Originally Posted by 2StgTurbine

And I thought Delta pilots are supposed to be the anal retentive rule followers. Odds are your gate isn't anywhere near a crew room. 90% of the time I'm picking up my coffee at report time. I actually don't even start to worry about where the FO is until 25 minutes before departure.

Originally Posted by Hedley

It's really not much of an issue being that the vast majority of captains tell the FO to meet at the plane. I'm IAH based on the 737 where the norm is to meet at the plane. A captain wanting to meet in ops is extremely rare. I had a recent trip fall apart and ended up getting a DEN based FO. He said that over 75% of the captains establish the plane as the meeting place. Of those who do want to meet in ops, it's more of a cultural thing thing than anything else. Our manual says meet in ops unless the captain establishes another place. The real jerks are the captains who don't text the person that they're flying with and then don't go to ops. If you want to meet at the plane, have the common courtesy to let the other pilot know so that they don't have to go to ops and wait for a no show. My technique is to always text and say to meet at the plane (we have a 1 hr show for the first flight on a domestic pairing). When they respond I tell them that they can start us out if they'd like. Flying pilot loads the box, monitoring pilot takes a walk. It seems to work for me.

Originally Posted by Hedley

It's really not much of an issue being that the vast majority of captains tell the FO to meet at the plane. I'm IAH based on the 737 where the norm is to meet at the plane. A captain wanting to meet in ops is extremely rare.

Originally Posted by ugleeual

Agree but with one modification if the Captain in your scenario doesn’t show up in ops (per FOM) without designating the aircraft as alternate meet point: I’d go to ops and hang out waiting for 15 mins past report for Captain to show up… then tell the desk rep in CPO if they can find out where the Captain is for UA000. Once they make contact I’d meander to the aircraft after getting my coffee of choice, then I’d check in with CSR and go to the cockpit and say “why didn’t you go to ops?”… I’d then unpack my crap and do my normal routine (not rush) and let the Captain deal with any late issues…. Because if you show up that late (due to CA being an idiot) then they better grab the walk around while the FO catches up in the box/flows… if not they’ll suck up a late.

bottom line; They either show up in ops at report time or tell the FO in advance to meet at X instead… simple. I personally always text the FO(s) in advance and say to meet in ops or the aircraft… I also dope out who’s flying leg 1… especially on global flights with an IRO.

Originally Posted by BitterAAhole

And people have the nerve to call AA pilots skyn@zis.
Other than the hat and blazer wearing kapos pilots we're a pretty laid back and down to earth group.

I think the point of everyone's outrage is that this shouldn't be a thing. Kind of like mandatory hats and blazers. "It's not that bad" is a cope

Originally Posted by Hedley

I sort of did that to a captain once, I just didn't make phone calls. He was one with a reputation for being a jerk. I went to ops knowing that he wouldn't be there, visited with friends, went and got coffee, and got to the plane about 20 prior to push. When he asked where I had been in an angry tone, I just smiled and said that I had been waiting for him in ops like the FOM required us to (required at the time). He didn't think that it was funny, but I sure did.

Originally Posted by 60av8tor

Maybe you missed the part about these AAholes being the overwhelming minority of the 17k. Almost no one meets in ops although required in the FOM. And yeah, I may not like the hat - hate it - but some choose to where it. Just like at AA when you don't have to wear it at any time and some choose to do so. I think the blazer is more professional looking. I'd wear it all year round if I wasn't required to wear my circus hat with it.

Originally Posted by BitterAAhole

Maybe you missed the part where I said it's not about how "few" actually do it rather than that it's written in your manuals in the first place.

Originally Posted by BitterAAhole

Maybe you missed the part where I said it's not about how "few" actually do it rather than that it's written in your manuals in the first place.

Originally Posted by Hedley

Can you provide data that shows that meeting in the FPA inhances safety? Is there measurable data that shows that briefing in the FPA for one flight and then somewhere else for every other leg has an impact on safety? Considering that UAL is the only carrier that meets in a remote location for the first flight, is there data that shows that UAL has a noticeablly better safety record than our peers? Does it actually affect safety, or is it just a cultural norm from years ago? My position is that the content of the brief is what matters, not the location.

Practically every meeting that I have either witnessed or sat in on in the FPA was more of a bull session. 5-10 minutes of where do you live, kids, married, how's the commute........, and then a quick "are you ok with the fuel or see any issues?" before walking to a hot airplane and getting there just prior to boarding passengers. Both meeting in the FPA and anywhere else the captain decides is fully compliant with our FOM. As the captain, pick which one you prefer (if not going to the FPA have the courtesy to tell who you're flying with to save them a trip). As the FO, if not notified by the captain, go to the FPA.