reserves f/a's are sitting in phl

[MarkMyWords]

I hate to say this, but keep complaining about reserves not flying and I am sure someone could arrange a furlough to reduce headcount. While I understand the issues of being on reserve, it could be worse.......

 

[Twicebaked]

I hate to say this, but keep complaining about reserves not flying and I am sure someone could arrange a furlough to reduce headcount. While I understand the issues of being on reserve, it could be worse.......

Mark,

They will reduce if they WANT to reduce, not because we complain about it.

 

[Travelpro72]

To keep quiet as a reserve on this system is not the answer. I don't think there is that much of an overage either. If there is an overage then how can it be that we went from working our rears off and thankfully not sitting to sitting idle waiting for a trip with the shackles on? All of the trips that go into open time could be made into blocks. If every other airine out there can manage without so many reserves how is it that we at US-east can't? There is NO benefit to sitting around. How do we as reserves have flexibility to "work" the system? There only a few instances where a reserve has flexibility in their flying such as 30/7, assigned OPR only once or your rest period. Not much else. The midnight to midnight is good only 50% of the time. How to change the system is a tough question but I feel that most that don't want to work are leaving. I know that I sure as hell can't afford bills on min. guarantee. I am more than happy to fly my rear off when on duty. If there are others out there that don't want to fly, I'm sure interested to know how they get around it. When your LTO is reached you take a trip. If you abuse sick-calls they are certainly cracking down on that. Hoooohummm what to do?

 

[N965VJ]

What was the system proposed that was going to allow everyone to essentially build their own block?

This must have been around ten years ago because part of the deal was to be able to use it with a touch-tone phone for anyone who did not have a computer at home or commuted.

That was supposed to get a bunch of people off reserve.

But it would have meant change. And people hate change. That’s why you will never see a rotating reserve system or anything else that would ask blockholders to give up something.

 

[Twicebaked]

That’s why you will never see a rotating reserve system or anything else that would ask blockholders to give up something.

Wait til they see what happens. Parker does not like the AIL list that we have...rescheduling an airline every single day. That is soooo stupid. Pick a block and F*#@in work it. END OF STORY.

 

[Dea Certe]

Twicedbaked,

"Rescheduling the airline every day" was a phrase of Wolf's, I believe. Please, don't start quoting him! I think better of you than that!

It would be fairly easy to automate the AIL system with today's technology. People get to arrange their schedules for what works best for them and then you have happier flight attendants.

Time balancing doesn't seem to be working so well, does it? Making people fly the weekends isn't working so well either. It's taking time from the reserves. And believe it or not, many people don't mind working weekends due to child care/elder care or school scheduling.

We need to have some flexibility with our schedules. Everyone has preferences that work best for them. I don't mind working weekends as a rule. Sometimes, I do have a family function or special occasion and then I would like to be off. I have one special holiday a year I like to have off, otherwise, I fly them. (and no, you smart alecks, it's not Halloween so I can attend my coven meeting!)

We do have a very senior work force. Soon, most of us will be gone. I figure I have a few more good years left in me.

Don't be so short-sighted. Let's focus on expanding our operations, decreasing the reserve lines, improving the secondary blocks and maintaining the little flexibility we have now.

A rotating reserve would seem to me to be the best fix for now.

Dea

 

[phl/yyz]

I hate to say this, but keep complaining about reserves not flying and I am sure someone could arrange a furlough to reduce headcount. While I understand the issues of being on reserve, it could be worse.......

at least you get it...

 

[N965VJ]

Pick a block and F*#@in work it.

In some cases people are making more work for themselves than necessary. I would watch someone spend a whole four day with a stack of trip sheets picking what they want for next month. Then off to a month of working the AIL.

It would take me about 15 minutes to bid hundreds of times using WinBid. I show that to someone on my laptop and its like, oooooh, nice. Then I tell them the software costs $150* and that does it. Too much money!

What’s your time worth?

I would get a great block and sign in for the whole month. Man that was nice only having to talk to crew sked once a month! All depending on seniority, of course. But I was not a senior a blockholder by any means.

Everyone these days can get to an internet machine just about anywhere. There has to be some way to be able to integrate what you would like for a schedule with what the company has to offer. Give that job to one of the, what is it now, 31 VPs now on the property.

*Went to check the current price on their website; closed for the Sabbath.

 

[N965VJ]

It would be fairly easy to automate the AIL system with today's technology.

Yup! You posted what I was writing!

A rotating reserve would seem to me to be the best fix for now.

Seems to me that would just spread the misery.

 

[Dea Certe]

N965VJ,

Well, I guess we have a "glass half-full/half-empty" discussion. I think I'd rather be on reserve several times a year rather than for years on end. At least I would have some relief and have a chance for a bit of freedom from the phone call.

I also think it would make everyone aware of what the issues are for the reserves. If we all share the joy of a block and the misery of reserve, we might find a little more support for each other.

I'm a fairly senior person. But I've never forgotten the horror that being on reserve meant. None of us should forget!

I just believe reserve can be handled better. Back in the day, people didn't sit reserve for 10-15-20 years! There was hope that soon you would be a blockholder. I believe that's why not enough attention was paid to the blight of the reserves.

Bases are closed, downsized, time is shifted and sometimes it seems pretty willy-nilly. Especially if you've moved a few times to a new base. Or been transferred involuntarily.

Surely, we can come up with something more humane. For everyone.

Dea

 

[N965VJ]

Back in the day, people didn't sit reserve for 10-15-20 years! There was hope that soon you would be a blockholder. I believe that's why not enough attention was paid to the blight of the reserves.

That is an excellent point! And even people who had been on reserve for ten years would still bid reserve because there was a feeling that being a senior reserve was better than a junior blockholder.

EDIT: And we are talking about the old reserve system.

 

[Dea Certe]

N965VJ,

Yes! And a good reason why we can't just worry about our own situation at this particular time. Heaven knows, I never worried about retirement as I was sure, cute as I was, I would Marry Well or move on to a "better" job. Turns out I really like being a flight attendant and feel like we've made significant improvements to the job in ways of health and safety.

I'm proud to be a flight attendant. Proud of my profession! Not so proud of my questionable taste in men, but that's just not interesting enough to write about here.

At this time, in this economic environment, we can't do too much about money. But we can work towards improving the quality of life for flight attendants. Right now, I think the biggest issue (and the one we have the most chance of winning) is the reserve system.

So, instead of hashing it out on a message board, we need to take it to our AFA leadership. And not take "NO" for an answer. Reserves and blockholders alike. And if blockholders are arrogant enough to this they'll never see reserve again, check out history.

Dea

PS I want my retirement back too

 

[Bear96]

Dea,

I will be honest, I don't know what the fix is. Nobody else in the industry is on reserve this long!!

UA routinely has F/As with 1970's seniority on reserve in the more senior bases (SEA, HNL, DEN).

 

[Dea Certe]

Bear96,

Straight reserve? Year end and year out? Or is it just a month here and there?

Reserve stinks, no doubt about it. So, we need to figure out a better way. Do you have any suggestions? I seem to recall you left flying some time ago, right?

Dea

 

[N965VJ]

UA routinely has F/As with 1970's seniority on reserve in the more senior bases (SEA, HNL, DEN).

And US had 13 year reserves in SAN when I was hired.

Just to drive a point, there is a big difference in reserve systems as they are today.