Flex's new bases

[DirtyBeech]

How many bases are they opening, and what are the new work rules associated with that? Also, what are the negatives involved that would require a vote from the pilots, instead of just opening new bases?

30+ bases

A lot of places being opened that many never dreamed of. Particularly West of the Rockies.

7-8 day lines will become part of normal bidding instead of being outside the standard bid rules for these new (secondary) bases.

Longer rotations, to reduce airline costs, should be anticipated, but not mandated, at these new locations. This was not unexpected.

4 minimum days off now availbe to scheduling after a 7-8 day rotation for those new bases. This was not expected.

Everyone is thrilled with the new basing options.

Everyone is not thrilled with the shorter off period options.

Some are worried that these new scheduling rules could bleed over into the original basing rules or negatively effect those with higher seniority at the primary (original 6) bases.

It'll pass.

 

[warlord19]

Uh, Slow, can't you make a post without calling someone a name??????.......you are a........Goooober.
Cheers

 

[GlorifiedCabbie]

so is it true or not? In exchange for opening new crew bases you will have new schedules of 8 on/ 7 off?

 

[GlorifiedCabbie]

And Dirty Beech,
What do you mean these changes were not unexpected? What are they telling you that they are not telling us?

 

[DirtyBeech]

No. There is no hard 8/7 schedule.

We were told that longer rotations would likely be required to get the extra bases, but at the time folks were thinking smaller places that are quasi satellites to the primary bases like OKC is to DFW. That would make sense as that's pretty much a guaranteed two legger to any of our hotspots for owners and therefore most of the travel days would be consumed by airlining.

We didn't know about the 4 day off minimum that would be added to the scheduling rules after a 7 of 8 day rotation at the new (secondary) bases. This is also not a hard schedule. You aren't going to see endless 8-4-8-4 type of schedules being awarded. The scheduling yield hasn't changed.

Having said that....peak flying could get ugly with this as an option for those who move. That, and from personal experience, I'm in the midst of three bid periods with only two off periods that are more than the mandated minimum. Which is to say that, while 8-4-8-4 won't be the norm, it also won't be abnormal. Especially if you run the beginning and end of two bids together poorly.

I am in no way a fan of the 4 off. Maybe it can be changed later, but it's likely to hang about for some time before we have a chance to get rid of it.

 

[slowtation capt]

Uh, Slow, can't you make a post without calling someone a name??????.......you are a........Goooober.
Cheers

Here's a few;

What's the thoughts?
Is it what you guys wanted?
Is it what you expected?
Is it something that you guys want?
How are you going to vote?

Then what exactly was your point of remembering when?

All I have been hearing is how Flex management is the ones running the show now, and all Flight Options reports to them.

How is it then that you guys did not have a voice in making this crucial change to a policy that directly affects your livelihood?

How is it then that your management, the management that I have heard how wonderful and great they are, did not listen to your voices?

I remember when in a company meeting Ricci said that needed to come back ASAP. Oh wait that was only about 6 months ago.

You're right Architect, but I think a better explanation is needed to clarify what you mean by the minimum/maximum.

SECTION 24 - INSURANCE BENEFITS​

24.1 [FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]The Company shall maintain without change and continue to offer the pilots covered by this Agreement the same health, dental, vision, short term disability, long term disability, accidental death and dismemberment and life insurance benefits in effect on September 15, 2009. Effective January 1, 2011, and every January 1[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]st [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]thereafter, the Company may change the insurance carriers but no change will result in lesser benefits (e.g. reductions in coverage or benefit levels) or higher employee out-of-pocket expenses, if applicable, (e.g., deductibles, co-payments, co-insurance, prescription charges) compared to those in effect on September 15, 2009, as set forth in the Summary Plan Description and the Schedule(s) of Benefits. [/FONT][/FONT]TA 10/29/09

24.2 Employee Contributions to Premiums
24.2(a) Medical Insurance
[FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]Current employee contributions to the Medical Insurance premiums, which represent 23 percent of total Medical Plan Expenses, are set forth in the Medical and Dental Cost Appendix of the Agreement. Said amounts shall remain fixed until December 31, 2010. Effective January 1, 2011, and every January 1[/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]st [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman][FONT=Times New Roman,Times New Roman]thereafter, the pilot contribution to Medical Insurance Premiums may be increased to ensure the Maintenance of Benefits as outlined in subsection 24.1. Any increase in Medical Plan Expenses compared to the previous year (January 1 to December 31) will result in an employee contribution rate of no more than a 23 percent of total Medical Plan Expenses.
[/FONT][/FONT]

Eavesdropping is when someone you know or don't know doesn't know you are listening.
It wasn't eavesdropping
And it wasn't an assumption of him being DO, it was clearly made known.

Want anymore examples?

 

[slowtation capt]

I'm in the midst of three bid periods with only two off periods that are more than the mandated minimum.

Could you explain this further? Don't really fully understand what you mean as I am not all that familiar with your full bidding procedures.

 

[V1 Rotate]

Could you explain this further? Don't really fully understand what you mean as I am not all that familiar with your full bidding procedures.

He probably means that he's doing a "yellow" vs a "green" line. Yellow lines have schedules that waive mandatory minimums if you're willing to work them to have certain days off. Green lines meet or exceed mandatory minimums. You cannot be forced into a yellow.

 

[DirtyBeech]

He probably means that he's doing a "yellow" vs a "green" line. Yellow lines have schedules that waive mandatory minimums if you're willing to work them to have certain days off. Green lines meet or exceed mandatory minimums. You cannot be forced into a yellow.

No. I mean that I'm getting the minimum time off as mandated by a green line. Only one of those three bids was a yellow line as I was daring to get a holiday off with my family and once again failed.


Slowtation,

Per green lines rules (standard scheduling) You are guaranteed a number of days off. 4 days on mandates 3 off. 5 on, 3 off. 6/4, 7/5, 8/6.

 

[993_Pilot]

So while I'm packing my stuff and moving to Austin I need to keep reminding myself that what I'm doing is just an illusion?

I never said that. I said that KR is a master of the illusion of choice. There is no doubt that he is a very smart and charismatic leader, but you just keep paying attention to his right hand that holds the changes you want like added bases, while his left hand will be changing things like longer / extended tours, or shorter off times. That's the illusion... and it is just the beginning. Before you know it, a lot will have changed, and you will be asking yourself how the hell it all happened.