UAL pilots..retro question
08-17-2012, 04:22 PM
#51
I'd rather be hunting
Joined APC: Jan 2012
Position: B737 Captain
Posts: 91
Sorry, just venting here.
08-17-2012, 05:07 PM
#54
I'd rather be hunting
Joined APC: Jan 2012
Position: B737 Captain
Posts: 91
Your a reserve Captain on the 737 in IAH? Can I assume from your post that you are a line holder? There seem to be plenty of red eyes in open time just before the start day of the pairing. A lot of BJX, CCS, ANC, BOG just to name a few. There are still 3 for today H5724, H5756B, and H5N18B. You can choose from at least 4 pairings tomorrow, H5374, H5545, H5567, H5626. BTW I did not check advertised trips. I sure you can find others that will trade their red eye pairing for yours. If wait till about 11pm most of the sick calls have come in and there will be more to choose from. I wish we had more guys like you who like red eyes, because most of us that sit reserve don't. As far as PBS I stoped trusting the so called experts long ago.
08-17-2012, 05:11 PM
#56
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2006
Position: 737 CA
Posts: 2,750
I respectfully disagree. The most junior pilots are GUM and IAH based, 2005 hire date and not former express guys. Can I assume you are talking about the attractiveness of sitting reserve at IAH on the 737? Where you can count on being double pump, having your days off rolled, sitting simulator support, flying back to back red-eyes and flying maintenance inputs, 0200 phone availability on your first day of a reserve block and A reserves (long call) pilots being converted to B reserve (short call) on your first day of a reserve block. Anyone wonder where a lot of LUALs red-eyes went? Any other 737 Captains sitting reserve(below G-line) in IAH please feel free to add anything I left out concerning the attractiveness of sitting reserve at IAH .
Sorry, just venting here.
Sorry, just venting here.
Sled
08-17-2012, 05:12 PM
#57
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2006
Position: 737 CA
Posts: 2,750
Again....WOW
CAL LAX Council Update.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
I. ARE WE THERE YET?
The answer is “no” . . . just like it always is.
Work is still being done to develop our TA. A joint special MEC meeting is scheduled for August 28–29 in Chicago. As far as we know, the purpose of that meeting is to brief us on the progress of drafting the TA as well as to discuss MEC resolution 1010-93R, which calls for allowing the pilot group to see and comment on the TA before the MEC votes on it. We believe upholding that resolution is in the best interest of the pilot group and we intend to enforce it.
II. RETURN OF THE SPECIAL GUEST
As you know (yes, you’ve been told multiple times), we have our local council meeting next Thursday, August 23, from 1100 to 1400 at the Proud Bird. In addition to our normal business “stuff,” we have two resolutions to present (currently available for viewing on our website) and MEC Chairman Pierce will again be in attendance to give us a briefing and we know he will happily listen to your comments, concerns, thoughts, musings, complaints, compliments, rants, suggestions . . .
III. SEEING THROUGH THE FOG
It would be funny . . . if it wasn’t true!
Since we are for all practical purposes in a “holding pattern” (please forgive the pun) while the AIP evolves into a TA, we figured a little levity might be in order (yes, we have been told we have a distorted sense of humor). Below is a sampling of the types of shenanigans that have taken place over the past few months by our employer. You decide which is fact and which is so bizarre we must be making it up. Good luck!
1. Vectors for . . . reassignment?
A crew had just deplaned and was on their way to their next departure when an unidentified man advised them that they needed to call “ATC” and handed them a phone number. Thinking what we all think when we hear those words (hint: “Crap! What did we screw up?”), they complied. Much to their surprise, the voice on the other end advised them of a reassignment. Now, we know ATC has a great deal of authority over us, but we’re pretty sure they don’t handle our Scheduling Department. As it turns out, this was an egregiously deceptive (and successful) ploy by Scheduling to dupe these pilots into accepting a reassignment.
