PBS at Alaska?
02-20-2018, 06:24 PM
#71
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2010
Position: A320 CA
Posts: 239
Every one of the Native Alaska pilots above has spoken the truth about our management and why we are not even slightly interested in PBS. Not now, not ever - unless we have a massive change in the pilot / management relationship. Should that massive change take place, it would still take many years building enough trust to convince this pilot group that we can trust them with PBS. It is simply the truth - if our management wants it, then it is bad for you. Our management will not change, they will stick to this current business model. It will continue as is or it will fail. But above all, they will not spend one thin dime on making our QOL better. Soon young grasshopper you will learn. Someday you may even thank us for not letting PBS make your life even worse. I'm truly sorry for the pain that is coming to the X-VX pilot group. With 80% commuting to non-commutable lines is will indeed suck. PBS with this management would only make it worse. All I can say is that you are going to have to trust those of us who have been here a decade or two or three. This management is ruthless and they can not be trusted.
Yah, that makes sense🙄 WOW just WOW
02-20-2018, 06:33 PM
#72
New Hire
Joined APC: Oct 2017
Posts: 5
Every one of the Native Alaska pilots above has spoken the truth about our management and why we are not even slightly interested in PBS. Not now, not ever - unless we have a massive change in the pilot / management relationship. Should that massive change take place, it would still take many years building enough trust to convince this pilot group that we can trust them with PBS. It is simply the truth - if our management wants it, then it is bad for you. Our management will not change, they will stick to this current business model. It will continue as is or it will fail. But above all, they will not spend one thin dime on making our QOL better. Soon young grasshopper you will learn. Someday you may even thank us for not letting PBS make your life even worse. I'm truly sorry for the pain that is coming to the X-VX pilot group. With 80% commuting to non-commutable lines is will indeed suck. PBS with this management would only make it worse. All I can say is that you are going to have to trust those of us who have been here a decade or two or three. This management is ruthless and they can not be trusted.
02-20-2018, 06:51 PM
#73
Banned
Joined APC: Apr 2017
Posts: 627
Line bidding is a microcosm of life of an Alaska pilot.
It's an exercise in compromise and lower expectations. You never quite get the schedule you want or need, but you make your peace with it.
You don't fight improving it either, because you might just make it worse.
You guys have been captive so long you've forgotten what it's like to have a win. It would be funny if it wasn't so damn sad.
02-20-2018, 07:46 PM
#74
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2014
Position: Captain B-737
Posts: 290
This is so remarkably shortsighted, I'm actually stunned. The reason you're not onboard with PBS is "Management wants it... must be bad." Amazing.
Let's back up and see what you're defending. Alaska pilots spend more time than any other airline on bidding. You guys have more phases to your bid than Hobbits have mealtimes. 3 weeks devoted to your archaic paper methods. And no one gets what they want. You've got to spend time cold calling your fellow pilots trying to grease the days off you need. Why? You're shooting yourselves in the feet at this point.
You know how long VX spends on their bids? 3 days. An hour to put together your dates and preferences. Boom done. 3 days to wait until awards are published.
The fact that you're not devoting 3 weeks of your month to the dance you call "Line Bidding" is reason enough for everyone, including management, to be onboard.
Open your eyes. Your system sucks. And all because management wants it doesn't mean it's an automatic no.
Let's back up and see what you're defending. Alaska pilots spend more time than any other airline on bidding. You guys have more phases to your bid than Hobbits have mealtimes. 3 weeks devoted to your archaic paper methods. And no one gets what they want. You've got to spend time cold calling your fellow pilots trying to grease the days off you need. Why? You're shooting yourselves in the feet at this point.
You know how long VX spends on their bids? 3 days. An hour to put together your dates and preferences. Boom done. 3 days to wait until awards are published.
The fact that you're not devoting 3 weeks of your month to the dance you call "Line Bidding" is reason enough for everyone, including management, to be onboard.
Open your eyes. Your system sucks. And all because management wants it doesn't mean it's an automatic no.
02-20-2018, 08:05 PM
#75
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2009
Posts: 396
An observation:
Line bidding is a microcosm of life of an Alaska pilot.
It's an exercise in compromise and lower expectations. You never quite get the schedule you want or need, but you make your peace with it.
You don't fight improving it either, because you might just make it worse.
You guys have been captive so long you've forgotten what it's like to have a win. It would be funny if it wasn't so damn sad.
Line bidding is a microcosm of life of an Alaska pilot.
It's an exercise in compromise and lower expectations. You never quite get the schedule you want or need, but you make your peace with it.
You don't fight improving it either, because you might just make it worse.
You guys have been captive so long you've forgotten what it's like to have a win. It would be funny if it wasn't so damn sad.
02-20-2018, 08:42 PM
#76
Banned
Joined APC: Apr 2017
Posts: 627
This ain't a home. This is the pound. And someone's gotta test those fences, even if you're too old and tired to try anymore.
02-20-2018, 09:19 PM
#77
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2009
Posts: 396
This place sure has turned into a pound. When a older dog warns the youngsters not to lick the electric fence, what do the ignorant juveniles do? Bam! You’re dead.
02-20-2018, 10:00 PM
#78
Guest
Posts: n/a
To the proponents of PBS. All of us original Eskimoes agree with you. A modern, flexible, dependable schedule building and management system would be great. If, after we sign Contract 2020(in 2022), and if it contains all of the enhancements, protections, improvements and control that we need to build this system then likely we will....To attempt it now is like going out on the water to build a houseboat without a boat....It can not be done...Period
02-20-2018, 10:30 PM
#79
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2008
Posts: 614
You’d be surprised how many of VX pilots on the line hate it. As much as Alaska may need a more modern way of bidding for schedules, PBS ain’t it, not now at least.
02-21-2018, 05:08 AM
#80
Banned
Joined APC: Nov 2013
Position: 7th green
Posts: 4,378
Wut,
Have to agree with the AS guys here. Unless the Union Scheduling Committee has an input and/or control of the PBS program the result is going to be worse than line bidding.
As a Scheduling Committee veteran I can assure you AS managers will never, repeat NEVER allow the Union Scheduling Committee input into the PBS solution. They'll always find an excuse for crappy pairings and as a result, crappy lines.
Your experience with PBS at VX can't be extrapolated to AS.
Have to agree with the AS guys here. Unless the Union Scheduling Committee has an input and/or control of the PBS program the result is going to be worse than line bidding.
As a Scheduling Committee veteran I can assure you AS managers will never, repeat NEVER allow the Union Scheduling Committee input into the PBS solution. They'll always find an excuse for crappy pairings and as a result, crappy lines.
Your experience with PBS at VX can't be extrapolated to AS.
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