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[Travelpro72]

I don't want or expect anything from blockholders. Blockholders today are doing what they are allowed to do per the contract. When you hear some complain about their inability to "trip improve" or drop trips it falls on mostly deaf ears. As a primary blockholder you have something like 5 different opportunities to rearrange your schedule correct? There is more to why we are held on reserve at this company than downsizing since 9/11. Look at the past few months. I think it was May to June possibly, can't quite remember that they went BACKWARDS in secondary lines YET we had transatlantic picking up due to seasonal flying. The company does NOT know how to staff and should NOT be rescheduling every damn day. Look at all the open time and you see the reserves without lines that would LOVE to have them (flexibility or NOT). It makes NO sense and NO OTHER AIRLINE DOES IT. Get it, NO other airline. PERIOD. Then after they are done scheduling for future you see a page or two of "possible trips". It's bullsh!t all the way around. When you complain about the inability to drop try being called at 1am to fly to europe when you just came in from a trip that you were assigned. It happens day after day and to every seniority thats on reserve. Some months you luck out but sometimes you don't. It's not right. With all that said scheduling wonders why the reserve screen use to say SCK next to so many names and now N/A. It won't change as more reserves are becomming more P!ssed.

 

[soc-hpjester]

First off we need to get the east on the west's scheduling system and not have the fa's fly with the pilots all the time.

 

[Travelpro72]

That could be a good AND a bad thing. We would have higher paytime trips but considering how they schedule now they'd LOVE to be able to fly you all damn day. Creating magic pairings out of nowhere. No thanks. For jokes but I could just imagine hearing "ring ring, Hi daily scheduling calling for ****, we have a SNN out and back.

 

[SKY HIGH]

Look at all the open time and you see the reserves without lines that would LOVE to have them (flexibility or NOT). It makes NO sense and NO OTHER AIRLINE DOES IT.

sky high states: That's a good question, why isnt Open time or vacation trips made into secondary lines? Anyone have more knowledge on this?

only stating opinions

 

[missthe727]

http://www.afausairways.org/Eline/jul18_07.htm

MIKE FLORES states:

Every time a Reserve calls one of us we are directly affected.
Every time a Reserve sends one of us an email we are directly affected.
Every time a Reserve talks to one of us on a flight we are directly affected.

I don't understand these statements....

Is Mike Flores saying that he is directly affected by these things happening because the reserve's phone call is interfering with his time with his family????

Is Mike Flores directly affected because he is getting paid to hit reply and respond when a reserve sends an e-mail ???

Is he directly affected because he can't listen to his iPOD or sleep on a flight because a reserve is talking to him --which he is PAID to do ???

I'm sorry Mike but you are NOT directly affected until you hand out your home phone number and let EVERY reserve call you AT HOME everytime they are screwed over by this crumby reserve system.

 

[EMBFA]

sky high states: What flexibilities? NOT being able to trip improve off of weekend trips now, you have to touch those days. Or when the bid sheet isnt restricted? When is that?
You're NOT on reserve at the expense of blockholders, this company has downsized for the past 15 years! You get off reserve when THERE IS MOVEMENT in seniority. That's NOT happened, except for voluntary leaves. And those leaves allowed many of you to KEEP your job.

What exactly, do you want from the blockholders???????
only stating opinions

No other airline has this flexibility, bid sheet etc... it's more simple, drop, pick up, trade, most everyone has a line (pnly US calls it a "block" ?), a few reserves for emergencies.

 

[SKY HIGH]

Most people at US Airways aside from the constantly furloughed lower part have never worked for another airline in the last couple of decades and has little or no idea of what other carriers are like.

sky high states; I do, this is not even my second.

So, if the bidsheet goes, more people will hold blocks? How so? Wouldnt that have the opposite effect, a furlough?

only stating opinions

 

[EMBFA]

Yes, the elimination of the bid sheet would produce much more blocks. It's taking the buffet out of the kitchen and instead making plates and bringing them out into the living room to share with everyone.

The bid sheet elimiation iteslf would not cause furloughs, but a productive contract would. Quite honestly, US most likely is overstaffed but operated and organized poorly.

US itself has 200 airplanes, the majority being small narrowbodies staffed with three F/As. In its current form, with productive contracts, you could probably staff it with about 3000. It's actually a very small airline- large brand, tiny airline compared to the majors or even the LCCc, many of which are bigger than US (again- we are talking about the actual entity/certificate US Airways Inc.)

Higher aircraft utilization and more productive crew use would result in growth, but that would be a company interested in adding capacity and growth. US is a company that is hellbent on reducing domestic capacity by sacrificing its own network through mergers (which is actually better for airline employees in the long run, but that's a different topic).

I'd rather see it right-sized and rationalized even if it caused furloughs. Let someone else sit reserve and never move! I didn't vote in any of these contracts.

 

[Travelpro72]

I love the "bringing the buffet out of the kitchen" analogy. That is EXACTLY what the bid sheet is. It keeps all these trips for the sake of picking up trading amongst the blockholders. If they would only distribute these trips to the others, creating more blocks you would not need all these reserves sitting around waiting to pick up scraps at 3pm like pigeons in a park after bread. THAT is basically what I have been trying to say about the blockholders having flexibility that keeps the reserves held down. You don't need to have growth or retirements to move to a block.

