Grumbletrousers

Which overnight?

Qotsaautopilot

So the van comes every 20 or 30 minutes. I’m supposed to wait at the gate for the FAs to unload the entire plane and walk down together and we all miss the van? Is that what we are saying?

Or I’m supposed to walk to the pickup area and when the van arrives on schedule I’m supposed to wave at the driver as he pulls away on schedule and stand on the curb for another 20-30 min because the FAs aren’t down there yet?

If it’s a hotel van and it’s on demand and there is a known Crew either your own or another that’s right behind you obviously you wait. This scenario is so rare outside of the villes and bergs of rj flying. Usually it’s a private car or the van is on a schedule in a big city. I was commenting on a post where the person said if the van is on a schedule they have no problem with the DH pilots getting off quick and catching the van without everyone else. I agreed and explained that I had FAs get upset in this scenario (I was not DH though). They thought I should’ve waited for them. For what reason? They know where to go and are adults. Why should We (the pilots) miss the van with them? Makes zero sense

Packrat

Wow, ego much?

You obviously don't have any military training. In the Navy (and every other branch of the U.S. Armed Forces) you're taught that the Officers ALWAYS make sure the troops are taken care of BEFORE they look out for themselves.

Your F/As are your troops. As a Captain, I can see letting your F/O go on a scheduled van, but I'll be damned if I'd leave the F/As behind. Besides, every airline I ever worked for had the policy that if the van was more than 30 minutes late, taxis were authorized.

I've put the whole crew in taxis and paid for both. That's what leadership is all about. You should try it sometime.

Qotsaautopilot

We have different FAs literally every leg. Often some of them are based in the overnight city and some are going to the hotel. 9 out of 10 times we don’t even stay at the same hotel. I don’t need to get everyone’s story when we block in. We are a Crew when on the flight. At my airline the pilots are free to leave once the parking checklist is complete unless the plane needs to be shutdown. At that point I don’t have any obligation to 5-7 FAs that are probably all on different pairings.

And yes after 30min outside transportation is approved (pilots). Just last week after being held up with mx we arrived at the pick up area after the FAs. I asked if we stayed at the same hotel. They said yes and we just missed the van. I said I didn’t want to wait another 30min and was getting an uber Black. I asked if they wanted to join and they said yes. We proceeded to the ride share pickup area which was not near the hotel vans and waited for our driver. We arrived at the hotel the same time as we would have waiting for the next van.

4runner

Well said Commander. Seriously.

Slaphappy

we're not in the military.

captjns

I enjoy camaraderie. I want my crew to believe that we are a team and we get on and off the jet at the same time. I take it as my responsibility to wait until the last passenger is off the jet before we collect ourselves and head towards immigration, and toddle off to the van collection zone for pickup. It’s inconvenient at times, but well worth the return and respect from my fellow crewmembers. 10, or 15 minutes delay to get to the hotel? Really?

LNL76

It's a shame they don't make 'em like Packrat and captjns anymore....
(for the most part)....

Hetman

And nearly beyond belief they make them like Qotsaautopilot. Nearly. Congratulations, my threshold of astonishment has been reset. I am usually amazed at what fails to surprise me anymore, but this... Good Lord!

I feel I should write more, but words truly fail me

Qotsaautopilot

It seems as if you guys work at airlines where the entire crew stays together. We don’t. Between the 5-7 of us there could be between 2-7 different pairings. We also usually say at different hotels from the FAs in the same city so it’s common to split and head for our private car and they do their own thing to get to their hotel with the lead FA being in charge if they are staying together.

In the few places we do stay at the hotel together it’s usually a Crew base so often they are going home or splitting up. It’s also usually a large city and the van runs on a schedule. In the situation where the FA gave me a hard time for not waiting I had no idea whether she was based there or overnighting. And it’s the same hotel in the same pickup location running on the same schedule it has been for years. Why do I need to babysit to the pickup site and then ride together to the sign in sheet. She (they) know where to go and we aren’t flying together tomorrow. I don’t walk with them to the Crew parking bus after a trip or pick them up at home before. What makes this any different?

And what camaraderie? Ever sat on a hotel van with a bunch of FAs complaining about passengers and the latest screwing by scheduling all in front of the driver and other riders. It’s embarrasing. I’d rather not. If we make it to the same bus great. If it’s on demand of course I won’t leave without and I’ll ask so make sure they are going to the hotel. If it’s on a schedule, see ya, I have no idea where they are going. Different FAs literally every leg. She was just looking for drama.

I also know I’m not in the minority because when I was a commuter it was always offline and by the time I got to the front to thank the pilots for the ride they were long gone almost always.