Crew members at AWA fly seperate... US together

[l8rd8r]

The recent Jet blue nightmare may prove to DP that keeping the crew members together proved more cost effective during the winter nightmare.

Does anyone know how many other carriers separate crews?



"pilots vs flight attendants at each carrier can be scheduled to fly the same schedule or split off to fly different schedules".

 

[N109UW]

The recent Jet blue nightmare may prove to DP that keeping the crew members together proved more cost effective during the winter nightmare.

Does anyone know how many other carriers separate crews?
"pilots vs flight attendants at each carrier can be scheduled to fly the same schedule or split off to fly different schedules".

If I am correct, US is the only one that does. I do find it interesting that we are. If it is so efficient, why isn't everyone doing it. There must be a reason why they don't.

 

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

Keeping crews together would be efficient in unusual circunstances such as the weather back east as demonstrated, but as I have been told,and I qualify this with no speacial knowledge, that during normal operations you can get more time out of the f/a's then the pilots.

 

[phasersonstun2]

In the old days, crews stayed together so they could "stay together"... I don't need to elaborate. Even today, the pilot bids close a week ahead of the f/a bids as a legacy to the days when one could definitely fly with another.

 

[hp_fa]

Keeping crews together would be efficient in unusual circunstances such as the weather back east as demonstrated, but as I have been told,and I qualify this with no speacial knowledge, that during normal operations you can get more time out of the f/a's then the pilots.

Yup. That's the reason. Plus, FA's are qualified and available to fly many more aircraft then one pair of pilots would be under both the FAR's and the union rules.

 

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

When I started as an F/A the system in place was the pilots and F/A's were seperate. To me, the method of keeping everyone together is a left over from the "Mecca" days. The reasoning for it are not something I know specifficaly? I think it is advantageous for the F/A's hour wise. I am all for it but I think we may have our finger in the dike.

 

[Travelpro72]

I am all for it but I think we may have our finger in the dike.

Well I can tell you that I certainly DON'T like the sounds of that.

 

[USstew23]

I am all for it but I think we may have our finger in the dike.

Well lets make sure we wash our hands with warm soap and water when we're done. h34r:

 

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

If you think of things in an "unclean way" what can I say. Nothing personal intended. The trend, again with no specific knowledge,to me are that despite a winter/ice storm will not prevent a change in F/A efficientcy?. I do not want to be worked into the ground but I do want to see this company be profitable. I have seen the people who are more concerned about the here and now vs. the can we make money and survive.

 

[MarkMyWords]

From my expenience, keeping crews together, especially during irregular operations, is a HUGE benefit to the recovery of the airline. When crews need to be rescheduled, one phone call is considered contact with the entire crew. If a crew has been rescheduled, a call to the Capt or FO constitutes positive contact and they are responsible for contacting the remaining crew members. When there are extensive delays, it is the entire crew that times out, not the cockpit crew at one time, then the F/A's at another. It makes life simpler from a company stand point.

From the F/A prospective, it is better to have crews seperate since they are not tied to the Cockpit FAR's, they can get their time in working less days, but longer hours.

 

[N109UW]

To a rank amatuer who has some scheduling background in a different industry You can make the case for keeping crews together.

US operates in the congested weather prone NE. Keeping the crews together means they most likely "Time out" together. At least in theory that would make scheduling crews easier during irregular ops.

In fair weather I doubt if anything is gained.

Piney, not to agree with you on being a rank amatuer, but US is not the only carrier in the NE. How about NW airlines? They fly NE and upper midwest, where they have 2 bases. Every trip at US is built to the pilots, except the extra f/a trips. Again, anyone have a good reason why this is still going on? One of the funniest things to hear a f/a say is:" We don't want to separate from the pilots. At Piedmont, they used to screw us". To which I like to remind them that Piedmont has been gone about 20 years. I'm sure they did things differently at Allegheny, Mohawk, and Lake Central also, but lets move on. This just shows how old and senior US f/a's are.

When I started as an F/A the system in place was the pilots and F/A's were seperate. To me, the method of keeping everyone together is a left over from the "Mecca" days. The reasoning for it are not something I know specifficaly? I think it is advantageous for the F/A's hour wise. I am all for it but I think we may have our finger in the dike.

I was told by AFA and sched. that this was why pilots bid first, before f/a's. It is alittle arcaic now to still be doing it this way. Sure it still happens, just not nearly as much as late 80's and early 90's.

 

[Itestwell]

I think it would be ok if we split up as long as AFA negotiates certain protections. I for one would LOOOOVE 10 hour one days, PHL- PHX turns, etc. There are FA's that still live for their layovers as well, so I guess it would be good for the AFA to have the Company guarantee a balance of trips.

Doesn't HP have a lot of PHX/LAS- East Coast turns?

 

[jimntx]

Yup. That's the reason. Plus, FA's are qualified and available to fly many more aircraft then one pair of pilots would be under both the FAR's and the union rules.

At AA, the company would rather eat a bug than give f/as the same amount of rest and shortened workdays that the cockpit gets due to FARs. We can be scheduled up to 13 hours/day with duty day extended to 15 hours with "operational necessity." And, as stated the fact that I am qualified on every a/c that AA flies except the A300 makes a BIG difference to the company.

 

[N109UW]

At AA, the company would rather eat a bug than give f/as the same amount of rest and shortened workdays that the cockpit gets due to FARs. We can be scheduled up to 13 hours/day with duty day extended to 15 hours with "operational necessity." And, as stated the fact that I am qualified on every a/c that AA flies except the A300 makes a BIG difference to the company.

US can sched up to 14 hours, with 15 for irreg. ops. 13 sounds pretty good right now.

 

[malikie]

US can sched up to 14 hours, with 15 for irreg. ops. 13 sounds pretty good right now.

Us WEST can schedule to 13 hours then the F/As can go to 14.5 hours due to irregualr ops. Anything over 14.5 the F/As have to volunteer.