2. Let’s play pretend
A 757-200 was substituted for a 777 on a flight from Western Europe to EWR. While the flight plan for the 757-200 on this route would normally have been more than eight hours, and thus require an IRO, the same flight plan for the 777 was less than eight hours (and no IRO). The Company claimed that since it was a “last-minute” swap, that they could use the 777 flight time and didn’t need to staff an IRO, even though the block time would clearly be longer than eight hours.
3. Knock, knock . . . bang!
After repeated unsuccessful attempts to contact a crewmember during his rest period to notify him of a reassignment, Scheduling had the hotel’s security staff break into his room (yes, you read that correctly) and wake the sleeping pilot up, with the message that “Scheduling was worried he would sleep past his report time” (even though his original report time wasn’t until much later). We’re comforted to know they care about us so much.
4. Just shake it off
While riding the hotel van to the airport, one of our crews was involved in a car accident. Luckily, injuries were very minor. As a result of the accident, they were rescheduled to DH to a hub then on to their base (as there were no direct flights to their base). Upon arriving at the hub, one of the pilots was contacted by Scheduling and told they were rolling his days off and he was now operating a flight instead of deadheading home. Even though he reminded them that he had been in an accident and was headed to the medical clinic at his base, they wouldn't budge until he told them he was fatigued and could not accept the reassignment!
5. Try hitchhiking
Due to a mechanical issue, one of our crews ended up with an unexpected layover in a major city. Unfortunately there were (supposedly) no rooms available (well, at least anywhere that the Company was willing to pay for). After sitting around at the airport for nearly six hours, rooms were finally found—in a city an hour away, and with no prearranged shuttle service to get them there. The resourceful crew eventually found a shuttle service—for $1,000! Additionally, the service does not have an agreement with the Company and wanted the crew to pay for it rather than billing the Company. Not wanting to deal with that headache, the crew refused to pay for it (perhaps they had been “burned” before). Miraculously, rooms were eventually found at a nearby hotel.
6. DIY flight planning
With all the shuffling of operations areas at airports these days, it seems as though access to computers—and Internet service—to do flight planning has become “optional.” We have received repeated reports of crews departing European stations without being able to view en route weather maps. As a solution, Dispatch is now evidently relaying this information over the phone when requested (and thus necessitating that crews take extra time to plot such things as convective activity and turbulence on their plotting charts). When one of our captains mentioned this to an FODM, the FODM’s reply was that the captain should have printed his paperwork out while still at the hotel “like several other pilots do.” And when does my duty day start?
So which ones of these are so outlandish they have to be fiction? Sadly, none of them.
The level of desperation by Scheduling to fill seats has never been higher, and the level of concern by management has never been lower. We cannot stress enough to each and every one of you: know your rights! Read the contract. Review publications such as “Summer of Your Dreams” (available through the CAL Pilots > Home website, under “MEC Committees” then “Grievance”). When in doubt, call the union office during business hours or call the UDO Hotline after hours.
IV. OUR PLEDGE TO YOU
Our goal is to achieve an industry-leading contract for our industry-leading pilots so that we can work to make our airline an industry-leading airline. From the most senior to the most junior pilot, we are all affected, directly or indirectly, by each of the four cornerstones of a contract: pay, scope, retirement, and quality of life. We, as your LC representatives, will not support any contract that does not meet our expectations and your expectations in any of these cornerstones.
Rob, Mike, and Josh
........and another incredible story that involves one of our scab cA's and an L-CAL chk airman (worthless) in the FO seat vs the IRO (UAL furlough now @ CAL);
.......The IRO said check this out: he said he was sound asleep in a 1st seat on the LHR-IAD leg. He felt someone shaking him awake. When he looked up the ISM and a passenger were standing over him. The ISM stated that the passengers lay flat seat will not lay flat and that he's giving him the pilots rest seat. As you might expect, the IRO professionally told the ISM to pound sand. The ISM then told the (furloughed United) IRO that this isn't how we do things at CAL. The ISM then went to the inter phone to discuss this with the cAPT. While he was gone the Passenger, who was dressed in shorts and a sloppy t-shirt and who was also a coach upgrade, told the IRO to get the F out of his seat. A minute later the ISM stretched the phone over to the IRO and the IRO was told, by the cAPT, to relinquish his seat and return to the cockpit. The cAPT advised the IRO that at Continental, we take care of the passengers before ourselves. I'm sure the IRO has relayed this story to as many United pilots as he can.
