Piedmont Airlines News & Rumors
09-13-2021, 09:10 AM
#6401
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2016
Posts: 155
There are a few things I disagree with here.
1) we can't just up and leave without significant consequences (lateral career progression on interviews, losing seniority, etc), and the company knows that. Most of us came here during a different time where we worked harder than our peers in exchange for a guaranteed job at the majors after a 5 year stint. Right now, we work harder in exchange for nothing special. I don't count a $30k bonus with a 3 year commitment, after upgrade, at the beginning of the largest non-military hiring binge in history as 'special.' Same for the flow bonuses, especially if you passed up other opportunities.
2) The company won't pay us more or increase quality of life out of the goodness of their hearts; they'll do it when supply/demand makes it necessary in order to keep the airline staffed (either recruitment or retention). It's pretty much impossible for a 1,500 hour CFI to understand how the contract will affect their lives on the line. All they understand is hourly pay rate and bonuses. By pointing out the issues, it educates pilots who are being recruited, and if it's a bad deal, they won't take it, which will hopefully lead to meaningful changes to our pay and quality of life to entice people to come here (or stay instead of bolting to LCCs). It's not like PDT is struggling to remain profitable, it's that PDT is always trying to find ways to reduce costs and now they're reluctant to adjust their expectations to increase costs to be on regional parity. It's not about sinking the boat we're on. It's the opposite. It's about bringing attention to issues that are fixable. That's the problem with "if it ain't broke, why fix it." By the time things break, they're usually much more costly and difficult to fix.
1) we can't just up and leave without significant consequences (lateral career progression on interviews, losing seniority, etc), and the company knows that. Most of us came here during a different time where we worked harder than our peers in exchange for a guaranteed job at the majors after a 5 year stint. Right now, we work harder in exchange for nothing special. I don't count a $30k bonus with a 3 year commitment, after upgrade, at the beginning of the largest non-military hiring binge in history as 'special.' Same for the flow bonuses, especially if you passed up other opportunities.
2) The company won't pay us more or increase quality of life out of the goodness of their hearts; they'll do it when supply/demand makes it necessary in order to keep the airline staffed (either recruitment or retention). It's pretty much impossible for a 1,500 hour CFI to understand how the contract will affect their lives on the line. All they understand is hourly pay rate and bonuses. By pointing out the issues, it educates pilots who are being recruited, and if it's a bad deal, they won't take it, which will hopefully lead to meaningful changes to our pay and quality of life to entice people to come here (or stay instead of bolting to LCCs). It's not like PDT is struggling to remain profitable, it's that PDT is always trying to find ways to reduce costs and now they're reluctant to adjust their expectations to increase costs to be on regional parity. It's not about sinking the boat we're on. It's the opposite. It's about bringing attention to issues that are fixable. That's the problem with "if it ain't broke, why fix it." By the time things break, they're usually much more costly and difficult to fix.
That is a nice post and you did not accuse me of lying or stabbing people in the back.
I also think what you wrote is accurate, objective and all true!!
09-13-2021, 11:25 AM
#6402
On Reserve
Joined APC: Mar 2020
Posts: 15
The reserve trip could vary from a day turn, maybe a repo flight, to two, three or four day trip and possible a five day trip followed by one night in base and RAS or a four leg one day trip on day six. Each day you fly anywhere from one to six legs. The contract states max nights out of base are 4. Sometimes they will assign you a trip that wasn’t covered, or they will assign you a trip where someone called out sick. Usually the sick call trip you won’t fly the whole trip and they will find you something else to do. Another item that wasn’t mentioned that really stinks about being reserve is you don’t get your schedule until around the 25th of the month, so you really can not plan your next month at all. You’ll miss out on family events, weddings, kids events etc.
09-13-2021, 12:53 PM
#6403
Eating A Gruben
Joined APC: Feb 2020
Posts: 1,065
09-13-2021, 02:03 PM
#6404
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2016
Posts: 155
As long a the moderators don’t mind you are free to say what you like!!
