PBS at Alaska?
02-22-2018, 10:58 AM
#111
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2016
Posts: 268
Pretty funny about that staffing thing. Horizon management was pushing PBS pretty hard during our last round of contract negotiations (2016-2017). It backfired spectacularly over the summer, when we ended up with HUNDREDS of open trips. Apparently, management thought that PBS could magically fix their staffing issue. Instead, it only revealed how short we really were. This was accompanied by the untimely (but most welcome) departure of several of our senior managers.
02-22-2018, 11:40 AM
#113
Works Every Weekend
Joined APC: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,210
Pretty funny about that staffing thing. Horizon management was pushing PBS pretty hard during our last round of contract negotiations (2016-2017). It backfired spectacularly over the summer, when we ended up with HUNDREDS of open trips. Apparently, management thought that PBS could magically fix their staffing issue. Instead, it only revealed how short we really were. This was accompanied by the untimely (but most welcome) departure of several of our senior managers.
I was told by a QX friend that there was a month where PBS built zero reserve lines for PDX. That'll work! Haha...
02-22-2018, 01:18 PM
#114
On Reserve
Joined APC: Jun 2011
Posts: 23
I’m a VXer and have spent many months with 18+ days off. However this has nothing to do with PBS!!
Only has to do with a low credit threshold of 70hrs/high credit Trip. Our Flica PBS is a basic non-optimizing system that is operated in GOOD faith.
The previous pbs system I had was operated in a manner which allowed the company to unstack every day of the year. And the bottom 15% were Unstacked on every week. They used u stacking as a staffing tool. The pbs system optimized, which for those unfamiliar meant it awarded trips out of seniority order in order to make the pairings fit better. Every vendor optimizes differently but for example if a Jr pilot had Trip in their 1st preference they would get it over you who had it in their 10th. Flica doesn’t do this it goes line for line through a pilots preference before it moves to the next pilot.
In order for me to even consider pbs I would at a minimum need rules on the following. I suggest all unfamiliar AS and Uniformed VX pilots get familiar with these terms as this will be our lives for a long time if we vote in a bad system.
Here what we should be asking for at a minimum
-Pilot built pairings
-Higher Trip rigs and min daily credit not averaged
-minimum reserve coverage
-a transparent Trip trading system that works
-a defined minimum credit threshold. Ex..They can’t be allowed to raise it to 85+ every month because staffing dictates. (They don’t take advantage of this that much at VX but previous company did)
-limits on unstacking
-non optimizing
-defined defaults. Ie. max work blocks, min days of between blocks, credit buffers between 117 regs, etc... And the ability to waive these default if wanted.
There are many more I’m missing but as I’m almost certain we will be voting on this in the next 5 years we all need to become much more educated on what else is out there and how bad pbs can be without he right rules in place.
Only has to do with a low credit threshold of 70hrs/high credit Trip. Our Flica PBS is a basic non-optimizing system that is operated in GOOD faith.
The previous pbs system I had was operated in a manner which allowed the company to unstack every day of the year. And the bottom 15% were Unstacked on every week. They used u stacking as a staffing tool. The pbs system optimized, which for those unfamiliar meant it awarded trips out of seniority order in order to make the pairings fit better. Every vendor optimizes differently but for example if a Jr pilot had Trip in their 1st preference they would get it over you who had it in their 10th. Flica doesn’t do this it goes line for line through a pilots preference before it moves to the next pilot.
In order for me to even consider pbs I would at a minimum need rules on the following. I suggest all unfamiliar AS and Uniformed VX pilots get familiar with these terms as this will be our lives for a long time if we vote in a bad system.
Here what we should be asking for at a minimum
-Pilot built pairings
-Higher Trip rigs and min daily credit not averaged
-minimum reserve coverage
-a transparent Trip trading system that works
-a defined minimum credit threshold. Ex..They can’t be allowed to raise it to 85+ every month because staffing dictates. (They don’t take advantage of this that much at VX but previous company did)
-limits on unstacking
-non optimizing
-defined defaults. Ie. max work blocks, min days of between blocks, credit buffers between 117 regs, etc... And the ability to waive these default if wanted.
There are many more I’m missing but as I’m almost certain we will be voting on this in the next 5 years we all need to become much more educated on what else is out there and how bad pbs can be without he right rules in place.
For you guys at VX, PBS has nothing to do with your 18 day off schedules. Zippo! Don't let this confuse you. Your great schedules are
a product of flying a high percentage of productive transcons and lower line values it sounds like.
I heard a number of your flights peeling off those transcons last week and stopping for gas in Colorado Springs, Kansas City, etc. because they couldn't make it from BOS to SFO in those high winds.
Alaska has made it very clear that they intend to optimize the route system this Spring. So, when you soon start flying many more short segments (Alaska has a ton of them) and you are flying 85 hours per month (No one flies less than 80 at Alaska, not even most reserves) we shall see how those days off work out for you.
02-22-2018, 03:51 PM
#115
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2012
Posts: 456
Pretty funny about that staffing thing. Horizon management was pushing PBS pretty hard during our last round of contract negotiations (2016-2017). It backfired spectacularly over the summer, when we ended up with HUNDREDS of open trips. Apparently, management thought that PBS could magically fix their staffing issue. Instead, it only revealed how short we really were. This was accompanied by the untimely (but most welcome) departure of several of our senior managers.
Yes, and that VP of Flight Ops was from VX, too, so you can see how these Virgin ideas will continue to ruin things at Alaska.
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02-22-2018, 04:13 PM
#116
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2016
Posts: 268
I'm not blaming Virgin. With the acquisition of Virgin, it seems like there's a surplus of useless management types running around... some of them end up at Horizon. A.k.a., "the retirement job". I'm just astounded that some of these clowns can run a company into the ground, then jump ship for another management gig.
Regarding Virgin and Alaska, there is NOTHING senior management would like better than seeing the two pilot groups fighting away like two junkyard dogs. The SLI is sure to be contentious, but remember who the real enemy is here. The two pilot groups can be a powerful force if they can agree to work together.
Regarding Virgin and Alaska, there is NOTHING senior management would like better than seeing the two pilot groups fighting away like two junkyard dogs. The SLI is sure to be contentious, but remember who the real enemy is here. The two pilot groups can be a powerful force if they can agree to work together.
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