The "CAL" culture can't crash and burn fast enough for me!
Thursday, August 16, 2012
I. ARE WE THERE YET?
The answer is “no” . . . just like it always is.
Work is still being done to develop our TA. A joint special MEC meeting is scheduled for August 28–29 in Chicago. As far as we know, the purpose of that meeting is to brief us on the progress of drafting the TA as well as to discuss MEC resolution 1010-93R, which calls for allowing the pilot group to see and comment on the TA before the MEC votes on it. We believe upholding that resolution is in the best interest of the pilot group and we intend to enforce it.
II. RETURN OF THE SPECIAL GUEST
As you know (yes, you’ve been told multiple times), we have our local council meeting next Thursday, August 23, from 1100 to 1400 at the Proud Bird. In addition to our normal business “stuff,” we have two resolutions to present (currently available for viewing on our website) and MEC Chairman Pierce will again be in attendance to give us a briefing and we know he will happily listen to your comments, concerns, thoughts, musings, complaints, compliments, rants, suggestions . . .
III. SEEING THROUGH THE FOG
It would be funny . . . if it wasn’t true!
Since we are for all practical purposes in a “holding pattern” (please forgive the pun) while the AIP evolves into a TA, we figured a little levity might be in order (yes, we have been told we have a distorted sense of humor). Below is a sampling of the types of shenanigans that have taken place over the past few months by our employer. You decide which is fact and which is so bizarre we must be making it up. Good luck!
1. Vectors for . . . reassignment?
A crew had just deplaned and was on their way to their next departure when an unidentified man advised them that they needed to call “ATC” and handed them a phone number. Thinking what we all think when we hear those words (hint: “Crap! What did we screw up?”), they complied. Much to their surprise, the voice on the other end advised them of a reassignment. Now, we know ATC has a great deal of authority over us, but we’re pretty sure they don’t handle our Scheduling Department. As it turns out, this was an egregiously deceptive (and successful) ploy by Scheduling to dupe these pilots into accepting a reassignment.
2. Let’s play pretend
A 757-200 was substituted for a 777 on a flight from Western Europe to EWR. While the flight plan for the 757-200 on this route would normally have been more than eight hours, and thus require an IRO, the same flight plan for the 777 was less than eight hours (and no IRO). The Company claimed that since it was a “last-minute” swap, that they could use the 777 flight time and didn’t need to staff an IRO, even though the block time would clearly be longer than eight hours.
3. Knock, knock . . . bang!
After repeated unsuccessful attempts to contact a crewmember during his rest period to notify him of a reassignment, Scheduling had the hotel’s security staff break into his room (yes, you read that correctly) and wake the sleeping pilot up, with the message that “Scheduling was worried he would sleep past his report time” (even though his original report time wasn’t until much later). We’re comforted to know they care about us so much.
4. Just shake it off
While riding the hotel van to the airport, one of our crews was involved in a car accident. Luckily, injuries were very minor. As a result of the accident, they were rescheduled to DH to a hub then on to their base (as there were no direct flights to their base). Upon arriving at the hub, one of the pilots was contacted by Scheduling and told they were rolling his days off and he was now operating a flight instead of deadheading home. Even though he reminded them that he had been in an accident and was headed to the medical clinic at his base, they wouldn't budge until he told them he was fatigued and could not accept the reassignment!
5. Try hitchhiking
Due to a mechanical issue, one of our crews ended up with an unexpected layover in a major city. Unfortunately there were (supposedly) no rooms available (well, at least anywhere that the Company was willing to pay for). After sitting around at the airport for nearly six hours, rooms were finally found—in a city an hour away, and with no prearranged shuttle service to get them there. The resourceful crew eventually found a shuttle service—for $1,000! Additionally, the service does not have an agreement with the Company and wanted the crew to pay for it rather than billing the Company. Not wanting to deal with that headache, the crew refused to pay for it (perhaps they had been “burned” before). Miraculously, rooms were eventually found at a nearby hotel.