Like when you told Route66 to GTFO!! That’s your prerogative to say that and then bounce over here and accuse me of lying and stabbing people in the back.
OR like when you stated to the Republic guy that you were at a major and he wasn’t.
Whatever makes you happy!!
09-13-2021, 03:25 PM
#6405
Eating A Gruben
Joined APC: Feb 2020
Posts: 1,065
The alternate would be to tell the truth and not complain to the extent that it sounds like we get beat during quick turns. But if folks want to vent about our substandard schedules then they are free to do so. I’m free to vent about them venting!!
As long a the moderators don’t mind you are free to say what you like!!
Like when you told Route66 to GTFO!! That’s your prerogative to say that and then bounce over here and accuse me of lying and stabbing people in the back.
OR like when you stated to the Republic guy that you were at a major and he wasn’t.
Whatever makes you happy!!
As long a the moderators don’t mind you are free to say what you like!!
Like when you told Route66 to GTFO!! That’s your prerogative to say that and then bounce over here and accuse me of lying and stabbing people in the back.
OR like when you stated to the Republic guy that you were at a major and he wasn’t.
Whatever makes you happy!!
09-13-2021, 06:26 PM
#6406
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Aug 2015
Posts: 203
I do agree our reserve rules are terrible, but they could be a lot worse. A lot of the former TSA pilots who came here actually realize how bad reserve can be and overwhelmingly agree our rules at PDT are significantly better. One of the key parts of PDT was the lack of airport reserve. That changed last year and our airport reserve rules are terrible. You can be used up to 8 times a month and sit for 8 hours. We have no transparency showing where you actually stand in seniority on a given day at a given time. You have to take their word for it that you are the "most junior" pilot available. Transparency, along with improvements to our airport reserve language, would make reserve much more tolerable here.
With that said, it's not that bad. With the exception of a few months that we picked up extra flying and wound up short staffed, most of my reserve day trades get approved so I get the days off I want. I get about 12-14 "days off" and sometimes more. And now that the flow is back, I wouldn't expect to spend a significant amount of time on reserve.
09-14-2021, 05:45 AM
#6407
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2019
Posts: 380
The company won't pay us more or increase quality of life out of the goodness of their hearts; they'll do it when supply/demand makes it necessary in order to keep the airline staffed (either recruitment or retention). It's pretty much impossible for a 1,500 hour CFI to understand how the contract will affect their lives on the line. All they understand is hourly pay rate and bonuses. By pointing out the issues, it educates pilots who are being recruited, and if it's a bad deal, they won't take it, which will hopefully lead to meaningful changes to our pay and quality of life to entice people to come here (or stay instead of bolting to LCCs). It's not like PDT is struggling to remain profitable, it's that PDT is always trying to find ways to reduce costs and now they're reluctant to adjust their expectations to increase costs to be on regional parity. It's not about sinking the boat we're on. It's the opposite. It's about bringing attention to issues that are fixable. That's the problem with "if it ain't broke, why fix it." By the time things break, they're usually much more costly and difficult to fix.
The thing that terrifies me the most is that our Union leadership and senior pilots are going to be leaving within the next year or so. This is a critical time, especially when our pilot contract becomes amendable in 2023. PDT needs some major quality of life issues fixed and brought up to industry standard.
09-14-2021, 05:52 AM
#6408
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2012
Position: CRJ FO
Posts: 4,601
^ This right here 100%.
The thing that terrifies me the most is that our Union leadership and senior pilots are going to be leaving within the next year or so. This is a critical time, especially when our pilot contract becomes amendable in 2023. PDT needs some major quality of life issues fixed and brought up to industry standard.
The thing that terrifies me the most is that our Union leadership and senior pilots are going to be leaving within the next year or so. This is a critical time, especially when our pilot contract becomes amendable in 2023. PDT needs some major quality of life issues fixed and brought up to industry standard.
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