So who's non rev. policy will survive?

[AANOTOK]

Most of the time NRSA's do not get to fly First Class anyways on US. They are almost always full up. Of course we didn't lose over 10 Billion over the last ten years so you at AA might have more seats open up front to choose from. Seniority rules baby. Get in line !

To the 25 year old. We were all there once too. Suck it up and drive from now on !

Be sure and "check in" exactly 24hrs before departure, cause in the future you may be left at the gate!
Good luck!! 🙂

 

[Boomer]

1967, ATL: DAL: Employee Check In.

Mom: Employee

Dad, Brother,Myself, Sister.

Women: Dresses

Men: Coat and Tie

On Time: Standing in Line

Late: We've Got Runner's

Seniority Rules Prior to Boarding

Late Runner's are usually accomodated based on the quality of the family presentation.

It was and is all about marketing.

 

[ilmbeaches]

Most of the time NRSA's do not get to fly First Class anyways on US. They are almost always full up. Of course we didn't lose over 10 Billion over the last ten years so you at AA might have more seats open up front to choose from. Seniority rules baby. Get in line !

To the 25 year old. We were all there once too. Suck it up and drive from now on !

AA charges nonrevs in First, if you have 25 years or more seniority, its a bit less.

 

[MCI transplant]

AA charges nonrevs in First, if you have 25 years or more seniority, its a bit less.

I wouldn't worry about non-reving in first! with AA's upgrade policy, it's about impossable to get up there anyway!

 

[ContUNITEus]

Jeans in First on AA? Not happening

Guys.... remember that America West is from now on (well 3rd quarter) running American Airlines.... Don't be culture-shocked by some of the liberal policies that lie ahead.....

Besides.... Having a relaxed Dress Code for First Class is not a bad thing.... Embrace the change, you wouldn't believe how some of these - more liberal - policies have a positive impact on your life.

US used to be more like the way AA is still now with regards to a lot of policies - ULTRA CONSERVATIVE. A lot of those conservative people at US frowned upon and/or absolutely threw temper-tantrums at some of the open-minded policies of AWA; all for nothing, because once they experienced the change, they didn't think it was all that bad after all. They actually came to love the new policy once they accepted the change.

 

[ChrisUS]

i see ur point but its not fair to EVERYONE just for u or people that have 35+ i am only 25 years old its not fair that u started 10years b4 i was born i had no chance.i am a 4year employee FCFS is fair for EVERYONE bc EVERYONE has a channce to check in 24hr b4 the flight and not just for the peopel that been here 10+ years longer than i been on this earth.

Speaking for those of us with seniority, WE ALL went through being junior so we have been in your shoes. It's like in the service, with rank comes privileges. We've done our time, it's your turn now. In a few years, it will be YOUR turn to be senior and have the better shift, better pay and get cleared first on the standby list.

 

[Mach85ER]

Sorry ChrisUS, I disagree and prefer FCFS for non-rev.

IMHO, seniority is to be used within one's own workgroup, class and craft and that's it. I'm not on a seniority list with FA's, Mechanics or rampers, nor want to deal with it even it benefits me.

Off duty, I don't feel I have a right to a cabin seat over a 1 year employee if he/she had better planning than me. A few years from now when the new hires kick in for all groups, I'll have close to 30 years.

I'd rather concentrate my efforts on making enough to buy my own ticket when i want to travel than spinning myself up on who is the most worthy galley slave 15 minutes prior to departure.

 

[ContUNITEus]

Speaking for those of us with seniority, WE ALL went through being junior so we have been in your shoes. It's like in the service, with rank comes privileges. We've done our time, it's your turn now. In a few years, it will be YOUR turn to be senior and have the better shift, better pay and get cleared first on the standby list.

Uggghhhhh


With that said.... let me just add to that... also... that I don't think Women should be allowed to drive... Just like those senior people in Saudi Arabia think

 

[AANOTOK]

Speaking for those of us with seniority, WE ALL went through being junior so we have been in your shoes. It's like in the service, with rank comes privileges. We've done our time, it's your turn now. In a few years, it will be YOUR turn to be senior and have the better shift, better pay and get cleared first on the standby list.

