vilcas

Which is why I said you can call scheduling and they will arrange transportation if the hotel is inflexible.

Avroman

First flight of the day the answer has always been, "then you need to take the latest available van that still allows you to arrive at the gate on time, even if it means traveling up to "1 hour each way on your own time, as that's part of the 10 hours rest... we only guarantee 8 at the hotel, that allows 1 hour travel each way" So much for fixing that rest/fatigue... So no scheduling Won't do squat about that unless it becomes more than 1 hour of transit time to show time.

TalkTurkey

Yea and I bet LGA's crew room does not stand alone with it's "size" issues.

higney85

Have the front desk schedule a taxi for your time, pay for it, expense it. I've done that a few times and been reimbursed without question within a few business days. Scheduling has a list of van travel times, which is actually a culmination of API (hotel vendor) and actual times from crew experience. That's why vans are pre scheduled many times. 90% of the time the times match up to be realistic within 5-10 minutes of what we (as pilots) would ask for. That leaves the 10% of times where irops or just weird times don't work. About half the time, the hotel will cooperate and make it work within reason (I'm not one to be upset over +/- 10 minutes). If that doesn't work, call scheduling, tell them you are taking a taxi. They put that in your crewtrac comments. Politely ask the front desk to arrange a taxi or van (depending on size) for O'dark time. Take the taxi, pay as the CA, expense it. You will be on time, reimbursed, and behind the scenes phone calls are made as to why this had to happen. You asked for a time around xx:xx, the hotel didn't cooperate, so you made it happen yourself. Everyone is legal, you get some credit card points, and API/Company works to get hotels that cooperate or find a different vendor. Yes, it's a process, but your day goes on with only 1 quick phone call and 2 minutes in the crew room while discussing whatever hot topic is popular while submitting the expense report.

There have been a boat load of hotel changes recently (for the better), many of which are linked to van times being outside of what is needed with the hotel being inflexible. Those changes come from either crew care (hotel) reports, or crews having alternate transportation expensed showing a problem.

Not an attack on you avroman, just pointing out that there are multiple solutions to the problem. The avenue you take is up to you, or any other crew. If it's a rest issue, I'm not going to show up an hour early for a van and if crap hits fan not be able to say I had my legal rest. On a 20 hour layover, I'm less inclined to get fussy, but 10:30 on the ground and the hotel van runs once an hour with a xx:55 show and 5 minute ride? Nope... Call the taxi, thanks for your help mr hotel man, but I'm not going :45 early and cutting my rest to a point where I can be in a pickle if my day goes south.

TalkTurkey

Higney, why did our plane that came from the desert divert to ICT yesterday?

TalkTurkey

Sorry for the folks that failed SSP. Only 4 of 18 successful. If I were a pilot with an upcoming interview, I'd postpone it indefinitely until deltas hire numbers pick up. Delta is back to only the cream of the crop candidates.

higney85

Not sure but I can ask around.

TalkTurkey

Cool cool. Just a super curiosity.

Five93H

What's changed with Delta's hiring I wonder?

TalkTurkey

Mainly the numbers that are currently being hired. At the beginning of the year they were hiring between 120-150 a month. Now they're down to between 30-50. It's just my opinion that since their numbers are effing low, they can be picky-choosy again.