American Airlines to Move US Airways to Its Reservation System Oct. 17

[ChrisUS]

I just checked again.  I'm starting to see legacy US routes now listed as AA flights (without the Operated by US Airways notation).  DCA-LGA and PHL-CDG both now appear.  And, the regional flights are now showing as "Operated by xxx As American Eagle" in lieu of "Operated by US Airways Express-xxx".

FINALLY! Nice to have "one stop shopping" when looking for flights!   

 

[AirwAr]

 
 
I cannot speak ot other areas but in Tech Ops that couldn't be further from the truth. AA's IT systems and procedures makes US or even old AWA look like modern tech savvy firms by comparison. Everything is beyond limited, old and antiquated and the policies and procedures to match.

 
Really.  So, were does AWA outshine AA?  I sure haven't seen it in my area.

 

[Jester]

 
Really.  So, were does AWA outshine AA?  I sure haven't seen it in my area.

 
 

Now that we have several AA guys working on the ramp in PHX, they have been kind enough to show me how their trade swap system worked, and it is ass-backwards, unnecessarily complex and confusing.  Who would ever design a system where any co-worker can take a shift without the permission of the person?  It is slow, convoluted, and difficult to read a calendar format as to one's work schedule.  I would take Workbrain any day, but I will say that the AA system only advantage as it is available anywhere with internet access.
 
Furthermore, the non-rev booking with US is a much better system than AA... I like the ability for the US system to allow several "tabs" on various different segments and look forward and backward two days on the same segments.  On the AA system, I need to re-enter every segment and date as it doesn't have those tab options and try to keep everything straight as to which flights offer me the best chances.
 
While AA might have been the cutting edge of SABER, FF programs, crew scheduling, etc. it strikes me that they are stuck with old systems offering the best of 1980's technology.

 

[IORFA]

"Ass backwards and unnecessarily complex and confusing?" Sounds like the shitty USAir contract forced on the F/A's by the fools in CLT, PHL and DCA! Regarding the USAir non rev website, I agree that the forward and back tabs for the days you want to travel is nice. However the rest of it is complete shite. It isn't nearly as user friendly and a royal pain in the arse to navigate and locate information. It can't go away fast enough!!! In my view, 80's technology is better than the 80's mentality of the USAir employees. If the fools from Phoenix used their brain during their last merger, Sabre would have stayed and this process would have been finished months ago and training for the agents and res would have been minimal.

 

[eolesen]

Who would ever design a system where any co-worker can take a shift without the permission of the person?

Uh, the employees who used the system did. If you "took" a shift without permission, or gave it to someone without their knowledge, you stood to lose your privileges.

Most of the TWU members I interacted with didn't want to have both employees log into the system to execute a trade.
 

I would take Workbrain any day, but I will say that the AA system only advantage as it is available anywhere with internet access.

Workbrain is utter crap. You're the first person in ten years other than a salesperson for Workbrain who I've ever heard speak positively about it. My crowning accomplishment at AA was dodging that bullet for Field Services and getting Maya Leibman's support for *not* adopting Workbrain. We got to keep StaffAdmin, and the res centers had to deal with Workbrain since they had nothing.

 

[Jester]

Uh, the employees who used the system did. If you "took" a shift without permission, or gave it to someone without their knowledge, you stood to lose your privileges.

Most of the TWU members I interacted with didn't want to have both employees log into the system to execute a trade.
 

Workbrain is utter crap. You're the first person in ten years other than a salesperson for Workbrain who I've ever heard speak positively about it. My crowning accomplishment at AA was dodging that bullet for Field Services and getting Maya Leibman's support for *not* adopting Workbrain. We got to keep StaffAdmin, and the res centers had to deal with Workbrain since they had nothing.

 
 

I was actually excited about a potential improvement over Workbrain, and so I asked about the AA system... what a disaster!  In PHX with over 800 fleet service agents I could imagine everyone saying, "Oh, I thought you said I could have that day" or "Oh, I didn't know it was a different day" or "Someone said you were dropping that day" or "Your trading partner said it was okay," etc. and people are showing-up for work when people unknowingly picked up the day???  If I dropped a shift, then I want it as an electronic "handshake"... I sent it and someone picked it up and no reversing it unless I agreed!
 
