Originally Posted by busdriver12

Sure. For example, I know someone who had a major surgery scheduled, and it was during a time when reserve utilization was low. He bid reserve during the month that he had scheduled the surgery. Pulled a couple of days on reserve, called in sick for the rest of the month (was charged very little to his sick bank due to low reserve utilization). Called in sick for the entire next month, and the month after bid reserve, calling off sick for the last few days of the month (once again, charged very few hours to his bank). Totally legal, ethical, within the contract. Smart utilization of bank for a scheduled procedure. They will not charge your sick bank for the entire month when you've pulled a day of reserve, only for what trips you would have been assigned. This works especially well during those times where they are barely using reserves.

Originally Posted by Crazy Canuck

it never ceases to amaze me how pilots think the company plays games like this with their ENTIRE multi billion dollar business just to spite us a few bucks. Just because our world revolves around us doesn’t meant FDX business plan also does!

Originally Posted by WearyEyed

I wasn’t saying that they would do any of it out of spite or because I think the world revolves around me. I believe we are just expenses on a spreadsheet with managers that are trying to keep the numbers as low as possible for the corporate finances. It makes sense to do what I suggested for the benefit of the corporation.

Originally Posted by Noworkallplay

UPS must be running an excess bid currently to prime the pump for negotiations in three years. They are doing it as a scare tactic I am sure.

Originally Posted by busdriver12

Interesting posts from people who’ve only been at FedEx for a few years. People who have only had a small sample of the life cycle at FedEx and are ready to jump ship.

I retired last year after 26 years at FedEx and a couple of years at American before that. No comparison. I always thought I’d rather be the bottom seniority holder at FedEx than the top at a pax carrier. Easy for me to stay, even during the tough times. Was able to retire at 58 because FedEx still has a pension, definitely couldn’t have done that at AA.

Understand, everything is cyclical. Before you know it, the pax carriers will have a downturn, people will be downgraded and many will be furloughed. This would have happened in 2020 and have been very ugly if both the Trump and Biden administration had let the chips fall as they should, and not ponied up billions of taxpayers dollars. Next time, they might not do so.

You can always improve your life at FedEx with a bit of effort. You can make the best of every situation, whether it’s 4A2B (or C), reserve, being very junior, there are so many ways to work things to your advantage. Pick up good trips that drop into sick time, drop crap trips, check open time often for extra pairings, schedule medical procedures on reserve (but call off sick and pull at least one day). Get a friend who uses mil leave and has a healthy sick bank to pass onto you, get a group of people that you trip trade with (so instead of dropping good trips, you offer them to each other). I could write many paragraphs about how to make your life better, it’s all there at FedEx, no matter your seniority. I never understood why people flew garbage trips, I never did (unless CRS mangled the trip). Never could do any of this at AA, though maybe their rules have changed.

Originally Posted by busdriver12

Sure. For example, I know someone who had a major surgery scheduled, and it was during a time when reserve utilization was low. He bid reserve during the month that he had scheduled the surgery. Pulled a couple of days on reserve, called in sick for the rest of the month (was charged very little to his sick bank due to low reserve utilization). Called in sick for the entire next month, and the month after bid reserve, calling off sick for the last few days of the month (once again, charged very few hours to his bank). Totally legal, ethical, within the contract. Smart utilization of bank for a scheduled procedure. They will not charge your sick bank for the entire month when you've pulled a day of reserve, only for what trips you would have been assigned. This works especially well during those times where they are barely using reserves.

Originally Posted by busdriver12

Interesting posts from people who’ve only been at FedEx for a few years. People who have only had a small sample of the life cycle at FedEx and are ready to jump ship.

I retired last year after 26 years at FedEx and a couple of years at American before that. No comparison. I always thought I’d rather be the bottom seniority holder at FedEx than the top at a pax carrier. Easy for me to stay, even during the tough times. Was able to retire at 58 because FedEx still has a pension, definitely couldn’t have done that at AA.

Understand, everything is cyclical. Before you know it, the pax carriers will have a downturn, people will be downgraded and many will be furloughed. This would have happened in 2020 and have been very ugly if both the Trump and Biden administration had let the chips fall as they should, and not ponied up billions of taxpayers dollars. Next time, they might not do so.

You can always improve your life at FedEx with a bit of effort. You can make the best of every situation, whether it’s 4A2B (or C), reserve, being very junior, there are so many ways to work things to your advantage. Pick up good trips that drop into sick time, drop crap trips, check open time often for extra pairings, schedule medical procedures on reserve (but call off sick and pull at least one day). Get a friend who uses mil leave and has a healthy sick bank to pass onto you, get a group of people that you trip trade with (so instead of dropping good trips, you offer them to each other). I could write many paragraphs about how to make your life better, it’s all there at FedEx, no matter your seniority. I never understood why people flew garbage trips, I never did (unless CRS mangled the trip). Never could do any of this at AA, though maybe their rules have changed.

Originally Posted by Corned Beef;[url=tel:3571754

3571754[/url]]American has sick if needed. They also don’t have a minimum call out time for reserve pilots.

Originally Posted by PurpleToolBox

Can you explain how not having a minimum call out time works?

Originally Posted by Corned Beef

Sure, their contract language says something like “report to the airport within a reasonable amount of time”. The contract doesn’t state a time frame to get to the airport; therefore, they can arrive whenever they want, within reason.