New UAL/CAL pass travel program announced

[ualdriver]

https://skynet.ual.com/combined/content.jsp?SID=FlyingTogether_Travel&path=/links/index.jsp

There is the link. After a cursory glance, it looks pretty similar to what UAL had already. The retirees no longer board at a higher boarding priority if they had greater than 25 years of service (I think) at the time of retirement and now board at a lower priority. That's a bummer as I was looking forward to that little perk someday.

No more ridiculous higher management boarding priority.

Also, we will get "vacation passes" which will allow you to travel, space available, at the highest boarding priority. So if you use these passes, your family would travel at a higher priority than the guy with 30 years seniority, unless he uses his vacation passes too.

We will still be able to buy regular, positive space tickets on the airline with a 20% discount, which is something we use quite a bit and is nice.

Also, apparently each employee will be receiving 25,000 frequent flier miles for their frequent flyer account, whether an existing account or a new one.

Lots of other details, too. Check the link.

 

[ATRCA]

Some good things here, some bad. It certainly looks as though they tried to incorporate policies from both companies existing pass travel systems. I thought the new policy would be worse than this. It's ok at best, but better than I expected from Jeff's management team. That's not an endorsement btw...

 

[whatitdoing?]

I don't know what to make of it. I guess it's "better". I just buy a ticket these days and fully expect to extend my life by 2 days. At least the gummers don't go in front of us anymore. There would of been a riot if that went through. But a ticket you GUMMERS!!! Jeez......

 

[UC35Pilot]

Are there any limitations with use while on MLA?

 

[Cpt Oveur]

One big thing: can you see the non rev list like on employeeRes or is it a game of Russian Roulette like on weblist?

 

[rtseatrich]

So commuting to a hub next year will be a Beotch for Jr. employees.

I can hardly wait to be bumped by an Employee's Spouse and Kids when I'm trying to go to work.

That's right Spouses and dependents travel at the same boarding priority as the employee whether or not the employee is traveling with or without them.

This is big change from the current CAL non-rev policy.
Working for UAL and Jeff Lorenzo isn't going to be pleasant.

 

[dojetdriver]

But a ticket you GUMMERS!!! Jeez......

Well, guess what? Not EVERY retired employee was a pilot pulling 6 figures when then banged out. Many were just regular airline workers making standard middle class wages. And spare me the argument "well, if they wanted to make the money they should have been pilots" B.S. That's not what it's about.

And take a second guess, they lost their retirement, as well as had their ESOP go down the drain as well. So the idea of "gummers buying tickets" simply isn't a feasible option for many. In some cases, it's simply NOT to travel at all due to the lack of a benefit they thought would be there when they retired, on an income they thought would be there when they left.

I'm NOT saying that the retirees should have gone to the top, just making the point that you think EVERY retired airline employee has the money to buy tickets whenever they may want to travel/visit family.

Never ceases to amaze me what selfish pricks pilots can be.

 

[Dan Roman]

So commuting to a hub next year will be a Beotch for Jr. employees.

I can hardly wait to be bumped by an Employee's Spouse and Kids when I'm trying to go to work.

That's right Spouses and dependents travel at the same boarding priority as the employee whether or not the employee is traveling with or without them.

This is big change from the current CAL non-rev policy.
Working for UAL and Jeff Lorenzo isn't going to be pleasant.

Let me get this straight, someone has 20 years at the company and their wife is non reving somewhere and you think some new hire employee should be able to bump them? That's how it is at CO? YGTBSM

 

[Dan Roman]

Well, guess what? Not EVERY retired employee was a pilot pulling 6 figures when then banged out. Many were just regular airline workers making standard middle class wages. And spare me the argument "well, if they wanted to make the money they should have been pilots" B.S. That's not what it's about.

And take a second guess, they lost their retirement, as well as had their ESOP go down the drain as well. So the idea of "gummers buying tickets" simply isn't a feasible option for many. In some cases, it's simply NOT to travel at all due to the lack of a benefit they thought would be there when they retired, on an income they thought would be there when they left.

I'm NOT saying that the retirees should have gone to the top, just making the point that you think EVERY retired airline employee has the money to buy tickets whenever they may want to travel/visit family.

Never ceases to amaze me what selfish pricks pilots can be.

Well said.

 

[CesnaCaptn]

So commuting to a hub next year will be a Beotch for Jr. employees.

I take it you guys don't have commuter passes? You might want to negotiate that (not that you don't bigger things to worry about). A commuter at Alaska who has designated his home airport and is traveling to his domicile, flies standby with priority above all other nonrevers. I've been at the top of a 30 SA list before.

 

[Dewey Oxberger]

Let me get this straight, someone has 20 years at the company and their wife is non reving somewhere and you think some new hire employee should be able to bump them? That's how it is at CO? YGTBSM

Yes, the pilot at CAL commuting to work rides in front of the wife/kids of another employee coming home from their Disney vacation with days of flexibility. And this is bad?