 

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

US is a company that is hellbent on reducing domestic capacity by sacrificing its own network through mergers (which is actually better for airline employees in the long run, but that's a different topic).

I like much that you have posted. This paragraph is intriguing? to me-what did you have in mind?

 

[EMBFA]

I like much that you have posted. This paragraph is intriguing? to me-what did you have in mind?

Well, I don't want to stray too far off topic (I'm NEVER one to do that! )....

Look at the mergers of the 80's and before. They were about expanding reach and developing national or international networks. Even the aborted 2000 UAUS was all about being the largest airline in the world with the most comprehensive network- a huge, sprawling network. This is no longer the case. In fact, the next round of mergers is pretty much about the total opposite.

One of the biggest problems with the American airline industry is overcapacity. There are too many seats flying around, or too many airlines chasing the same passenger. Too many redundant hubs serving the same areas, and too many frequencies with small aircraft.

The example US mgmt used frequently for the USDL tie-up was a good one. US has multiple RJs from Asheville to CLT a day full of obviously connecting traffic. DL also has numerous flights a day from Asheville to thier stronger ATL hub. The redundancy could be eliminated by axing the CLT service (no local traffic on that one anyway), and having less frequencies with larger aircraft to ATL. The same amount of people have been connected to the same cities, much more efficeintly and economically. Overlapping routes would be cut, token hubs would be closed in favor of the larger ones with high O&D traffic. Again, less aircraft, labor and other costs would be used overall to accomplish pretty much the same connectivity.

Fare-wise, less competition and less capacity puts the good we are selling (seats) at more of a premium. If you have six cinemas in your town showing the same movie, they will undercut each other to a point where no one is making money. Maybe you really only need three theaters. There may be enough moviegoers to fill four, but with three those seats are in demand and you can charge a higher price for them.

The current US Airways management team couldn't run a reliable operation if they had one Cessna flying from Ithaca to Elmira. They do however, probably understand the above more than any other carrier at the moment. They also realize that they don't have many great cards- two highly regionalized short haul carriers, barely merged. A nearly almost all-domestic network entirely exposed to low cost carrier competition, and worse, very little international presence with severely limited intl growth opportunities. The smallest of the Big Six by far. They are runway roadkill if the others consolidate without them.

They realize this and therefore want to make sure they are not only involved in consolidation, but in putting the deal together on thier terms (meaning best interest of mgmt and shareholders). Crappy brand and operation and disgruntled labor/customers aside, HPUS is considered a success. It's profitable in a very challenging environment. Mergers are tough, and although they haven't pulled it off in our eyes, they've accomplished an amazing feat in the eyes of others. They can claim this and get backing for another merger.

Back to my original point in the difference in yesterday's mergers and the upcoming consolidation (it is upcoming, quite soon, while we talk pie). These mergers will be about reducing overlap and competition. US has arguably the weakest network, and is willing to be the sacrificial lamb everyone wanted it to be as long as it is calling the shots. Combine capacity reduction with the traditional benefits of consolidation and you have a pretty compelling recipe for fixing the industry that doesn't involve re-regulation. The status quo of this country's airline industry is simply not sustainable and on the brink of failure. The govt does not want to regulate the industry even though comprehensive air travel is a neccesity, but after the near shutdown of 9-11 they will be much more accomodating to mergers. They already are in every other industry.


So there will be mass layoffs, hub closures, headquarters closures, you name it. As big if not bigger upheaval than post 9/11. I know, how, dear little EMBFA, is this good for any of us? Well, a stronger and profitable industry means stronger baragaining power for unions. US had great contracts, pay and work rules when it was USAir or the highway throughout a major part of the country. Larger groups also have more leverage. A combined group of 50,000 F/As is going to have more power than our measly 4000. Painful as the transition will be, a healthy industry is much better for airline employees going forward.

Sorry for the meandering post, but that's what I meant by my comments- expect no movement through growth at the current, pre-merged US Airways. The unseen blessing here for our reserves is that thier decade or two of service makes them junior here because of our disjointed, shrunken carcass of an airline. But merge them into pretty much any of the biggger boys and they are mid-level seniority on those combined lists. They will be doing okay, and will not be the ones furloughed. I personally feel it's worth hanging on to my seniority number for that. In the meantime I'm going to fight to improve our current conditions, because I consider them unacceptable and they set a precedent.

 

[2clippedwings]

Well, I don't want to stray too far off topic (I'm NEVER one to do that! )....

EMBFA,
Excellent post.

 

[GroundedBoricua]

Heres way way to reduce open time and put more reserves into blockholders. Its called a move-up line. How is it done, for the first five days of a new bid month, scheduling is to call reserves in senority order to build a line. Where do the trips come from?? All the trip that are in open time. In other words, let the reserve pick from open time a build his own line with trip that no one has.

 

[freedom]

Well, I don't want to stray too far off topic (I'm NEVER one to do that! )....

