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Old 04-29-2017, 09:26 AM
  #1  
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Default personal drop - am I missing something?

I'm new and I've been sitting reserve in NYC over the winter. I was fortunate to be awarded my domicile of choice in the last AE and I'll be driving to work shortly.

Despite making myself available - yellow slips etc, I spent most of the winter sitting unused on short/long call. I would have loved to fly more, but it wasn't up to me.

Earlier this year, I decided to personal drop several reserve blocks. I did this two months in a row. The way I saw it - if the company was overstaffed, and I was willing to take time off without pay, it's a win/win for us both. It was costing me a lot of money to sit around in NYC on call, and if I stay home, the wife can pick up shifts while I watch the kids.

When I went in for my last scheduled newhire chat with the CP's office, he saw my history of personal drops and grilled me about it. He didn't exactly come out and ask me *why* I'd done them, but his disapproval was obvious. I began explaining my reasoning, but he cut me off and moved the conversation along, leaving me unsure of where I stood.

My question is - is there a policy (written or unwritten) that I have erred against? Am I using the personal drop in a way that it is not meant to be used? I was too nervous to ask for clarification so I was hoping someone here can offer some insight.

As a side note, I did complete my 100 hours within the allotted 120 days without any trouble, so it wasn't an issue of falling short in that way.
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Old 04-29-2017, 09:31 AM
  #2  
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Originally Posted by bentwookie
I'm new and I've been sitting reserve in NYC over the winter. I was fortunate to be awarded my domicile of choice in the last AE and I'll be driving to work shortly.

Despite making myself available - yellow slips etc, I spent most of the winter sitting unused on short/long call. I would have loved to fly more, but it wasn't up to me.

Earlier this year, I decided to personal drop several reserve blocks. I did this two months in a row. The way I saw it - if the company was overstaffed, and I was willing to take time off without pay, it's a win/win for us both. It was costing me a lot of money to sit around in NYC on call, and if I stay home, the wife can pick up shifts while I watch the kids.

When I went in for my last scheduled newhire chat with the CP's office, he saw my history of personal drops and grilled me about it. He didn't exactly come out and ask me *why* I'd done them, but his disapproval was obvious. I began explaining my reasoning, but he cut me off and moved the conversation along, leaving me unsure of where I stood.

My question is - is there a policy (written or unwritten) that I have erred against? Am I using the personal drop in a way that it is not meant to be used? I was too nervous to ask for clarification so I was hoping someone here can offer some insight.

As a side note, I did complete my 100 hours within the allotted 120 days without any trouble, so it wasn't an issue of falling short in that way.
Hard for me to opine without all the facts, but according to your description, there shouldn't have been any issue using PDs the way you did.
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Old 04-29-2017, 09:31 AM
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You can only personal drop with sufficient reserves available and it is all per the contract. Sounds like someone was giving you a hard time. You are 100% within your rights and are just exercising your contractual rights.

With that said, while on probation its best to just nod, say "Thank you Sir, may I have another!" and act interested in what he has to say.

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Old 04-29-2017, 09:55 AM
  #4  
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Originally Posted by bentwookie
I'm new and I've been sitting reserve in NYC over the winter. I was fortunate to be awarded my domicile of choice in the last AE and I'll be driving to work shortly.

Despite making myself available - yellow slips etc, I spent most of the winter sitting unused on short/long call. I would have loved to fly more, but it wasn't up to me.

Earlier this year, I decided to personal drop several reserve blocks. I did this two months in a row. The way I saw it - if the company was overstaffed, and I was willing to take time off without pay, it's a win/win for us both. It was costing me a lot of money to sit around in NYC on call, and if I stay home, the wife can pick up shifts while I watch the kids.

When I went in for my last scheduled newhire chat with the CP's office, he saw my history of personal drops and grilled me about it. He didn't exactly come out and ask me *why* I'd done them, but his disapproval was obvious. I began explaining my reasoning, but he cut me off and moved the conversation along, leaving me unsure of where I stood.

My question is - is there a policy (written or unwritten) that I have erred against? Am I using the personal drop in a way that it is not meant to be used? I was too nervous to ask for clarification so I was hoping someone here can offer some insight.

As a side note, I did complete my 100 hours within the allotted 120 days without any trouble, so it wasn't an issue of falling short in that way.
I wouldn't worry too much about it. You can request anything you want, if the skeds approve it, then you're off the hook. You don't owe the chief or anyone else an explanation for making this job fit better around your life. If anyone hassles you for wanting to spend more time at home vs sitting around a crash pad staring at the walls, then they are really out of touch with what's important.
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Old 04-29-2017, 10:31 AM
  #5  
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Originally Posted by bentwookie
I'm new and I've been sitting reserve in NYC over the winter. I was fortunate to be awarded my domicile of choice in the last AE and I'll be driving to work shortly.

