A Question For Luv Pilots

[BoeingBoy]

Hi folks,

As most of you probably know, our management at US continues to beat us about the head & shoulders with the "cost structure" of LUV and JBLU. Specifically for us pilots, they use the block hours flown per pilot. I know that we have many inefficiencies compared to you, but the difference still seems large. I was wondering if anyone could give me some approximate figures for block hours per pilot at LUV and whether that is figured using the total group of pilots or just the "line" pilots.

If you don't want to post an answer here, you can e-mail or PM me.

Thanks in advance and continued good luck to you. I've watched your growth since you "graduated" from being an intrastate carrier in TX. Having been with a growing carrier (the old Piedmont before U bought us) I know how exciting it can be.

Jim

 

[bwipilot]

Productivity per pilot is about 60-65 hours/month. All 4300 pilots on the seniority list not on extended leave (mil, medical, etc.) are included. Those are hard hours as well. The number started slipping a bit but is being pushed up again.

 

[737driver]

My block time average for the past 5 years has been 69.6 hrs per month.

 

[FWAAA]

In 2001, WN pilots flew an average of 62 block hours each month, while US pilots flew an average of 50 per month, according to the DOT (and contained within UAL's brief in support of its bankruptcy petition). US pilots were much more productive than UAL pilots, who only managed an average of 36 hours per month in 2001. These figures are from page 58 of:

http://www.pd-ual.com/Downloads/Informatio...Lines%20Inc.pdf

 

[BoeingBoy]

Thanks for the input ya'll.

Jim

 

[jetdryvr]

Geez I feel pretty unproductive with an average of over 80 hours a month for alot less pay at AE.

 

[1-800-IFLYSWA]

62 hours at Southwest vs. 50 at US Airways. That's a 20% difference. If those guys could drop their costs 20% they would probably make money.

 

[BoeingBoy]

You're at least partially right - don't know if pilot productivity alone would result in profit but it would help. Unfortunately, all the tools to improve it are in managements hands. Nearly all the trips are hard time now. The lost productivity is due to downsizing (junior pilots have 15 years with comensurate vacation, etc.), hub & spoke flying (poor a/c utilization), mixed fleet type (many pilots go thru initial training multiple times in a year). And these are only the major factors.

Jim