Pilots, Us Airways Remain At Odds

[WestCoastGuy]

the furloughed pilots deserve a chance to come back to work more than I need to "make myself whole" by flying more.

But Jim, you're forgetting, the company doesn't give one thought or concern about the "furloughed". They only concern with $$$$ If you, me, or anyone else dropped dead or filed bankruptcy tomorrow, they wouldn't remember your name or if you ever worked here.

 

[mwereplanes]

When we have a management as capable as JetBlue,

When we fly a route structure as efficient as JetBlue,

When we have a fleet as efficient as the fleet at JetBlue,

When we have a corporate culture as employee friendly as JetBlue,

When our CEO is as intelligent as David Neeleman at JetBlue,

When our fare structure makes as much sense as the one at JetBlue,

Then we will work under the same contract and workrules as they do at JetBlue.

Until then, start managing and see if you can run a company as well as Neeleman and his team at JetBlue. And let us do our jobs.

mr

 

[oldiebutgoody]

Here here!

 

[WestCoastGuy]

That post should be required reading and study by EVERY manager and Exec in this company.

 

[ACrazy8]

Bravo Zulu...

 

[pitguy74]

What is FAA maximum per month compared to what U want's from it's pilots?

I would think the difference of 5hrs would depend on one's permanence. Some can do it, some can't. It's another win-lose situation

 

[oldiebutgoody]

FAA limits are 100hrs/month, but only 1000 hrs/yr. 1000 hrs/12 months = 83.3. Now, granted, SOME of those are PAY hours (not flying hours) it makes a little more than 85/month possible, but increasingly trips AND pay are going to hard time only, making much more than 85 hrs/month tough. If you include vacation and sick pay it makes it doable, but not by much.

 

[Furloughedagain]

The FAA Maximum is 100 hours per month / 1000 hrs per year.

Scheduling 95 is dangerous. Over the course of a month stuff happens... it doesn't take too many runs through Philly or LaGuardia's "New York Center Severe Weather Avoidance Plan" to add another 5 hours to your block.

Here at Comair we schedule to 92 hours -- Max. That gives them the productivity they need out of the crews without taking a chance at losing someone at the end of the month.

There are other concerns of course.

Trying to build a line that equals 95 hours without exceeding 30 in 7 (FAA req)

And what happens in December when all of your blockholders have exceeded 1000 hours (FAA req)?

(1000/12 = 83.3 hrs per month)

If ALPA offered 90 and USAir is asking for more, i'd be inclined to wonder if ANYTHING the pilot group asked for would have been accepted.

 

[mweiss]

Pilots now are on the road at least 4 days a week to fly the 85 hours they fly now (note: thats 4 x 24 hours, or up to 96 hours a week NOW). OK, now how many folks here work AT LEAST 96 hours a week. I thought not! <_<

Well, since you're including the times with eyes closed in hotels as work hours, you're probably not going to have much sympathy from road warriors. Back when I was a road warrior, I would have been thrilled to spend only 96 hours a week away from home.

I'm with USFlyer on this...rhetoric wins few hearts.

 

[mweiss]

I would rather recall furloughed pilots ... than do more flying myself ... The difference in the effect on our overall CASM will be basically negligable

I don't see how it would be negligible. An additional person is expensive, because of the levels of benefits. Well, let me back up a second...what benefits to furloughed pilots receive today?

 

[Superjames]

Maybe the pilots should agree to 95 hours and time out by October. Then the company would be forced to recall some furloughed pilots to cover the schedule through the end of the year. Beat management at their own game!

 

[pitguy74]

thx oldiebutgoddie and furloughedagain for the info.....


Hello MWeiss.... The hours worked a month by a pilot or flight attendant is only block time (I.E. Door open door closed)... A pilot or flight attendant may have a (an) 13hr DUTY day (clock in-clock out), but probably will only get paid for about 6 hrs of that; that's one day. To look at the big picture (a month), I guess this could be a bit unsafe since they put in so many DUTY hours in a months time. I.E., no pay or sleep for that matter for boarding, deplaining, pre flight papper work, pre flight safty check and walk around (external aircraft) checks, sitting at the airport for their next flight. This is all unpaid for the crew. At the end of the month, it all adds up.

 

[oldiebutgoody]

thx oldiebutgoddie and furloughedagain for the info.....


Hello MWeiss.... The hours worked a month by a pilot or flight attendant is only block time (I.E. Door open door closed)... A pilot or flight attendant may have a (an) 13hr DUTY day (clock in-clock out), but probably will only get paid for about 6 hrs of that; that's one day. To look at the big picture (a month), I guess this could be a bit unsafe since they put in so many DUTY hours in a months time. I.E., no pay or sleep for that matter for boarding, deplaining, pre flight papper work, pre flight safty check and walk around (external aircraft) checks, sitting at the airport for their next flight. This is all unpaid for the crew. At the end of the month, it all adds up.

AND, that's EVERY week of EVERY month, not just an occasional busy month.

 

[bluetoad]

Just some clarification. Jetblue only requires its pilots to fly 70 hours. It is the pilots choice via the bid system if he wants to fly more than 70 hours. Most of the time except during critical months, he can bid minimum hours and drop down to 70 hours. To be fair, this summer there has been little to no opportunity to drop down to 70 hours.

 

[PITbull]

With travel time to/from client sites, I work approx. 280 hours/month, and that does not include time spent in hotels (but does include time spent in cabs, in the air, etc.).

95 hours of flight time per month translates into approximately 500 hours away from home base per month.

Today the average daily pay rate is 5 flight hours for U, however, on duty hours per day is different and is approx. scheduled 12-14 hours, with a max-out duty of 15-16 hours per day. Those are waking hours at the airport. NOT counting any overnight. If you are not in the air, there is no wage., only actual or min. guarantee of 5 hours.

JetBlue f/as work at regular rates of pay up to 70 hours. Any hours flown after 70 is paid at time and half. JetBlue is only5% lower paid per hour than USAirways. And America West is 15% lower paid then USAirways f/as. Source is AFA airline financial analyst.

That is why the company has asked for the wages of America West; rather than Jet Blue. Jet Blue is higher paid than America West.