No Chris, not speaking for me...FCFS. 🙂

 

[FWAAA]

Most of the time NRSA's do not get to fly First Class anyways on US. They are almost always full up. Of course we didn't lose over 10 Billion over the last ten years so you at AA might have more seats open up front to choose from. Seniority rules baby. Get in line !

To the 25 year old. We were all there once too. Suck it up and drive from now on !

Well, you got everybody there. Your crappy little airlines (US and HP) only lost $2.177 billion in the aggregate for the 10 years ended 12/31/12.

 

[Crash Pad DCA]

Some (maybe a whole bunch!) of US at US really like Seniority and it seems to be working for US everyday with no problems. I've yet to see a non-rev throw him/herself off the jet bridge in protest of the inherent unfairness of Seniority over FCFS.

I don't have a great hire date, but I don't miss flights, and I have no problem if you get to go ahead of me after a half-century of service to er...Mowhawk/Empire/Allegheny/Piedmont/PSA/USAir/TrumpShuttle/HP/US/AA..well you get the picture. Clearly a lot of people at both airlines have been through a lot...

I have seen PLENTY of people with 2011 and even 2012 dates listed on top of the check-in list for flights. In fact, today's PHL-CDG only has SA4s (retireess) and SA7s (buddy passes) listed and a whopping 122 seats open in coach. On today's two (2) flights from PHX-HNL the only hire dates are 199x, 200x, 200x and 201x (14 seats open on first flight/9 non-revs. No problem). And today's PHL-LHR has exactly one active employee, one retiree, six buddy passes listed and 97 seats open in coach. EVERYONE is going to make the flight! (Unless someone puts a tweet out to the posse of last minute listing, show up 15 minutes before departure, US employees/retirees wth 1946 hire dates!) With appropriate planning, seems like everybody's crazy little day trip can be comfortably be accomdated with Seniority, too.

The vast majority of US here at US are doing our best everyday to "leave no non-rev behind". I hope that this kind of comraderie carries over to the new US/AA. If you come up to me 'cause you're concerned you don't have a great seniority date and it looks like you're not going to make the flight, then I'm going to proactively work with you and rebook you on something that is OPEN so you get to where you need to go. Happened just ths past Sunday. DCA-PHX-LAS wasn't gonna happen for a couple retirees (SA4), but DCA-CLT-LAS was wide open all day. Problem solved...FCFS be damned! Sorry, but Seniority is just not killing us over here at US...

What's "fair" is completely arbitrary and depends on the company's subjective goals for "non-revenue" travel. If the corporation decides that non-rev travel (hopefully for the new US/AA it will TRULY be non-revenue and not AA's "pay to play") is a perk that goes by Seniority, like bid lines and vacations, then so be it. On the other hand if the company decides that employee travel is something that should be subject to the technological vagaries of FCFS then fine, too.

Both FCFS and Seniority have advantages and disadvantages. Both systems can be "gamed". And somebody is not going to be happy no matter what comes down the pike.

And if you think non-rev travel is worthless, not worth the hassle, and that we should never use the perk and instead should focus on buying revenue tickets - on other airlines (I'm paraphrasing some previous commentaries) that's fine, too. Personally, I like the benefit and I think every employee should use it.

Unfortunately, commuting has become a fact of life for MANY pilots, gate agents, rampers,
FAs, mechanics, club reps...you name it! We know THOUSANDS of jobs have been lost in LAS, PIT, LGA, etc. It even appears that for the last nine months or so US has been dumping jobs at FLL and PBI just in ANTICIPATION of the merger. Summarily stating that someone in the airline busiess should just "find another job" instead of "choosing to commute" seems to be a bit heartless and inhumane. The old folks used to say, "There but for the Grace of God go I..." Probably an appropriate aphorism today...