Despite making myself available - yellow slips etc, I spent most of the winter sitting unused on short/long call. I would have loved to fly more, but it wasn't up to me.

Earlier this year, I decided to personal drop several reserve blocks. I did this two months in a row. The way I saw it - if the company was overstaffed, and I was willing to take time off without pay, it's a win/win for us both. It was costing me a lot of money to sit around in NYC on call, and if I stay home, the wife can pick up shifts while I watch the kids.

When I went in for my last scheduled newhire chat with the CP's office, he saw my history of personal drops and grilled me about it. He didn't exactly come out and ask me *why* I'd done them, but his disapproval was obvious. I began explaining my reasoning, but he cut me off and moved the conversation along, leaving me unsure of where I stood.

My question is - is there a policy (written or unwritten) that I have erred against? Am I using the personal drop in a way that it is not meant to be used? I was too nervous to ask for clarification so I was hoping someone here can offer some insight.

As a side note, I did complete my 100 hours within the allotted 120 days without any trouble, so it wasn't an issue of falling short in that way.
There is no issue with your use of personal drops. The computer has an algorithm that it runs to maintain required reserves vs available reserves.

You submitted your personal drops, and the algorithm simply said "we have more than what is required enjoy your time off."

What CPO was this? NYC? My CPO first showed me how to P/D to get thanksgiving off when I was a new hire. We sat there and did the P/D together and on the next PCS run my trip was dropped. Thanksgiving off. Since then, anytime I have something important (holiday, birthday, kids event, etc.) if I can't trade, I use my p/d.

I was also told "At Delta you can drop your entire schedule if you want, just understand you won't be paid for trips dropped."

Nothing wrong at all with what you did.
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Old 04-29-2017, 10:40 AM
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Originally Posted by Michael Scott
There is no issue with your use of personal drops. The computer has an algorithm that it runs to maintain required reserves vs available reserves.



You submitted your personal drops, and the algorithm simply said "we have more than what is required enjoy your time off."



What CPO was this? NYC? My CPO first showed me how to P/D to get thanksgiving off when I was a new hire. We sat there and did the P/D together and on the next PCS run my trip was dropped. Thanksgiving off. Since then, anytime I have something important (holiday, birthday, kids event, etc.) if I can't trade, I use my p/d.



I was also told "At Delta you can drop your entire schedule if you want, just understand you won't be paid for trips dropped."



Nothing wrong at all with what you did.


PD don't require anything special as you seem to imply. Are you sure you're not talking about your once-a-year APD?


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Old 04-29-2017, 10:48 AM
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What did I imply that is special? Personal drops do require available reserves. I can not P/D if there is not sufficient staffing on those days.

Authorized personal drops are not guaranteed drops, they require available reserves as well, but are processed as a higher priority than a P/D.

Think of an APD as the S-2 version of a PD.

The computer still makes sure staffing is at the required levels before it processes a P/D.

One other thing: you can ADD trips over a personal drop. So let's say I don't like rotation 1001. Nothing to swap with. I can P/D it, and add rotation 1002 over the same days when it becomes available. With an APD you can not white slip flying over those days. They're treated as vacation in terms of slips.

Last edited by Michael Scott; 04-29-2017 at 10:52 AM. Reason: Added last paragraph.
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Old 04-29-2017, 10:57 AM
  #8  
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You said, "I use my P/D." That to me signified you thought it was a one and done option, ala APD. Everyone gets unlimited PDs.

As far as APDs go you're mostly correct. The full explanation should include we can APD a single day of a trip or a trip by rotation number. Regardless of which we do, we cannot pickup on any day showing APD on our schedule like you say.


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Old 04-29-2017, 11:14 AM
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Originally Posted by WhiskeyDelta
You said, "I use my P/D." That to me signified you thought it was a one and done option, ala APD. Everyone gets unlimited PDs.

As far as APDs go you're mostly correct. The full explanation should include we can APD a single day of a trip or a trip by rotation number. Regardless of which we do, we cannot pickup on any day showing APD on our schedule like you say.


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Correct. Personal drops are unlimited. APDs are once a year. As stated, I was told "you can drop your entire schedule at Delta."
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Old 04-29-2017, 06:01 PM
  #10  
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Thanks everyone. I appreciate the responses!
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