"Easties" out West

[whodoiworkfor]

Some east folks have quit, yes, that is unforunate, most seemed pretty nice. Remember they were furloughed from East and probably expected to come back to the company they left, which has changed drastically since, especially recently. All in all, we need to hope for the best and plan for the worst. I for one am ready to STRIKE to get the contract WE ALL DESERVE. No matter what, we are one work group now and I hope our east brothers and sisters can show us westies how to get what we deserve from the company!!!!!

 

[Travelpro72]

The way I see it is that the east have had so much stripped from our contract through both BK's that we are in NO WAY going to give up ANYTHING. Those of you on the west who are afraid of losing anything to what we have in our contract, we are ALL wanting the best of both. Obviously there will be tweaks to what we have on both sides but the better of the two should be fought for. It will and SHOULD be one contract. Let's all put our emotion, and frustration towards the fight. Over time more will become familiar with each others habits as f/a's just as we did with all the other mergers. We're all still here and living. This all too will pass.

 

[LCC_#1]

The way I see it is that the east have had so much stripped from our contract through both BK's that we are in NO WAY going to give up ANYTHING. Those of you on the west who are afraid of losing anything to what we have in our contract, we are ALL wanting the best of both. Obviously there will be tweaks to what we have on both sides but the better of the two should be fought for. It will and SHOULD be one contract. Let's all put our emotion, and frustration towards the fight. Over time more will become familiar with each others habits as f/a's just as we did with all the other mergers. We're all still here and living. This all too will pass.

HERE, HERE!!!

 

[UWCactus]

From what I have understood...there is a small group of people from the east (5-10) that are little disgruntled. I think they would be disgrunted no matter where they work actually, however most of the transfers appear to dislike the reserve system more than anything else. I understand that they like working in the west, people are great, west coast flying is far different than east coast, with a much more laid back attitude. All in all...they seem ok with the change, but you would really have to hear from them on this board to be sure.

 

[whodoiworkfor]

I have to agree the reserve system does indeed suck! My biggest frustration is the tagging. They tag you even if there are people in the hot reserve room. It gets old after a while. I am sure it could be much worse but I am not sure how.

We need change! Working together (east and west) we can demand the changes we deserve. Save all this emotion crap and put it towards the fight this is coming ... because we are going to have to fight, kick and scream to get what we want and deserve.

On a side note I recently nonreved on an east flight and I hope that I have never treated ANY east person like I was treated. We are all in this together and no one else is going to watch out for us. Don't you see management wants us divided so they can SCREW us!?!?

I do not expect special treatment when I nonrev (although I do provide it for other nonrevs, even east) but I do expected to be treated with respect. Frankly I do not need to be told about how EVERYTHING should be by seniority and that east saved west, etc, etc. I do not mouth off like that to any nonrev when you are on my flights. When you nonrev on my flights you get free headsets, free alcohol, bottles of water and smiling face that welcomes you aboard and remembers that we are all in this together. We all do the same crap folks, we sling cokes, and deal with other people. Lets start treating each other with a little respect and understanding.

On a positive note, 75% of my flights on a east are a good experience and I hope that the east finds it the same way on west. I remind my coworkers all the time, we are in this together and need to get along in order to get what we want from management. A PHL FA is NO different that a PHX FA except the PHL FA has to deal with snow and PHX does not.

Sorry for the rant.....safe travels!

 

[IMisstheAladdinTrays]

I have to agree the reserve system does indeed suck! My biggest frustration is the tagging. They tag you even if there are people in the hot reserve room. It gets old after a while. I am sure it could be much worse but I am not sure how.

We need change! Working together (east and west) we can demand the changes we deserve. Save all this emotion crap and put it towards the fight this is coming ... because we are going to have to fight, kick and scream to get what we want and deserve.

On a side note I recently nonreved on an east flight and I hope that I have never treated ANY east person like I was treated. We are all in this together and no one else is going to watch out for us. Don't you see management wants us divided so they can SCREW us!?!?

