Open time with furloughs

[WSurf]

Who wants to work extra anyway?

Bingo! It's usually those that hate there wives, kids and don't have a life.

If I knew they would use me 2-3 days a month, hell I would bid reserve every month.

 

[Metro752]

bump!!!

 

[turbinesurgeon]

I used to pick up open time constantly... then many of my fellow pilots were furloughed, I quit doing it. A scheduler actually noticed I wasn't picking any up and asked why. My answer, because there are furloughs and when I am kicked out next month too I'd be pissed if anyone still here picked any up keeping me from getting recalled.
14 months later I finally was recalled.

I was at XJ then and I remember the general attitude was to not pick up open time. I also remeber a few flights in DTW canceling for lack of crew. I believe the stradigy worked. Sometimes I think I should have taken that recall.

 

[joe_pilot]

What????? If and when scheduling calls you don't have to tell them sh$t. You just don't answer the phone on your days off! The only time you have to answer the phone is on reserve. At no point are you responsible for anything that goes on at the airline while you off.

Yup. I was leaving the obvious out. My advice was just if you are dumb enough to answer the phone when they call. Or maybe your wife or GF picked up the phone because they want you the hell out of the house so their BF can come over.

For the record, I never answer the phone when they call unless I have had a few.

-JP

 

[turbinesurgeon]

I can't speak for other airlines but at my airline the company has the ability to junior man and draft pilots to cover the open trips after reserves have been exhausted - including worked into their days off. This means that the open trip WILL get covered no matter what.

While I can certainly understand the emotional reaction to picking up open trips while there are fellow pilots on furlough, the reality is that even with refusing to pick up trips they WILL be covered and WILL be flown as scheduled. My understanding is that some airlines do not have this ability to draft (force) pilots to fly uncovered trips and therefore pilots not picking up trips would have the desired effect.

Now if the union says "Do not pick up trips" I would be glad to comply with that, but don't blame other pilots for a situation that management is totally to blame for and has caused. If you don't want to fly extra that's fine, I support that, but don't look down your nose at other pilots trying to provide for their families.

This guy works at my airline and its this reason why I created this thread. I think you should have a clear understanding on how your peers think of this issue.

 

[SplitBar]

I was at XJ then and I remember the general attitude was to not pick up open time. I also remeber a few flights in DTW canceling for lack of crew. I believe the stradigy worked. Sometimes I think I should have taken that recall.

Where did you end up going? I think all that have been recalled can easily hold Jet Captain.

 

[ReverseSensing]

Where did you end up going? I think all that have been recalled can easily hold Jet Captain.

*groan* He doesn't want to hear that.

At our airline, not even 20+ year jet captains will be able to hold jet captain by the end of next year.

Turbine, I feel your pain. The attitude of some of our co-workers about picking up open time once we begin furloughing is disconcerting. For what it's worth -- which ain't much -- I agree with you.

 

[turbinesurgeon]

*groan* He doesn't want to hear that.

At our airline, not even 20+ year jet captains will be able to hold jet captain by the end of next year.

Turbine, I feel your pain. The attitude of some of our co-workers about picking up open time once we begin furloughing is disconcerting. For what it's worth -- which ain't much -- I agree with you.

Some of the things that I have heard from our own union members has been more upsetting than our own managment. Since a lot of airlines will be furloughing I thought it would be good to see where everyone stands.

Who is in charge of the "Blanket Party Comittee"?

 

[mamba20]

Your just as bad if not worse then a scab if you pick up open time during furloughs.

 

[Soverytired]

Your just as bad if not worse then a scab if you pick up open time during furloughs.

Language and words are much like a currency: when you overuse them, they lose value.

"Scab" has a very specific meaning and simply does not apply in this case. Do you really think every pilot at American Airlines who's flown 1 minute of extra flying since 9/11 (pilots on furlough ever since then) is "worse than a scab?" Should you carry a list around with their names on it? Deny them the jumpseat, and say bad things about them to their face and to their back?

Why not follow the lead and the example of your pilot leadership in this instance, whomever they might be? And I'm all about transparency: negotiate with the company to let everyone know exactly who is gobbling up all the "extra flying", override pay, and so forth.

 

[mamba20]

Language and words are much like a currency: when you overuse them, they lose value.

"Scab" has a very specific meaning and simply does not apply in this case. Do you really think every pilot at American Airlines who's flown 1 minute of extra flying since 9/11 (pilots on furlough ever since then) is "worse than a scab?" Should you carry a list around with their names on it? Deny them the jumpseat, and say bad things about them to their face and to their back?

Why not follow the lead and the example of your pilot leadership in this instance, whomever they might be? And I'm all about transparency: negotiate with the company to let everyone know exactly who is gobbling up all the "extra flying", override pay, and so forth.

You mistook what I said. What I meant was people who VJM, someone who has days off and picks up an OPEN trip, not a trip that someone is trying to get rid of and certainly not someone who gets "an extra minute" I'm all about overs thats great but picking up straight open time is not cool.

 

[670X]

WOW I can't believe I'm posting this but..... I was furloughed once. I took a job in "Screw Scheduling" for the mortgage until the recall.
It was the worst job ever, whining pilots causing schedule disruptions, losers picking up all the open time available while I was flying a desk.
If pilots are furloughed you should NOT pick up open time. You are screwing your "buddy"
It was a fate worse than death, so I went back to instructing, and delivering pizzas, at least I have my pride.

 

[j41driver]

Well I spoke with a few fellow RJ right seaters where I work, and almost threw up in my mouth when guys said they didn't understand what was wrong with picking up open time with people on furlough.

Talk about a me-first disgusting attitude.

Did you at least educate them on why they were so wrong?

 

[Abbey]

I never liked picking up time with furloughs out either. Still don't. But the truth is, the furloughs are not going to come back regardless of open time flying. They will junior man and fly reserves to the max. Only after that, if trips are still uncovered, will the furloughs be brought back.

So, noone picks up time, everyone whines about being junior manned. Or, guys can pick up time and make a little money. Either way, pilots are going to complain.

I remember at XJ when furloughs and refurloughs where the craze in 2001-2004, it was a few of the instructors that where riding around in the right seat on overtime pay. One was relieived of his instructor position because he wouldn't do it. Others were more than happy to take the money.:angryfire

 

[Soverytired]

WOW I can't believe I'm posting this but..... I was furloughed once. I took a job in "Screw Scheduling" for the mortgage until the recall.
It was the worst job ever, whining pilots causing schedule disruptions, losers picking up all the open time available while I was flying a desk.
If pilots are furloughed you should NOT pick up open time. You are screwing your "buddy"
It was a fate worse than death, so I went back to instructing, and delivering pizzas, at least I have my pride.

I'd say you're a bit schitzo there, friend.

1. Whiny pilots causing disruptions = bad

2. Pilots who help the company (and themselves) by helping plug holes caused by those disruptions = also bad.

Not sure what you really consider a friend of crew scheduling. From a crew scheduling perspective, I'd think reliable volunteer flyers would be your best resource. Yet you call them "losers".

Probably a good thing you quit.