How about this for PBS at ASA

[CFIT]

In all fairness there were a number of SAPA reps that spent tons, tons of time working issues of AOS PBS before it went out to the group, to the tune of about 18 months of effort. Brad first agreed to it because it was felt it would be a QOL improvement for the flight crews, that is how AOS was selected, because it was the cheapest vendor out there. When it was found out that it would save the company big, then Brad said fix it and get it on.

Albiet, AOS PBS is still crap, just not as bad as it first was, but still crap.

But seriously, if the company wants it real bad, it's not for the crews QOL.

 

[Speedtape]

Speedtape,

I pretty much agree with your post except for the last two sentences in the first paragraph. The PBS instructors are line pilots and flight attendants. You can call anyone of them, and they will give you an honest answer. This information is not controlled by the company.

Thanks, I stand corrected. I was given that information from one of your pilots. He told me that you had to call the scheduling folks and then they had to research your bid.

 

[601Pilot]

Good idea, rather than talk to the only people who know anything about PBS (at ASA), you stick your head in the sand. If you believe some people who are representing you are not truthful, you need to start asking questions....This way you can piece together what you need to know and what you are hearing.

There's gonna be positives and negatives to this system. It won't be all positive and it won't be all negative as others have written. Think about the benefits of having it vs. not. Don't take my word for it, write BH. I did. I've talked to both the Company and Union at length over it. You'd be surprised what you learn if you just dig a little.

Trojan

You are assuming both sides are telling you the truth of how it is going to work. I doubt both sides at this point. PBS relies squarely on the pairings being built by the company, regardless of which system you use and our company builds some horrible pairings. If they want to impress me, they might want to improve the pairings for a few years before attempting to implement PBS.

 

[USCtrojan]

You are assuming both sides are telling you the truth of how it is going to work. I doubt both sides at this point. PBS relies squarely on the pairings being built by the company, regardless of which system you use and our company builds some horrible pairings. If they want to impress me, they might want to improve the pairings for a few years before attempting to implement PBS.

Okay, so where do you get your information? FI? I go to the source and conclude on my own. I assume nothing. I know this..... that virtually every other Carrier we compete with has it, so we either 1) take a paycut or 2) welcome PBS. It's an easy choice for me.

Trojan

 

[maxcackel]

Okay, so where do you get your information? FI? I go to the source and conclude on my own. I assume nothing. I know this..... that virtually every other Carrier we compete with has it, so we either 1) take a paycut or 2) welcome PBS. It's an easy choice for me.

Trojan

Really? I don't know about you but I have a contract that does not allow 1) A Paycut or 2) PBS, unless we vote for it. Stop with the scare tactics no one here is buying it.

 

[ASA_Aviator]

Really? I don't know about you but I have a contract that does not allow 1) A Paycut or 2) PBS, unless we vote for it. Stop with the scare tactics no one here is buying it.

True, neither of those will come without approval...that's because he left out option 3 that doesn't need/get our approval, shrinking. If we aren't efficient (or perceived as being efficient by Delta), then we will definitely not get additional flying, and will eventually start shrinking.

Welcome to the new aviation industry!

 

[Gr82Aviate]

Speedtape,

I pretty much agree with your post except for the last two sentences in the first paragraph. The PBS instructors are line pilots and flight attendants. You can call anyone of them, and they will give you an honest answer. This information is not controlled by the company.

That's why one of the PBS instructors that I asked to tell me what the problem was(after getting previous input from 3 other PBS trainers to improve bid results), told me, "it looked like I pretty much got what I wanted"! Yeah, right...PM to AM trips, 3 days instead of locals(that people junior to me were getting), and those 3 days and AM trips were all forced pairings for "coverage" that weren't even in my 7th layer.

 

[Plainsman]

If we have to get pbs, how about we get in return an extra hour of sick time every month. Not that I would use it unless I was sick. Companys got to bend a little. That commuter policy sure doesn't help me.

 

[Speedtape]

That's why one of the PBS instructors that I asked to tell me what the problem was(after getting previous input from 3 other PBS trainers to improve bid results), told me, "it looked like I pretty much got what I wanted"! Yeah, right...PM to AM trips, 3 days instead of locals(that people junior to me were getting), and those 3 days and AM trips were all forced pairings for "coverage" that weren't even in my 7th layer.

So, trying to understand your post, do you feel you got an adequate/satisfactory answer or response from the instructor to explain the result of your bid and so that you might be more informed in your future bidding? Or, were you left in the dark and frustrated that AOS is a VooDoo PBS and even instructors are not able to transfer useful knowledge because, they too, don't have the answers/knowledge?

Thanks for your response in advance!

 

[Gr82Aviate]

So, trying to understand your post, do you feel you got an adequate/satisfactory answer or response from the instructor to explain the result of your bid and so that you might be more informed in your future bidding? Or, were you left in the dark and frustrated that AOS is a VooDoo PBS and even instructors are not able to transfer useful knowledge because, they too, don't have the answers/knowledge?

Thanks for your response in advance!

Sorry if it was a little fuzzy... I talked to one of the PBS trainers after the bids came out and told him my concerns, and wondered what could be done to improve things. I mentiioned that I had already discussed in great detail what could be done to improve things with other PBS trainers, and hadn't had great success. Some of the things I considered problems on the bid award that I asked him to look at were: 1.) Getting several 3 day trips that I hadn't even bid on my 7th layer, while several people junior to me got the locals I was trying to get. 2.) Getting the AM trips that I hadn't bid, and getting them after PM's(leaving minimal rest time). 3.) It didn't seem to matter what I chose for block hours or days off, the results were never even close.
He said he'd look into it, and several days later I got the "it looks like you pretty much got what you wanted" response...Not very helpful to say the least!




P.S. None of the 3-day trips or AM pairings were even in my 7th layer. They were "forced" onto my schedule for "coverage", while several people junior to me were flying the pairings that had actually been in my bid.