I assume you have actually used the AA shift trading process?  It is a less-than-obvious link to another less-than-obvious link leading to a new page near the bottom for a drop down menu, then a couple of slow moving screens (which prompts the user to do something, but in reality don't do anything), and finally to where one may review one's schedule or conduct a trade.  Then the "calendar" is just a list of dates without days and even though it might claim one is "OFF", upon further review, you might see a shift listed directly below, and without any demarcation between the dates.  After seeing that hot mess, I'll take Workbrain with a few of its quirky bugs and links in unrelated pages... at least, it is fast, the bulletin board is easy to use, and the calendar is actually a calendar which one can quickly understand!
 
And oh?  If I want to review my clock-in and clock-out, along with my hours, it is a matter of clicking on the date on the Workbrain calendar, and a window opens to list all the information, instead of having to go back through to the introduction screen and open a different program to a separate time keeping system.
 
When I have mentioned to other PHX agents about the AA system, the first thing I hear, "I hope we keep Workbrain."

 

[dfw gen]

 
 

I was actually excited about a potential improvement over Workbrain, and so I asked about the AA system... what a disaster!  In PHX with over 800 fleet service agents I could imagine everyone saying, "Oh, I thought you said I could have that day" or "Oh, I didn't know it was a different day" or "Someone said you were dropping that day" or "Your trading partner said it was okay," etc. and people are showing-up for work when people unknowingly picked up the day???  If I dropped a shift, then I want it as an electronic "handshake"... I sent it and someone picked it up and no reversing it unless I agreed!
 
I assume you have actually used the AA shift trading process?  It is a less-than-obvious link to another less-than-obvious link leading to a new page near the bottom for a drop down menu, then a couple of slow moving screens (which prompts the user to do something, but in reality don't do anything), and finally to where one may review one's schedule or conduct a trade.  Then the "calendar" is just a list of dates without days and even though it might claim one is "OFF", upon further review, you might see a shift listed directly below, and without any demarcation between the dates.  After seeing that hot mess, I'll take Workbrain with a few of its quirky bugs and links in unrelated pages... at least, it is fast, the bulletin board is easy to use, and the calendar is actually a calendar which one can quickly understand!
 
And oh?  If I want to review my clock-in and clock-out, along with my hours, it is a matter of clicking on the date on the Workbrain calendar, and a window opens to list all the information, instead of having to go back through to the introduction screen and open a different program to a separate time keeping system.
 
When I have mentioned to other PHX agents about the AA system, the first thing I hear, "I hope we keep Workbrain."

I will admit staff admin is slow at times but out of 800 mechanics I am aware of very few that don't understand or are unable to keep track of their schedule. Those individuals are usually poster children for union representation and eventually weed themselves out to a new career. As far as stealing shifts that just doesn't happen.

 

[lax]

I was actually excited about a potential improvement over Workbrain, and so I asked about the AA system... what a disaster!  In PHX with over 800 fleet service agents I could imagine everyone saying, "Oh, I thought you said I could have that day" or "Oh, I didn't know it was a different day" or "Someone said you were dropping that day" or "Your trading partner said it was okay," etc. and people are showing-up for work when people unknowingly picked up the day???  If I dropped a shift, then I want it as an electronic "handshake"... I sent it and someone picked it up and no reversing it unless I agreed!
 
I assume you have actually used the AA shift trading process?  It is a less-than-obvious link to another less-than-obvious link leading to a new page near the bottom for a drop down menu, then a couple of slow moving screens (which prompts the user to do something, but in reality don't do anything), and finally to where one may review one's schedule or conduct a trade.  Then the "calendar" is just a list of dates without days and even though it might claim one is "OFF", upon further review, you might see a shift listed directly below, and without any demarcation between the dates.  After seeing that hot mess, I'll take Workbrain with a few of its quirky bugs and links in unrelated pages... at least, it is fast, the bulletin board is easy to use, and the calendar is actually a calendar which one can quickly understand!
 
