Captain Tony

Not to be argumentative, but if there is no check in, what does the company do in that rare event when someone's alarm clock doesn't go off, or they get in a car wreck, or their commuter flight diverts, or security shuts down, etc? Cancel the flight? Seriously Luis, inquiring minds want to know. The sense of entitlement over there is just astounding.

spudskier

Same thing they always do... change a long call to a short call, call a short call in 5 minutes before departure then change who they call in 3 times so the flight will be guaranteed to be 3 hours late, and completely bypass the 3 people on ready reserve. In the process cancel a few other flights just because they have low coverage from this one instance.

AtlCSIP

I think we all know that "same thing they always do" isn't a good idea going forward. Having to check in provides an opportunity for revovery by the company in the event something happens, which, I believe, is what Captain Tony was alluding to.

Firsttimeflyer

Checking in isn't a big issue. You check in at the gate before morning departures already, even if you don't realize it. Try not showing up in the am after an overnight and see if you get a call then. Giving a little heads up that you are there by means of hitting check in on a computer or phone or ipad, or even making a phone call....no big deal.
At least it gives a bit of time to try and salvage an on time departure and keep the operation running.
We have it pretty good really.

Nevets

Entitlement? Yeah, we feel entitled to our QOL and compensation, just as you are entitled to feel about your QOL and compensation. But somehow when you guys want that, it's ok. But when we want that, you guys are befuddled. Talk about entitlement, you want it but won't even give us the courtesy for us to fight for it without throwing a fit over it.

What happens? The other pilot is required to call if the other isn't there at show time. Crew scheduling then assigns an airport standby or assign it to the next guy on reserve. The pilot not making it gets to explain it to his Cheif pilot. This isn't rocket science and it's been the way we been doing it for almost 10 years. And despite that, CCF has been among the highest. Well not since Skywest bought us but that's a different story.



We've been doing this for YEARS! Historically we've had the best CCF numbers despite having this in our contract. This goes back to before ATL was running the show. So what changed? Not our check in requirement or lack there of. Why should our QOL suffer because of other's incompetence? I wouldn't ask that of you!



You'd have it even better if you didn't have to check in. If my car breaks down, I call. If I miss my commute, I call. If I'm sick, I call. If my commute diverts, I call as soon as I land. If I'm running late because of traffic/accident, I call. If everything is going as planned, as it usually does 95% of the time, I just show up at the gate. It's the same you would do except for we are not required to check in. It makes a difference when I only have to call 5% of the time rather than having to check in at some crew room computer 100% of the time and also call that 5% of the time. Trust me, this makes tight commutes possible. It's made the difference between commuting the night before or the day off.

DENpilot

You ASA boys could be the poster children for Stockholm syndrome. Talk about being brainwashed/drinking the koolaid/etc.

I wish you could hear yourselves talk. 'Yeah, they only beat us twice a week. They serve us gruel for breakfast lunch and dinner, but at least we get 3 meals a day. Oh, and they use genuine KY. We have it pretty good, really.'

atpcliff

I like how my airline wakes me up.it is their responsibility to wake me up...then I have one hour to be in the hotel lobby. The only time they don't do this is when I commercial somewhere. That is a problem sometimes, because guys miss their commercial flight, and then it throws our schedule off. The biggest problem with commercial flying, is that the airline is late or cancels the flight. I was sched to operate and stay overnight in Oslo, but USAir was so delayed that they pulled me off my schedule and sent me to the hotel for rest to go to HSV. HSV is not the same as Oslo.

Captain Tony

The entitlement I refer to is your collective opinion that you should be able to do whatever you want and the company can get over it because they exist to provide you a job.

And I love your plan about using ready reserves. You have now seen how this management operates for 3 years now. They will just compensate by putting 50 pilots on ready reserve every day instead of the usual 3-6. Oh but you don't care, because you're too senior to sit reserve anyhow. Yeah! F those junior F'ers!!! (Nevermind that they're 10-14 year Captains). I shouldn't have to check in! Never mind that 99% of the industry does it. Entitlement!

Southern Fried

Nevets, I agree with your above reply 100%.

Tony, when are you going to get it through that " " skull of yours that we negotiated that no check-in provision as part of our last contract? It's a contractual provision that we don't have to check-in. It's not because "you should be able to do whatever you want and the company can get over it because they exist to provide you a job", it is a contractual provision that the company signed-off on. AND, we have/had (pre-merger) one of the best CCF's in the industry despite having that "entitlement" as you like to refer to our contract language.

Maybe when you few on the ASA side start to think like men instead of children you will understand how grown-ups handle their work responsibilities. Proven performance (numbers don't lie) provided by proven professionals per the contract.

Preach on Nevets!

IrishNJ

Also agree 100% with Nevets. It's not entitlement to behave like a professional and expect to be treated as one. In eight years I've NEVER had a flight delay because a pilot just didn't turn up (either me or the other guy) so why would we need check-in? It's a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

A professional pilot who "forgets to set an alarm clock" deserves a missed trip and a reprimand and that's how it's dealt with, if it ever happens. If you're going to be late, you CALL before showtime so they can find someone to cover for you - no check-in required if a responsible pilot has already notified the company way BEFORE the time they would have checked in.