QOL @ NetJets

[realityman]

B19, your tap dancing is getting a little sloppy. I notice your answer above sort of skirts around the issue Willy21 brought up, and just goes back to union bashing (nope, you're definitely not a union hater).

So how about it. What say you about Delta's decision to sell the fuel hedges?

Heck, how about a response to the fact that the economy took a major stutter-step right after 9/11 and NJA continued with very nice growth. Or the fact that many folks said our '05 contract would bankrupt the company, and yet even today, we're still in a very profitable area.

Look, if you don't like unions, fine. Many people don't. I didn't at first. In fact, even after being at NJA for many years I had a low opinion of unions. It took 1108 to change my attitude. My personal experience has made me see the value of having OUR SPECIFIC UNION in what we do. From your past posts, your personal experiences have made you see all the bad in unions. At this point, your anti-union attitude vs. the pro-union attitudes is just repetitive and useless.

The only problem I see is that your attitude towards 1108 doesn't reflect the reality of 1108. They have done nothing but good things for the pilot group, AND THE COMPANY. All the committees and programs our union now has that work cooperatively with the company are doing great things towards improving conditions for both the pilots and the company. Things that go far beyond just contract negotiations. Our ASAP and safety programs, just to name a couple.

I also don't understand this constant thing about "The day will come when NJA is swept down the toilet.". So? The same could be said for ANY company, in aviation or otherwise. We could see SWA, FedEx, UPS, or any of the traditionally good companies go down the drain one day. You're kinda like the guy that is always forecasting a bear market during a prolonged bull market. When, inevitably, the bear market arrives that guy can go "See!? See, I told you things were gonna get bad!". But the thing is, everyone knew it would happen eventually. Nothing lasts forever.

You also seem to take great pleasure in pointing out all the ways unions have ruined good companies and driven them under. How about this: Why don't we start a list of good companies that went under that were non-unionized. Do you think there might be a few? Who's to blame in all those instances? Hmmmm.......try not to think too long on it.

On the whole, I'd say a greedy union may aid in, or accelerate, the demise of a company, but ultimately they all go down because of poor management or a bad business model.

 

[RP170]

CA1900 has nailed it on the head. I came from cargo but his explaination of the job is spot on. I'm in Key West right now with a broken airplane. Looks like we are going to be here 2 full days hanging out in town waiting for the plane to get fixed.

I've been in Key West the last 2 days in a Crowne Plaza right on Duval Street. "Hotel Duty" with a good airplane. This place is pretty amazing as far as I'm concerned. Food, hotels, no commuting. The list goes on and on.

Tomorrow is the last day of my tour and I'll be home by 12:30 PM. I started on Christmas day but didn't have to be to the airport till 3 PM. Got to be with the family most of the day and collect my $480 (1st year holiday pay rate) of holiday pay.

I'll NEVER go back to the airlines.

 

[fischman]

Outside of SWA, Delta had a very successful fuel hedging program that in conjunction with being the least unionized carrier allowed them to stay out of bankruptcy for much longer than any other carrier.

1108 has a long way to go to prove that it's a different animal than any other pilot union. If it looks like a union, walks like a union sounds like a union, it's a union. Historically, unions have only served the pilots and not in the best interest of the carrier.

To think that 1108 is attempting to be the "ALPA" of fractionals isn't good for the industry. When the ecomomy stutters (and it will) all of the fracs will be sucked down with it just like all the 121 carriers were if the ambitions of putting all the eggs into the 1108 basket are successful.

I are looking more and more foolish with every post.

Seriously. Educate yourself before making asinine comments like this one. Everyone is now more stupid after having read that. The inaccuracies in truth and the terrible spelling can make anyone puke.

BTW, were you in KRAL last week?

 

[Standby]

Hey guys, just had a couple quick questions. I was curious exactly how the 15 day flex works? Are you essentially on call all month or do you have any idea what days you might be working in advance? Do you bid for on and off days? Lastly, how long would it take to get the 15 day flex as a newhire? Thanks a lot in advance for taking the time to answer my questions.

 

[NJA bound]

see guitar guys post, its better

 

[Guitar Guy]

Hey guys, just had a couple quick questions. I was curious exactly how the 15 day flex works? Are you essentially on call all month or do you have any idea what days you might be working in advance? Do you bid for on and off days? Lastly, how long would it take to get the 15 day flex as a newhire? Thanks a lot in advance for taking the time to answer my questions.

It's been discussed before, but I'll try to give you a quick overview. On the Flex, the company can schedule you for up to 15 days in a month. The maximum tour length is 5 days. The minimum days off following a tour (regardless of length) is 3 days. There is no bidding for days on or off. There is no "on call" - if you aren't going into a required day off, the company will brief by 6 PM local of that day if the following day is a work day. As for holding the Flex, no one knows how senior or junior that schedule will go. The contract allows the company to put 10% of a fleet/seat combo on the Flex. You could bid to the Flex after your initial training is done.

I hope that helps.

 

[Standby]

Thanks for the quick replies

 

[Willy21]

B19,

Thanks for reminding me about Southwest and their non-unionized employeey force. That is right, Southwest is one of the most unionized employee groups in the industry. So explain that one for me. Maybe Southwest has the culture to allow unions and the company to work together. Maybe NetJets has a similar culture.

Having been a member of ALPA and the 1108 I can assure you that there is a difference. Will it stand the test of time, well only time will tell. I can tell you this, there are many former ALPA members in the 1108 that see where we took the wrong fork in the road. They are working their hardest to not make the same mistakes twice. As of today we, the members of the 1108, have a good working relationship with out management team. Will it last I hope so. I can tell you it will last as long as both sides are willing to work together. I can tell you that Delta and United management didn't want to play, ie. went back on there word many times, and got ALPA playing against them in a battle that nobody can win.

I think what you need to do is say that you don't like unions and move on. You are doing nothing constructive here. The 1108 has a lot going for itself right now and somebody on a message board behind an assumed name will never change that.

Have a happy New Year.

 

[Willy21]

One other thing, where has the 1108 ever said that it wanted to be the ALPA of the fractional indsutry?

 

[KODI3]

Thanks to all the info so far. Couple of more questions for folks in the know:

What are the avg leg lengths per day?
Not familiar w/corporate jets, but do any of these, besides the BBJ, have galley/head facilities?
Haven't seen anything mentioned about NJ International. Anyone care to provide some insight? Are they on the same pay scales?
Could someone add the link to the 100 bases one more time?

THANKS