And oh?  If I want to review my clock-in and clock-out, along with my hours, it is a matter of clicking on the date on the Workbrain calendar, and a window opens to list all the information, instead of having to go back through to the introduction screen and open a different program to a separate time keeping system.
 
When I have mentioned to other PHX agents about the AA system, the first thing I hear, "I hope we keep Workbrain."

spoken like someone who doesn't know what they're talking about. 800 fsc is nothing. dfw has over 3000 and mia over 2500 and the system works like a charm. If someone is stupid enough to steal your shift guess who will be sent home in short order when you arrive? Not saying the system is perfect but what your worried about happens infrequently in stations much bigger than phx!

 

[Art at ISP]

I like the idea that they are doing this in steps between now and October 17th. Sabre was always the much more robust platform. Imagine how much easier it would be now had they remained with Sabre after the last merger.

The AA app is light years better than the US app, and is much easier to use. I think I might have had one issue with it over the years...

Time will tell but it appears this will be somewhat of a smoother transition.

My best to you all......

 

[Jester]

Nice theory, but I have already spoken with a few former furloughed US guys who transferred back to their station to work for AA, and it is already  happening! Misunderstandings, miscommunication and shifts are already disappearing, and someone going to rat-out another guy over an "innocent mistake"?
 
Give me that electronic "handshake" and the entire confusion can be avoided, as we NEVER have that problem in PHX.

 

[AANOTOK]

I'm one of many Fleet in Dallas and I have never ever heard of any of the problems you are describing. The system works and works extremely well. Sure, there may be a miscommunication or two, but that is the fault of the employee, not the system. Some people cringe at having accountability/responsibility attached to them. No one is stealing a shift in Dallas that I have ever heard of. If that individual did not follow through with the completion, it is on him. Any innocent mistake I have ever heard of at DFW was corrected without any kind of action taken. Of course if you're a slug and always screwing up cs's, then that is a different story. Know who you are giving the cs to and follow up that it is taken care of. Once it is inputted, only you can revoke it. Again, the system protects you unless you are careless...

 

[IORFA]

Nice theory, but I have already spoken with a few former furloughed US guys who transferred back to their station to work for AA, and it is already  happening! Misunderstandings, miscommunication and shifts are already disappearing, and someone going to rat-out another guy over an "innocent mistake"?
 
Give me that electronic "handshake" and the entire confusion can be avoided, as we NEVER have that problem in PHX.

Sounds like former USAir peeps aren't that smart. Again, like most things employee related thrust on us by USAir, they are over burdensome, usually involve many extra non necessary steps and too many controls. It is like they were designed to be used by children not smart enough to understand the system and to protect themselves, from themselves!

 

[700UW]

Sounds like former USAir peeps aren't that smart. Again, like most things employee related thrust on us by USAir, they are over burdensome, usually involve many extra non necessary steps and too many controls. It is like they were designed to be used by children not smart enough to understand the system and to protect themselves, from themselves!

 
Who is US Air?
 
And boy you sure know how to make friends, hate to be at your table during a family dinner.

 

[lax]

Nice theory, but I have already spoken with a few former furloughed US guys who transferred back to their station to work for AA, and it is already  happening! Misunderstandings, miscommunication and shifts are already disappearing, and someone going to rat-out another guy over an "innocent mistake"?
 
Give me that electronic "handshake" and the entire confusion can be avoided, as we NEVER have that problem in PHX.

what is it thats giving you brain-freeze? It's simple. If someone attempts to "steal" your shift or there's some type of misunderstanding, then the person that shows up will be sent home. Now in big stations like dfw mia ord etc some times they'll find some place for the cser to work. But as someone mentioned if the cs'er has a chronic problem of "misunderstandings" he'll prbly be sent home and possibly reprimanded. Not to mention black-balled for future cs's. as big as dfw and mia are most guys know each other and I haven't met anyone dumb enough to jeopardize their future income on multiple "misunderstandings" lol. It just doesn't happen!

 

[USFlyer]

I think we've drifted off topic ...