FDXLAG

I believe the union has stated the early pull times have know been incorporated into the pairings starting with October.

Cowbell

Am I understanding this correctly? The company is shortening my already short layover by another 10 minutes ("adjusting the pairings") and we all pat ourselves on the back and treat it like some kind of victory? I never had a problem with the 10 min early push because if I wasn't ready to go, we didn't go. Make it a point to ask the FO if he is feeling rushed. Never an issue. In fact more often than not we're ready to go more than 10 mins prior to scheduled block out. Remember the big brew-hah about not blocking out early because of the 8-in-24 issue? If the company had just issued an FCIF or post saying they were going to shorten all layovers by 10 mins to improve system efficiency this board would have been on fire about our already short layovers. But now they've got us celebrating the fact. Sometimes I think we're our own worst enemy. Fire away...

Adlerdriver

To me it doesn't seem like there is "celebration" going on over this. Just communication regarding a poorly handled attempt by the company to improve efficiency. 10 minutes early can't happen via FCIF and word of mouth. It belongs on the scheduled pairing so duty times and flight times can be accurately tracked. We called them on it and it's been rectified.

Whoever decided to take this course of action in management appears to be an idiot. To me it seems deceptive. It started with the use of the strange term "pull". Almost 2 decades in this business and I've never heard anyone use that term with respect to aircraft departure. Was it as ridiculous as it appears to be? Don't call it an "early push" because that might be a contract violation or be more readily questioned by the crew - we'll call it a "pull" and hope no one notices? Strange to say the least.

As far as layover lengths, it either meets the contract or it doesn't. If these pairings were built from the start with 10 minute shorter layovers, would you still be complaining (would you have even noticed)? The company builds the pairings and has the ability to modify them as they see fit - as long as they do it in accordance with the contract. They just shouldn't be doing it via FCIF as a blanket change to hundreds of pairings after the bid month has started.

TonyC

"PULL" is what the load crews do when they're complete with the onload. Setting a target of 10 minutes early and then expecting the pilots to be ready to PUSH early is the tactic. You're right, whoever decided to take this course of action ... is very short-sighted.

Our system begins with a customer requesting a pick-up or dropping off a package. From there, the package goes to a station, where it is consolidated with all other packages picked up that day, and then transported to the ramp, where it may be sorted to trucks and airplanes. Each step of the way there are deadlines and cutoffs, and they've been set over time to allow for the loading and unloading, sorting and splitting, and ultimately the target PUSH time for the airplane involved. Arbitrarily changing that PULL time without making commensurate adjustments upstream puts a strain on somebody, or more likely a lot of somebodies.

When it comes down to no time changes anywhere but the PULL, the somebodies that feel the heat are the ramp employees at the departure ramp. The freight arrives at the ramp at the same time as before, but they're expected to do the same work in 10 minutes less time. Then, after working extra hard to meet this new, arbitrary deadline, they have the privilege of clocking out 10 minutes early. Do that 6 days a week, and they lose an hour of pay as a reward for working extra hard.

It's no wonder they're frustrated and standing over our shoulders wanting us to PUSH early. Nobody has explained the flawed logic of the program to them, and they only see that they've busted their tails and rushed to get us out early, and we're not rushing.


It's not a recipe for improved corporate morale.






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Overnitefr8

It's just like when it snows and they want us to leave the hotel early because they want an early push. The problem is we don't push until the freight is ready. And the freight will always be late when it is snowing.

BlackKnight

Well said Tony.

Busboy

I just thought "early pull" was a term thought up by the same person that came up with "righteous fuel".

The Walrus

I assumed that pull meant the inbound to the hub, and push was the outbound.

TonyC

I want the cute name of the next brilliant idea to include the word, "dude."



Pull is what they do with all the loaders and power cord and stairs so we can push the airplane.






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kronan

Here's some questions-
Pairings at selected city are changed to reflect the desired earlier departure. Will they be modified\revised as the heat index lowers in Memphis?
Does our earlier departure time revise how the ramps actually operate? Last minute drop-off 10 minutes earlier? Sort crew\loaders arriving 10 minutes earlier? Or are they still running at the originally scheduled times?