Pilot morale
#31
Moderator
Joined APC: Dec 2007
Position: DAL 330
Posts: 6,998
I'd happily have trips like SWA - but we don't - I don't imagine SWA has many long sits like we do. Recently, we had a 4:30 sit in SEA then another 2 hours in LAX on the same day. Surprise surprise, we then had a short layover because well, we were sitting around all day in the airport rather than have a long layover.
Our trip value per day might of gone up, but our duty day also went up too.
I don't think people wanting max duty days so we can get in 6 hours of flying in a day. We're talking about efficiency and no sits. I've noticed that our turns in hub have gone up a lot - where they used to be under an hour, now they seem to be more on the 1:20 side... which makes the day longer with no additional flight time.
Our trip value per day might of gone up, but our duty day also went up too.
I don't think people wanting max duty days so we can get in 6 hours of flying in a day. We're talking about efficiency and no sits. I've noticed that our turns in hub have gone up a lot - where they used to be under an hour, now they seem to be more on the 1:20 side... which makes the day longer with no additional flight time.
Write your reps and tell them you want this - its already being done at other airlines. Could be a big QOL gain.
Scoop
Last edited by Scoop; 03-16-2022 at 02:14 PM.
#32
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2008
Posts: 19,610
Widebodies are obviously effected far more than narrow bodies. I was referring to domestic trips. I looked through quite a few bid packages and I was very surprised by the value of the trips. We had a thread on this. Most of that is I concede due to work rule changes we wanted and negotiated. The 5:15 average day probably being the main one. If you negotiate work rule to force the company build more productive rotations your going to work more on a daily basis. If we can get a 6 hour daily min we will be flying even more. Personally I like trips like that. I want to work hard at work and have more days off. Others might care more about the nature of the trips.
#33
SWA doesn’t flip morning and evening duty twice in 4 days. Their duty days may be 12 hours but it’s all productive time not sitting for 3+ hours mid day. You are way off with the SWA comparison.
#34
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2016
Posts: 2,558
Widebodies are obviously effected far more than narrow bodies. I was referring to domestic trips. I looked through quite a few bid packages and I was very surprised by the value of the trips. We had a thread on this. Most of that is I concede due to work rule changes we wanted and negotiated. The 5:15 average day probably being the main one. If you negotiate work rule to force the company build more productive rotations your going to work more on a daily basis. If we can get a 6 hour daily min we will be flying even more. Personally I like trips like that. I want to work hard at work and have more days off. Others might care more about the nature of the trips.
#35
Improve duty rig ratio. Doesn’t hurt efficiency on good days, at least improves pay on the long days.
Being short staffed is a fact of life for the next few years.
Banging the fatigue drum is all well and good but that means you are so tired you are no longer safe. I hate that a Fortune 500 corporation is relying on this level of safety threat as the limits of staffing.
Being short staffed is a fact of life for the next few years.
Banging the fatigue drum is all well and good but that means you are so tired you are no longer safe. I hate that a Fortune 500 corporation is relying on this level of safety threat as the limits of staffing.
#37
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2008
Posts: 19,610
Its personal experience as well as bid packages. I was on the 7ER when most of the changes were made. I went from bidding only international to probably 60% domestic trips with the jump in values. Chances of me bidding a 18 hour 4 day would be zero. A 26 hour 4 day on the other hand got my attention!
#39
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2016
Posts: 2,558
Its personal experience as well as bid packages. I was on the 7ER when most of the changes were made. I went from bidding only international to probably 60% domestic trips with the jump in values. Chances of me bidding a 18 hour 4 day would be zero. A 26 hour 4 day on the other hand got my attention!
Spoiler: Most of ours aren’t, and that’s why the vast majority of pilots have issues with the rotations.
#40
I will never forget the question in my interview from the retired guy. "Why should Delta get down on their knees and beg you to come work here?" My answer was that I had no idea.. but that I would work hard yada yada yada...
Summer is going to be interesting without a doubt.
I'm gonna leave you with one other thought. I know there are some that want something like a 6 hour duty day. Be careful what you ask for. Delta will get their pound of flesh if that were to come to fruition. Delta abhors credit time in rotations. The more they have to pay per day, the harder they are going to work at eliminating credit. Those schedules will go from being SWA-like to regional-like.
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