I do not expect special treatment when I nonrev (although I do provide it for other nonrevs, even east) but I do expected to be treated with respect. Frankly I do not need to be told about how EVERYTHING should be by seniority and that east saved west, etc, etc. I do not mouth off like that to any nonrev when you are on my flights. When you nonrev on my flights you get free headsets, free alcohol, bottles of water and smiling face that welcomes you aboard and remembers that we are all in this together. We all do the same crap folks, we sling cokes, and deal with other people. Lets start treating each other with a little respect and understanding.

On a positive note, 75% of my flights on a east are a good experience and I hope that the east finds it the same way on west. I remind my coworkers all the time, we are in this together and need to get along in order to get what we want from management. A PHL FA is NO different that a PHX FA except the PHL FA has to deal with snow and PHX does not.

Sorry for the rant.....safe travels!

What is tagging?

 

[whodoiworkfor]

What is tagging?

Ah, the defination of tagging. Scheduling calls you with a three day trip. (this is just an example)

Day 1 - five legs, 9 hour rest
Day 2 - four legs, a 3 hour sit in LAS, and 10 hours rest
Day 3 - two legs and back in PHX at 1300

You would think that at 1300 on day three you could walk out of the aiport and be off duty, but, alas, that is not the case. You must call scheduling to be "released" from duty. Then, some unpleasant person (yes there are a few in scheudling) say, "you have been "tagged". Report to gate XXX they are waiting for you to board and you are doing a MSP turn. Your new release time is now 2100."

As you arrive at the gate, the pax are glaring at you because they have been told you are "the late flight attendant" Once you come back to PHX at 2100 you must call scheduling again to get released. And, the process begins again.

That is really my only beef with the reserve system in PHX. Well, that and if you ask why you are being tagged when there are 15 people sitting hot reserve, they yell at you and threaten to put a "refused trip" on your line. But, really, that is a scheduling rant, not a "tagging" rant. 🙂

 

[hp_fa]

What is tagging?

Tagging is a process where a reserve flight attendant may have more flights added onto the end of their pairing.

At West, a reserve FA must call in to be released from duty within 15 minutes of the plane arriving at the gate. At that time you are told whether you are released or whether you have been "tagged" to work some more flights. The tag can be just a turn, or it can be adding more overnights onto the pairing.

Depending on staffing levels, lineholders may request and be granted AUTO's which usually drop a turn either at the front or end of a trip. Usually these turns are low credit and either preceede or follow higher yield legs to the east coast or something equally long.

Tagging is a major reason that West FA's never want to see reserve again.

 

[furloughednow psa]

Tagging wouldnt be so bad if reserve only lasted 1-3 years not 10-20 years. My friends that went out west said that its not the tagging thats the problem. Its getting called out driving to the airport to do a San or Tul turn because a line holder wanted to go home early. Then driving back home broke and hungry to await that same call tommorrow.

 

[FlyUs]

Tagging is a process where a reserve flight attendant may have more flights added onto the end of their pairing.

At West, a reserve FA must call in to be released from duty within 15 minutes of the plane arriving at the gate. At that time you are told whether you are released or whether you have been "tagged" to work some more flights. The tag can be just a turn, or it can be adding more overnights onto the pairing.

Depending on staffing levels, lineholders may request and be granted AUTO's which usually drop a turn either at the front or end of a trip. Usually these turns are low credit and either preceede or follow higher yield legs to the east coast or something equally long.

Tagging is a major reason that West FA's never want to see reserve again.

That is awful! I can't believe they can actually make add another overnight to your trip. It seems bad enough having to do a turn. Does this happen because line holders are allowed to drop the end of their trip?

 

[malikie]

That is awful! I can't believe they can actually make add another overnight to your trip. It seems bad enough having to do a turn. Does this happen because line holders are allowed to drop the end of their trip?

