blue vortex

Some of you might like to look at FOM 10.3.8. Standing at the cockpit door during deplaning to thank customers IS ACTUALLY a specified job duty. BTW, are preflight duties paid? Are there any other job duties that you intentionally skip?

Oh, and by the way, in case you do actually read 10.3.8, the word "should" in the FOM was many years ago was ruled to mean "must" unless there is some overriding circumstance (don't think your personal grudge applies). If you didn't know all that you haven't been here very long in the big scheme of things.

CBreezy

The actual wording is operational necessity which, in 99% of the cases, is me having to get to my next flight or food between flights. I'm 0% concerned with being called out for not standing in the door.

zippinbye

Sure, but good CRM requires that we prioritize tasks. For me, safety of flight would be compromised if I left behind my sunglasses, part of my headset, prescription reading glasses, EFB-related pieces and a number of other items (yes I am 100% serious). Therefore I am gathering and inventorying said items once the shutdown checklist is complete - wouldn't want to forego use of the boom microphone to capture every word for the CVR, because that common area microphone is incapable of doing its job! And I certainly would not entertain stowing any of those items while taxing in or looking for a chocks-in signal. If you want to be anal about every word in the FOM, you just might be, well, anal. I'm compliant enough that I do the things described as presribed, which means all the HVCs are long gone before I think about approaching the cockpit door. Oh, and I take even more time to tend to other details in the interest of saving a dime for Delta and respect to the crew that follows .... cockpit set-up and clean-up, power and air as they should be after making the calls to determine next assignemnt for the ship. Perhaps a securing check and maybe brake fans or follow-up on a maintenance issue. Some of that is FOM and policy compliance, some is professional courtesy. At the end of the day, I maintain professioanlism and don't blow *hit off, and I will engage in niceities with passsengers when it suits me. Unfortunately for NPS, that means our highest margin revenue-generators don't get to see me - that's just they way it sorts out after I complete my other duties. If both pilots have a tight commuter flight, I'll take one for the team and encourage my colleage to bolt. If I'm the only one in a time bind, I'll delegate clean up tasks and goodbyes, and then I'm gone. When I'm the one at the door, if there are slugs in the last few rows, shuffling multiple bags and stuff around, taking their time, I'm also gone. Like I said, prioritization. As others have said, enthusiasm for customer service activities is proportional to the respect extended to us from above. FOM compliance is no joke, but I apply a "heiarchy of needs" that works for me. My attitude could be adjusted via CPO counseling, but I have a vision issue - just can't see my prudent judgement being called into question over low level stuff of this nature.

20Fathoms

Agreed. What is operational necessity anyway? Is D0 a necessity? Considering how many times I’ve had a 30 minute turn in Mecca with a swap from A to E I highly doubt they really want to press to test on this one.

I’ve also heard the argument “Oh pilots have to stay, what if something goes wrong?” That’s totally fair, but either we have to be there or we don’t. That would mean no boarding of the aircraft until the pilots are on board and that would throw our on time numbers into the abyss.

Just try saying goodbye to every pax on a 757-300, then packing up your nest, grabbing a bite to eat, and walking four terminals away in the ATL and see how long that takes you.

blue vortex

Like I said, Mr. 99%, they await you over at chitchat!

...not sure how most of the other of the pilots out there still to manage to say goodbye... but I know you're kinda special.

CBreezy

What's with the chit chat ad hominem. Is APC posting only allowed if you have enthusiastic love for a corporation? I'm only allowed to post here if I believe being a Delta. Air. Lines, Inc aviator is a calling? I guess in order to post here, I need to tagging Ed in posts on workplace thanking him for being so great. And making sure to thank my CPO for the opportunity to come and serve them every trip.

StoneQOLdCrazy

You need some new material. Guys who resort to "you belong on chitchat" bleating have already lost the argument.

I bet you used to post Jepp changes on your own time, too.

Bro, we get it. You're an LCA or a chief pilot. OK. But there are fewer and fewer pilots who are buying what you and your bosses are sellling by the day. They have no integrity. Stop carrying their water.

hockeypilot44

Standing at the door doesn’t work anymore. Usually the cleaners board and start cleaning during the deplaning process. This includes the forward lav which leaves us nowhere to stand. Combine that with catering and the flight attendants, it just doesn’t work. We’re just in the way.

Most of us use common sense. We’re polite to everyone, greet any customer we can, then we get out of the way and leave when there’s a break.

TED74

Fewer than the number of PWA obligations the company intentionally skips.

notEnuf

Language, like in the PWA, is loose enough to be reinterpreted.