Final story. Last month had a great trip from Europe to PHL on US in Envoy! Great service from a set of wonderful (yes senior) people! One of the wonderful FAs has been in the business since Empire/Mohawk/Allegheny days. God Bless her soul! (Wait! Before you even go there, why should SHE have to retire just because YOU think she is too old? Leave it alone....) Anyway, she still has to commute from middle of PA to PHL to work to hold her line. She usually comes through PHL or DCA to get the job done. Preferably through PHL since it's a one leg commute. We say our farewells at the end of the flight.

Low and behold later she shows up at the gate an hour before departure (not 15 minutes!) for PHL-DCA. "What happend to PHL-(no place PA)?", I ask her. "Booked up," she says with sigh. She'll just have to double leg commute through DCA. Bummer, right? I guess with FCFS my crazy day trip response would be, "Too bad biotch! I checked in first! Go to the end of the line! Oh, and by the way, thanks for the wonderful service on my crazy day trip...Good luck gettin' home!" That would be utterly and completely heartless, no? (Not to mention crass)

But with Seniority (and a modicum of compasion and respect) maybe I would say, "Hey. I'm sorry about that. Hmm...looking at the Seniority list, even though this flight is tight (and as result of your Seniority you're gonna bump me off..but you were working, right? and i wuz..oh yeah day trippin'!), you're gonna make it. I'm sorry you have to do the double commute. It was great meeting you. And thanks for the great service in Envoy! See you later. I'm going to head over to PHL-BWI since that flight is open and I'm only a short train ride from the airport." No family fortune lost, blood spilled, or loss of life due to lack of FCFS, right?

FCFS or Seniority? Who knows what's coming down the pike. In either case I hope we all work to show some respect and compassion to all our fellow US/AA employees...commuter or not, and that AAll of US all adopt a "leave no non-rev behind" mindset when trying to accomodate (hopefully truly) NON-REVENUE employee and guest pass travel.

God Bless US AAll! And God Bless the US/AA!

 

[jimntx]

Oh, everyone and his dog can come up with various heartstrings-tugging scenarios to justify his/her/its preference for non-rev priority. It will be whatever it will be. If put up for a vote, it will more than likely be FCFS because we outnumber you. But, my guess is that none of us will have much say in the final decision.

 

[Deleted member 14439]

15 pages about non rev policy. Seems to me we have much more important issues regarding this deal. Just sayin`, carry on...

 

[Crash Pad DCA]

Oh, everyone and his dog can come up with various heartstrings-tugging scenarios to justify his/her/its preference for non-rev priority. It will be whatever it will be. If put up for a vote, it will more than likely be FCFS because we outnumber you. But, my guess is that none of us will have much say in the final decision.

Not a justification, buddy. Just my viewpoint/opinion that I wanted to share. There seem to be no shortage of FCFS justification scenarios (heartstrings-tugging or not) postings on this topic. And I'll let my dog Fido know you appreciated his story tellin' skills. (Wow! What a dog won't do for Kibbles n Bits...) BTW, please let me know if your dog came up with the "it will more than likely be FCFS because we outnumber you" justification for FCFS.

I agree with you that none of US will have much say in the final decision.

And whether we get FSFS or Seniority, none of us needs to be heartless when trying to work with fellow employees who are either traveling for leisure or commuting. Any of the kindnesses I illustrated above could also be done with FCFS in place...

Happy travels....

 

[snapthis]

Oh, everyone and his dog can come up with various heartstrings-tugging scenarios to justify his/her/its preference for non-rev priority. It will be whatever it will be. If put up for a vote, it will more than likely be FCFS because we outnumber you. But, my guess is that none of us will have much say in the final decision.

It's the same thing all over again. When HP and US were deciding on a travel policy, the company did a survey. I still remember a sob story from a pilot about the years of walk-arounds he had to do and he was entitled to his seniority based boarding. I thought of the mechanics and rampers who stood out in the cold a lot longer than this guy. I've been doing walk-arounds since 1978 and that does not give me the right to jump over some poor soul who's been waiting all day for a seat.

We've dealt with this entitlement attitude since 2005. The company will probably go with the majority on travel policy and between AA and former HP you'll have the numbers as long as you participate in the process.