Yes we in scheduling do alot of tagging. And yes the reserves do not like it. But as long as your on reserve your available to the comapany. We will not use a HOT because they are there for the late sick calls which we get constantly, or the inbound sick call because a line holder does not want to do the last turn of the trip or because an FA does a no show. It does not matter if there is 15 FA's in the hot room or not they are not going to be used unless its a last resort. Autos are just a small number of trips that are tagged onto reserves.

 

[furloughednow psa]

Yes we in scheduling do alot of tagging. And yes the reserves do not like it. But as long as your on reserve your available to the comapany. We will not use a HOT because they are there for the late sick calls which we get constantly, or the inbound sick call because a line holder does not want to do the last turn of the trip or because an FA does a no show. It does not matter if there is 15 FA's in the hot room or not they are not going to be used unless its a last resort. Autos are just a small number of trips that are tagged onto reserves.

Sounds like a poorly run operation like PSA and Mesa. The old US system was great if you were on OPR then you went first and usually got a great trip.

 

[IMisstheAladdinTrays]

Yes we in scheduling do alot of tagging. And yes the reserves do not like it. But as long as your on reserve your available to the comapany. We will not use a HOT because they are there for the late sick calls which we get constantly, or the inbound sick call because a line holder does not want to do the last turn of the trip or because an FA does a no show. It does not matter if there is 15 FA's in the hot room or not they are not going to be used unless its a last resort. Autos are just a small number of trips that are tagged onto reserves.

Sounds like they should not be tagged at all...that is really not a fair thing!

 

[BottomFeeder]

We will not use a HOT because they are there for the late sick calls which we get constantly, or the inbound sick call because a line holder does not want to do the last turn of the trip or because an FA does a no show. It does not matter if there is 15 FA's in the hot room or not they are not going to be used unless its a last resort. Autos are just a small number of trips that are tagged onto reserves.

That is the biggest double talk I have heard yet. You say the HOT reserve are for just in case and yet you tagged another.

 

[whodoiworkfor]

Yes we in scheduling do alot of tagging. And yes the reserves do not like it. But as long as your on reserve your available to the comapany. We will not use a HOT because they are there for the late sick calls which we get constantly, or the inbound sick call because a line holder does not want to do the last turn of the trip or because an FA does a no show. It does not matter if there is 15 FA's in the hot room or not they are not going to be used unless its a last resort. Autos are just a small number of trips that are tagged onto reserves.

Oh I see, so it is like the reserves in Vegas that NEVER get used. Deadhead me to Vegas (pulling off fare paying paxs) to work an LAX turn only to DH me back to PHX. Some things will never make sense. And, the tagging IS to cover AUTO'ing more often than not in my experience. I will show up at a plane and the current crew will say "so and so AUTO'ed so here you are....." I think if you do not want to work the first or last turn of your trip you should drop the whole thing. However, I may feel differently if I am ever a line holder.

Why tag me when you have people sitting at the airport WAITING to go somewhere. If you use all the HOT reserve folks, "upgrade" some people on reserve at home. Believe me, that happens ALL the time. If we just understood how the system worked or why it was happening we would probably be a lot more understanding. But, if a reserve asks why we get b1tched out for questioning them. Then, they cannot find the tape of the call when our sup's request it. It is better not to ask and just have your sup take care of it.....

Yes, scheduling is a poorly run operation out west. Even the inflight sups and line holders agree with that opinion. However, I do not blame the schedulers themselves, they are simply doing what management tells them to do.

I do not think they (the schedulers) have an easy job and I do not envy them. In fact a few there are always real nice to me and I think it is because I am nice to them. They tell me why they are doing what they are doing and most times it makes complete sense and in reality I am always gladly willing to help if it means more flights will go out on time and our pax will be happy.

I always try to be nice to them on the phone because, again, I would never want their job and I try to treat others how I want to be treated, however, the way the system is set up is inefficient. Many other airlines around the world run with far fewer reserves and without the use of tagging.