6. DIY flight planning
With all the shuffling of operations areas at airports these days, it seems as though access to computers—and Internet service—to do flight planning has become “optional.” We have received repeated reports of crews departing European stations without being able to view en route weather maps. As a solution, Dispatch is now evidently relaying this information over the phone when requested (and thus necessitating that crews take extra time to plot such things as convective activity and turbulence on their plotting charts). When one of our captains mentioned this to an FODM, the FODM’s reply was that the captain should have printed his paperwork out while still at the hotel “like several other pilots do.” And when does my duty day start?
So which ones of these are so outlandish they have to be fiction? Sadly, none of them.
The level of desperation by Scheduling to fill seats has never been higher, and the level of concern by management has never been lower. We cannot stress enough to each and every one of you: know your rights! Read the contract. Review publications such as “Summer of Your Dreams” (available through the CAL Pilots > Home website, under “MEC Committees” then “Grievance”). When in doubt, call the union office during business hours or call the UDO Hotline after hours.
IV. OUR PLEDGE TO YOU
Our goal is to achieve an industry-leading contract for our industry-leading pilots so that we can work to make our airline an industry-leading airline. From the most senior to the most junior pilot, we are all affected, directly or indirectly, by each of the four cornerstones of a contract: pay, scope, retirement, and quality of life. We, as your LC representatives, will not support any contract that does not meet our expectations and your expectations in any of these cornerstones.
Rob, Mike, and Josh
........and another incredible story that involves one of our scab cA's and an L-CAL chk airman (worthless) in the FO seat vs the IRO (UAL furlough now @ CAL);
.......The IRO said check this out: he said he was sound asleep in a 1st seat on the LHR-IAD leg. He felt someone shaking him awake. When he looked up the ISM and a passenger were standing over him. The ISM stated that the passengers lay flat seat will not lay flat and that he's giving him the pilots rest seat. As you might expect, the IRO professionally told the ISM to pound sand. The ISM then told the (furloughed United) IRO that this isn't how we do things at CAL. The ISM then went to the inter phone to discuss this with the cAPT. While he was gone the Passenger, who was dressed in shorts and a sloppy t-shirt and who was also a coach upgrade, told the IRO to get the F out of his seat. A minute later the ISM stretched the phone over to the IRO and the IRO was told, by the cAPT, to relinquish his seat and return to the cockpit. The cAPT advised the IRO that at Continental, we take care of the passengers before ourselves. I'm sure the IRO has relayed this story to as many United pilots as he can.
The "CAL" culture can't crash and burn fast enough for me!
08-17-2012, 06:05 PM
#59
Banned
Joined APC: Oct 2010
Position: IAH 737 CA
Posts: 690
I respectfully disagree. The most junior pilots are GUM and IAH based, 2005 hire date and not former express guys. Can I assume you are talking about the attractiveness of sitting reserve at IAH on the 737? Where you can count on being double pump, having your days off rolled, sitting simulator support, flying back to back red-eyes and flying maintenance inputs, 0200 phone availability on your first day of a reserve block and A reserves (long call) pilots being converted to B reserve (short call) on your first day of a reserve block. Anyone wonder where a lot of LUALs red-eyes went? Any other 737 Captains sitting reserve(below G-line) in IAH please feel free to add anything I left out concerning the attractiveness of sitting reserve at IAH .
Sorry, just venting here.
Sorry, just venting here.
It will be a good day when this concessionary contract is finished. We have given way more than was ever required. None of this BS anymore. A real contract that eliminates these abuses. Time to move forward.
08-17-2012, 07:35 PM
#60
I'd rather be hunting
Joined APC: Jan 2012
Position: B737 Captain
Posts: 91
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