Does your company offer online bidding?

[ifly4food]

Does your cmpany offer online bidding? Do you have to pay for it or is it free?
My company set up a great online bidding system for us last summer. They promised it would revolutionize monthly bids, and even open time and swaps, which it has. They said it would be free because it would save them so much money in man hours and paperwork, which it has.
Well guess what... now that it's gotten popular enough that 90% of the pilots use it, they want us to pay $7.95 a month for it.
Would you pay for the convenience of picking up open time at home in your underwear or tell your company to kiss off like we are?

 

[swimmer]

online bidding

My company (World Airways) offers, and encourages online bidding free of charge to the pilots. While there is no open time or ways to trip trade, it is far more convienent than mailing faxing, or calling in. We also get a confirmation page that can be printed out that allows us to verify that we have bid. I have enough monthly fees, and payroll deductions I don't need another one just to bid.

 

[strega7]

SkyWest has been doing online bids for about a year now. The bid system (lines,pairings, etc.) are just a small part of our online world. We can access news, memos, bulletins, manuals, releases, WX, SOP, etc, etc. You can access it from any internet connection.

Fly Safe

 

[~~~^~~~]

IFF - We agree! The "No's" have it by 100%!

 

[MetroSheriff]

Does your cmpany offer online bidding? Do you have to pay for it or is it free?
My company set up a great online bidding system for us last summer. They promised it would revolutionize monthly bids, and even open time and swaps, which it has. They said it would be free because it would save them so much money in man hours and paperwork, which it has.
Well guess what... now that it's gotten popular enough that 90% of the pilots use it, they want us to pay $7.95 a month for it.
Would you pay for the convenience of picking up open time at home in your underwear or tell your company to kiss off like we are?

IFF,

As a fellow ASA pilot, you know how I feel about the company requiring us to pay for remote access. However, in all fairness, the company NEVER said it would be free for remote access, other than the trial period. From day one, I had been told that eventually (following the free trial period) that the cost would be $10 per month if we wanted to access it from home. This discussion has been going on for quite some time. The Communications Comittee Chariman has done an outstanding job since Flica was first introduced of letting people know that eventually the free ride would end and that when that time time came we should all take a stand, which seems to be happening uniformally.

In the immortal (LOL) words of Nancy Reagan: JUST SAY NO!!!

 

[Green Banana]

Horizon Air has on-line bidding and it has been this way for about a year. It is a great system but I would never pay for it. What is next? You have to pay to call and check on your reserve status? You have to pay to park at the airport while at work? Tis is too Far!!!

ALOHA

 

[Luv2flycrj]

METROSHERIFF, at the June 99 ALPA meeting Dan Waters stated, FLICA would be FREE. No 6 month trial, only free in the crew lounge, but free to all pilots.

Regards
Luv2fly

 

[profile]

All of this has been available via online and/or touchtone phone at FedEx for years, always no charge to us.

 

[MetroSheriff]

METROSHERIFF, at the June 99 ALPA meeting Dan Waters stated, FLICA would be FREE. No 6 month trial, only free in the crew lounge, but free to all pilots.

Regards
Luv2fly

He was correct. It is free to all pilots. Just not from home. This is what I have been told since day one.

 

[DairyAir]

flica

At Air Willy we have that flica online stuff, got it about six months ago, it is free on the machines at work but you have to pay for it at home. We are suposed to be able to trip trade etc but I have not tried to do that yet. Also we just started an online mail system where we can see PIFs, schedules, mail, etc. it works pretty well and we don't have to pay for it. Each employee has thier own company E-Mail address. And no I do not pay the fee to bid from home, I just do it at work or E-Mail my bid in over the company sytem. We can still work out our bids on flica for free just can't submit them.

 

[DO328-JET FO]

ACA has bidding, timecards, trip-trades and travel pass request all on-line over the Internet.

It works well and is free too.

DO328

 

[e120flier]

Originally posted by BlueRidger:

Build your own
At ACA we have one very talented pilot who has built a beautifully simple and functional web site which links into our crew scheduling software. It started out small but has become quite powerful. It does bidding, trip trading, reserve bucket viewing, online time cards and crew messaging to payroll, scheduling and human resources. It is also evolving quickly with pilot imput. It is amazing to write a typical pilot suggestion (whiney complaint) on a message board and see an improvement to the softwre based on that complaint the next day. It can be accessed using any internet connection without cost. Pilots are generally computer savvy people and from the few guys I know at ASA you guys have more than enough talent. Don't buy or copy something that does not fit your needs. build something that fits your pilot groups needs.

(and yes flica tried to hire our pilot away but thank god he said NO.)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Now this might be something for us to consider at ASA. First we could end up with a system that is as good if not better than FLiCA (we all know that there are things that FLiCA could improve upon, and they are not quick to address the issues). Second, as the company has already bought into a contract with FLiCA it would seem that the possibility of an unused system might add incentive to recoup the expense through other means i.e. less manpower in scheduling? Thoughts? e120flier

 

[Luv2flycrj]

METROSHERIFF, somehow that didn't come out right. Dan said it was going to FREE no matter where you logged on from. FREE FREE FREE.

Regards,

Luv2fly

 

[ifly4food]

METROSHERIFF, somehow that didn't come out right. Dan said it was going to FREE no matter where you logged on from. FREE FREE FREE.

Regards,

Luv2fly

Yes, but we all know what happened to Dan, too...

This FLiCA mess is just one more "sign of the times". We're in big trouble come September.

 

[Prop Trash]

Continental Express recently upgraded their on-line bidding system to include open time shopping, trip trades, reserve coverage by day, fleet, and base, trip advertisements (to be picked up), etc. It's called CCS (Crew Communication System). Mainline uses the same thing, they just plugged in the CALEX contract and gave us on-line access. It's better than the old Crew Trac system that was formerly in place. I think there would be a HUGE uprising if they made us pay for it. It's a trade-off though, we have to pay for the initial cost of our uniforms through monthly payroll deduction and we have to pay to have them cleaned.

 

[Sphincter Boy]

COEX has had it for over a year now

 

[FL000]

I agree with MetroSheriff. I have known since day one that FLiCA would eventually be a pay service, and I also knew that I would not pay a dime for it when it became such.

 

[Old Crow]

I know that the Delta Easy Bid system cost's about 10 per month plus you have to buy the software for 120.00. However, Delta provided everyone with a computer at a highly discounted rate, plus they start their pilots at our Captains level of pay.

If ASA wants us to use FLICA for their benefit, they can pay the bill.

I know what... Why don't the pilots just pay for the fuel too!

 

[rjcap]

Its real simple boys. If you don't want to pay for it then don't. You can utilize the terminals at work and it won't cost you a dime.

As far as getting some college computer programer to create a better system. I'm all for it. Feel free to make it happen and then you can present it to the company and the pilot group.

Regarding the ACA system that was done for free. This may be the case but from what I read on this web page ACA is not such a great place to work these days.

Considering the upcoming contract negotiations in September, I think there are more pressing issues then the $7.95/month FLICA charge.

And yes Dan Waters IS OUT OF THE PICTURE !!!!!!!

All you FO's on this board. Scheduling just called and they want you at the airport in 30 minutes.

 

[Saabslime]

Mesaba has had this for a while through the ALPA website. No charge. I can't believe that a company is asking its pilot group to pay for something they say will help them out!! It's like giving the company concessions and then paying for the privilege.