 

[ualdriver]

Yes, the pilot at CAL commuting to work rides in front of the wife/kids of another employee coming home from their Disney vacation with days of flexibility. And this is bad?

I think in the survey results that the majority voted against giving commuters special treatment, as did I. If you want to commute that is your business and your problem. Why should your lifestyle choice be MY problem?

 

[Dan Roman]

Yes, the pilot at CAL commuting to work rides in front of the wife/kids of another employee coming home from their Disney vacation with days of flexibility. And this is bad?

OK Let's put this another way. I'm on vacation with the family and we only have a week of. I've got 25 years seniority and someone with 1 year with the company is going to bump me?
I commuted for three years, it sucked, but I never once felt anyone else should sacrifice because of my decision to commute.

 

[altimaklr]

Even Delta puts dependents on a lower priority when traveling solo.. and overall their policy is already geared towards the seniority crowd.. You'd think just from an operational standpoint the company would want actual employees getting where they need to go over vacationers.

 

[altimaklr]

OK Let's put this another way. I'm on vacation with the family and we only have a week of. I've got 25 years seniority and someone with 1 year with the company is going to bump me?
I commuted for three years, it sucked, but I never once felt anyone else should sacrifice because of my decision to commute.

At DL and also US Airways, if your Dependant is traveling with you on the same PNR they are all the same priority. Alone, they are one notch down. Won't affect your travel plans gramps.

 

[clr4theapch]

Commuting dispatchers had a tough time before but now they will be SOL for sure... I'm sure this is why all the latest dispatch openings requires you live locally...

Not a boo hoo.. or anything, just saying.. for many of us (ADX), getting to J/S was a real perk of dispatching with the ability to live in the warm south.. But MCO/TPA/MIA et. el, has been a dispatchers nightmare for many years due to all the flight crews that live down here.. before this change.. the other airlines will certainly follow suit..

 

[4got2flare]

Even Delta puts dependents on a lower priority when traveling solo.. and overall their policy is already geared towards the seniority crowd.. You'd think just from an operational standpoint the company would want actual employees getting where they need to go over vacationers.

Wrong!
As the spouse of a Delta employee I ride at the same pass level regardless of the employees presence. As a kid growing up I got to ride at my dad's pass level when he didn't want to go. It's always been that way.
List S3 and then watch date of hire of hire. S2 is an option but why burn them if you don't have to.

 

[Helos2Galaxy]

Even Delta puts dependents on a lower priority when traveling solo.. and overall their policy is already geared towards the seniority crowd.. You'd think just from an operational standpoint the company would want actual employees getting where they need to go over vacationers.

Not true....

The spouse/family of an active employee iregardless of department hired one day before me will board before me if traveling on the same priority.

 

[rtseatrich]

OK Let's put this another way. I'm on vacation with the family and we only have a week of. I've got 25 years seniority and someone with 1 year with the company is going to bump me?
I commuted for three years, it sucked, but I never once felt anyone else should sacrifice because of my decision to commute.

Dan you might want to re read the thread. If you are accompanying your wife and family you should travel at your boarding priority no debate there.

However if your Wife and Kids are non-revving on a flexible schedule without you (the Employee);
Should they really have boarding priority over an Employee?

Then consider the fact that the Employee they bump is a commuting crew member.

The commuting crew member isn't pleasure riding like your family. They are going to work. They are an Employee going to work to generate revenue for the company.

Now this wonderful Management team (CAL) last year displaced 300 pilot positions from EWR to IAH. Mgmt. said "it was to give commuters better options and connections out of IAH?" The reality it was to mitigate the voting power of a very unified EWR base. Over 60 Jr. pilots who bit the bullet and moved to the New York area were displaced to IAH. After residing to the fact that EWR would be the Jr. base and it was best to move their families to the Jr. base Mgmt. threw them a curve ball. So now IAH is the Jr. base and flying out of the IAH base is forced thru EWR. On the 737 and 757 IAH pairings there are lots of EWR overnights. Some 4 day trips out of IAH even layover 2 nights out of 3 in EWR.

So moving for this company is not really a good decision for Jr. folks. At CAL we have seen LAX, DEN, IAD, GSO, SEA, HNL and other pilot domiciles close. In addition to EWR realignment, CLE has shrunk by 2/3. The best advice I ever got from Captains I have flown with at CAL was to live where you need to. If you need to live close to family then do it. Don't move to a base a count on it being there. It was unimaginable that EWR would be more Sr. then IAH. Thanks Mgmt.

 

[Uncle Bort]

At DL and also US Airways, if your Dependant is traveling with you on the same PNR they are all the same priority. Alone, they are one notch down. Won't affect your travel plans gramps.

"gramps" ....Classic!