Look at the mergers of the 80's and before. They were about expanding reach and developing national or international networks. Even the aborted 2000 UAUS was all about being the largest airline in the world with the most comprehensive network- a huge, sprawling network. This is no longer the case. In fact, the next round of mergers is pretty much about the total opposite.

One of the biggest problems with the American airline industry is overcapacity. There are too many seats flying around, or too many airlines chasing the same passenger. Too many redundant hubs serving the same areas, and too many frequencies with small aircraft.

The example US mgmt used frequently for the USDL tie-up was a good one. US has multiple RJs from Asheville to CLT a day full of obviously connecting traffic. DL also has numerous flights a day from Asheville to thier stronger ATL hub. The redundancy could be eliminated by axing the CLT service (no local traffic on that one anyway), and having less frequencies with larger aircraft to ATL. The same amount of people have been connected to the same cities, much more efficeintly and economically. Overlapping routes would be cut, token hubs would be closed in favor of the larger ones with high O&D traffic. Again, less aircraft, labor and other costs would be used overall to accomplish pretty much the same connectivity.

Fare-wise, less competition and less capacity puts the good we are selling (seats) at more of a premium. If you have six cinemas in your town showing the same movie, they will undercut each other to a point where no one is making money. Maybe you really only need three theaters. There may be enough moviegoers to fill four, but with three those seats are in demand and you can charge a higher price for them.

The current US Airways management team couldn't run a reliable operation if they had one Cessna flying from Ithaca to Elmira. They do however, probably understand the above more than any other carrier at the moment. They also realize that they don't have many great cards- two highly regionalized short haul carriers, barely merged. A nearly almost all-domestic network entirely exposed to low cost carrier competition, and worse, very little international presence with severely limited intl growth opportunities. The smallest of the Big Six by far. They are runway roadkill if the others consolidate without them.

They realize this and therefore want to make sure they are not only involved in consolidation, but in putting the deal together on thier terms (meaning best interest of mgmt and shareholders). Crappy brand and operation and disgruntled labor/customers aside, HPUS is considered a success. It's profitable in a very challenging environment. Mergers are tough, and although they haven't pulled it off in our eyes, they've accomplished an amazing feat in the eyes of others. They can claim this and get backing for another merger.

Back to my original point in the difference in yesterday's mergers and the upcoming consolidation (it is upcoming, quite soon, while we talk pie). These mergers will be about reducing overlap and competition. US has arguably the weakest network, and is willing to be the sacrificial lamb everyone wanted it to be as long as it is calling the shots. Combine capacity reduction with the traditional benefits of consolidation and you have a pretty compelling recipe for fixing the industry that doesn't involve re-regulation. The status quo of this country's airline industry is simply not sustainable and on the brink of failure. The govt does not want to regulate the industry even though comprehensive air travel is a neccesity, but after the near shutdown of 9-11 they will be much more accomodating to mergers. They already are in every other industry.
So there will be mass layoffs, hub closures, headquarters closures, you name it. As big if not bigger upheaval than post 9/11. I know, how, dear little EMBFA, is this good for any of us? Well, a stronger and profitable industry means stronger baragaining power for unions. US had great contracts, pay and work rules when it was USAir or the highway throughout a major part of the country. Larger groups also have more leverage. A combined group of 50,000 F/As is going to have more power than our measly 4000. Painful as the transition will be, a healthy industry is much better for airline employees going forward.

Sorry for the meandering post, but that's what I meant by my comments- expect no movement through growth at the current, pre-merged US Airways. The unseen blessing here for our reserves is that thier decade or two of service makes them junior here because of our disjointed, shrunken carcass of an airline. But merge them into pretty much any of the biggger boys and they are mid-level seniority on those combined lists. They will be doing okay, and will not be the ones furloughed. I personally feel it's worth hanging on to my seniority number for that. In the meantime I'm going to fight to improve our current conditions, because I consider them unacceptable and they set a precedent.

wow that's an amazing opinion , this really deseves to be it's own seperate post (thread etc), its just that good .

 

[SKY HIGH]

No other airline has this flexibility, bid sheet etc... it's more simple, drop, pick up, trade, most everyone has a line (pnly US calls it a "block" ?), a few reserves for emergencies.

sky high states: Isnt flexibility about the only thing we have left? Vacation, pension, sick time, trip improving all reduced via concessions.

Why go after the BIDSHEET? GO AFTER THE RESERVE SYSTEM! Everyone hates reserve, right? You have to have reserves, so think outside the box. Why not build RESERVE LINES with "two weeks on reserve"........and the next two weeks, "vacation and open time trips built into the reserve lines". Or the first two weeks with trips built in, and the next two weeks reserve. You'd ONLY BE ON RESERVE, at the most, two weeks in a row PER MONTH. Or you could bid, back to back lines with block trips built in, then reserve at the end of one month into the next month. YOUR CHOICE.

WE HAVE TO GET RESERVES.....OFF RESERVE SOMEHOW, WHILE, not giving up another "benefit" to all of us, the bidsheet.

comments????????


only stating opinions