd would not bring people back. Plus you would make the extra cash that you won't if you pick the trip up so it's a win win. Plus there has been instances were there were no people available to JM and in that case flights would have to be canceled.

nope, I'm not alone. And I'm not worried about what you think. As has been said by many already, open time and JM'ing isn't going to bring back anyone and rather than cancel flights ASA is going to bring in Skywest/airscuttle/or someone else on a pay-per-play basis to get CF. don't think so? better think again. just heard one of our flights to LIT get cancelled and the 700 crew DH'd on Scuttle (flt# was 99##) to little rock. How many times has Skywest "filled in" for us this year already?

Expect more

 

[FishandFly]

not this again? really?...look, heres the deal. I (and I'm sure others) was picking up open time before the first furlough (even before it was being talked about), I will continue to pick up open time as I see fit. The only thing NOT picking up open time is going to do is have me get JM'd at the end of some trip I bid for very specific reasons. If I decide to pick something up to keep from being JM'd or INT or just to make some additional $$ You'll just have to deal with it. Or not, its your choice. BUT, not picking up open time WILL NOT KEEP OR BRING BACK ANYONE! PERIOD! END OF STORY!

It really sucks and I hope they are brought back quickly (if they choose to come back).

Yes it will. You and everyone else who does it selfishly chooses to benefit financially from another pilot's loss, while aiding the company in continuing on without the need for said displaced/furloughed pilot.