Southwest is buying somebody...or something

[328dude]

So, that trip pays roughly 15 hours, which means I would have to to an additional turn somewhere in the month to make up the diffrence in my 3 day trip. No thanks, I'd rather be home.

If I'm at work, then work me. This gives me more time at home rather than spending more days away from home to make up the diffrence. That's just me, but to each his own I guess. Our type of schedules are not for everyone, but the time off it allows far outweights the need to pick up any additional flying to make the same pay in my opinion.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[PCL_128]

Yes, but like I said, I don't pick up the extra turns to "make up the difference" since I only care about making guarantee. To me, 17 days off with easy pairings while making guarantee is far superior to 17 days off with hard-working pairings to make 90 hours credit. I just don't care that much about the money. But like you said, to each his own.

 

[328dude]

Agreed.

 

[StopNTSing]

That's a recent trip that I flew, and that's pretty typical of what I'll fly. Doesn't pay a whole hell of a lot, but I keep my budget based on only making guarantee. Anything over that is gravy.

Another factoid that goes mostly unreported about our operation: Min-guarantee trips go very junior! If you're hating the idea of flying that nasty (but lucrative) 3-day with 14 legs that pays 24 TFP, you would have no trouble finding a cush 19.5 TFP (our minimum) 3-day from company open time or another pilot that you could trade into. The greed around here is breathtaking! :smash:

 

[Whataburger]

Another factoid that goes mostly unreported about our operation: Min-guarantee trips go very junior! If you're hating the idea of flying that nasty (but lucrative) 3-day with 14 legs that pays 24 TFP, you would have no trouble finding a cush 19.5 TFP (our minimum) 3-day from company open time or another pilot that you could trade into. The greed around here is breathtaking! :smash:

Can't wait to get rid of a a 15hr block 19.5 TFP on my line. Want it?

 

[400ADude]

I just don't care that much about the money.

:laugh: Sounds like you're set.

 

[400ADude]

That's because you're lazy...

Not that I'd know anything about that.

Actually, I prefer longer legs to lots of legs in a single duty period. That way I can sit back and read for 2-3 hours...

The AOM and FOM of course.

:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

Good luck in your job search!

 

[Lear70]

:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

Good luck in your job search!

Thanks, Chuck... but I have a job. Making more than I did at airTran, actually, just waiting for grievance arbitration.

But thanks for your concern.

 

[400ADude]

Thanks, Chuck... but I have a job. Making more than I did at airTran, actually, just waiting for grievance arbitration.

But thanks for your concern.

Chuck:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

Nobody cares what you or I make. Nobody. Except my wife.:laugh::laugh:

 

[Lear70]

Chuck:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:

Nobody cares what you make.

My wife does,,,

You have to remember. You can't offend me. I know you like to stir the pot and try to get people riled up.

Every time you post, I just smile because I know none of it will be positive, constructive, and usually won't even have anything to do with the thread you're in.

Have a great night.

 

[400ADude]

We agree on the wife thing .

Troll though is a bit off the mark.

I don't want to offend you but when you say you're lazy and then complain about the payrates at Airtran it is a bit much. Especially with 120 dollar oil.

 

[slaquer5]

I only care about making guarantee. To me, 17 days off with easy pairings while making guarantee is far superior to 17 days off with hard-working pairings to make 90 hours credit. I just don't care that much about the money. But like you said, to each his own.

Funny, I am sure the bean counter at AT feel that is very unproductive. With trips like that you might start to see AT losing money. JMO

 

[Lear70]

Funny, I am sure the bean counter at AT feel that is very unproductive. With trips like that you might start to see AT losing money. JMO

Actually, that appears to be the goal of the Scheduling department, believe it or not: fly each pilot right AT guarantee.

They've REDUCED the efficiency of many of the pairings down to the point where the majority of the pilot group is averaging around 75-80 hours of credit, i.e. within 5-10 hours of guarantee. They're also flying the reserves right AT guarantee, no more, no less, as much as they can.

A lot of guys have been complaining about it on the private message board, as they're getting the same or LESS days off for LESS pay. Personally, I think this is a mistake in thinking from JT.

Pilots cost money in other areas: insurance payments, 401(k) (b-fund) contributions, training, etc. If all the pilots were blocking 90 hours and getting paid for 90 hours, you could reduce the pilot force by about 10% and save all those non-wage costs and cost yourself very little more than you'd already be paying another pilot to do the same job.

I'm concerned that today's "employee meeting" with management is the announcement of just such a type of scale-back. They've been staffing pretty liberally in anticipation of future deliveries. If they're going to stop deliveries, no reason to staff extra people, and my bet is that they will soon offer voluntary LOA's, followed by other actions if they can't get the guys to voluntarily help pare down the workforce as lean as possible and still staff the flights.

Unfortunately, it's TERRIBLE timing for asking for LOA's when there's over 1,000 qualified pilots on the street from the shutdowns earlier this month. Where are they going to go?

More efficient pairings may be coming, purely as a result of fewer pilots per aircraft.

 

[Ty Webb]

We agree on the wife thing .

After reading your posts on here for the past year or so, I find it very easy to understand why you are single . . . . . you reek of negativity . . . . not exactly a "Chick Magnet". :laugh:

.

 

[Lear70]

Troll though is a bit off the mark.

Yeah, took that out, as you don't specifically ORIGINATE threads designed just to incite riot, but you DO like to egg people on.

I don't want to offend you but when you say you're lazy and then complain about the payrates at Airtran it is a bit much. Especially with 120 dollar oil.

First, I was being quasi-facetious. (note the face when I was bantering with PCL128).

Second, almost all pilots are lazy. Most of us want to make as much as we can for as little work as possible... human nature.

I just don't like 5-6 turns a day, that's all. I'd prefer 3 turns at 2 hours a piece for 6 hours of flying than 5 turns of an hour to an hour and 20 minutes each; THAT'S what I mean by "being lazy".

I love to fly; I enjoy going to work, watching the world fly by, the hectic pace of a busy approach into congested airspace and frazzled controllers, but that doesn't mean I'm a glutton for punishment to do 5 or 6 turns a day when I can get the same block (and, at airTran, the same pay) by doing 3 turns with slightly longer legs.

From what I'm gathering at Southwest, those schedules are easily available, so it can't be a payrate problem to create those pairings since Southwest is profitable, right?

Again, you're not going to offend me. I'll debate on the subject at hand, I just don't get angry when people who are known to "stir the pot" try to get me riled up.