Minimum Threshold Flying

[Skymess]

My bet is that there will be a compromise on this issue of threshold flying. It seems reasonable that the parties will come to a low number of hours a flight attendant has to maintain per year or quarter to maintain employment. It will be a number where it will eliminate those that badly abuse the system but yet still allow people to drop a majority of their trips to maintain fluidity in trip trading. My guess would be 100-200 hours per year. Anyone else agree?

You could be right. The question is, WHAT is it worth to the company?

 

[Richard]

Folks,

This is not an English class, and you're not being graded on grammar. That said, complaining about it or insulting other members regarding their writing skills is also not acceptable. If you have a comment regarding spelling grammar or such please use PM's to convey your thoughts.

Back on subject please.....

 

[eolesen]

My bet is that there will be a compromise on this issue of threshold flying. It seems reasonable that the parties will come to a low number of hours a flight attendant has to maintain per year or quarter to maintain employment. It will be a number where it will eliminate those that badly abuse the system but yet still allow people to drop a majority of their trips to maintain fluidity in trip trading. My guess would be 100-200 hours per year.

Hey, if the company can't get a compromise, they can always lobby the FAA to have a "currency" requirement like pilots have.

Anyone can read all the training memos and keep a manual current, but if you're not applying the skills in a hands-on manner on a periodic basis, you're simply not going to be as effective. Sure, you can say it's hard to forget how to serve drinks, but there are other aspects to the job, right?... like safety?... Can you really master all of it during EPT's only?

 

[Kev3188]

btw, can't anyone here tell the difference between "effect" and "affect" and the proper way to use these words in a sentence...open up a dictionary, the results will surprise you!

Spelling flames are weak, and usually serve to mask a weak argument. By the way, that's coming from a someone who is a big fan of correct usage/syntax/etc. If you want to debate the minutiae of the English language, surf on over to A.net; the grammar debates there are beyond ridiculous.

Back on topic: As an outsider, can someone please explain what Hiboard is? Feel free to dumb it down. Thanks!

 

[eolesen]

HIBoard is part of the mainframe system used by crews to track & plot their schedules. It provides some limited messaging as well, and a place to post trips for trade and/or dropping.

It's somewhat ancient technology, and chained pretty tightly to the rest of the FOS (Flight Operations System, sister system to Sabre) which also includes weight and balance, cargo load planning, dispatch, and YMSGing). Dispatch is the only department who has even experimented with breaking free of the mainframes last I checked...

 

[jersey777]

HIBoard is part of the mainframe system used by crews to track & plot their schedules. It provides some limited messaging as well, and a place to post trips for trade and/or dropping.

It's somewhat ancient technology, and chained pretty tightly to the rest of the FOS (Flight Operations System, sister system to Sabre) which also includes weight and balance, cargo load planning, dispatch, and YMSGing). Dispatch is the only department who has even experimented with breaking free of the mainframes last I checked...

As a point of clarification, HIBOARD is strickly for trip trading and dropping. We have other fun HI codes like HISEND(messaging), HIPLOT(availability),HIPREF(reserve preferences),HIVC(vacation bidding),HIB(monthly bidding). The list goes on and on including HI1-HI22. You might also hear a flight attendant call things an OE, PVD, OSR, PED, SOS kit, and BOB.

 

[Skymess]

Back on topic: As an outsider, can someone please explain what Hiboard is? Feel free to dumb it down. Thanks!

Simply, it's a bulletin board in sabre/decs where FAs post their trips to drop or trade.

The company board that has trips that they build if FAs get stuck because of mx/wx or legalities, or someone calls in sick, is the Open time board. The company mostly controls the OT board.

We have the ability to do whatever we want with the HIBOARD because we have complete control of it and the company doesn't like it.

 

[jimntx]

Actually, the main thing the company doesn't like about HIBOARD is having to get involved in it. For instance, when f/as put money on a trip and then refuse to pay up. Or, when someone who doesn't know what they are doing starts a double trip trade, gets halfway through it, and can't complete because they have picked trips that won't trade back due to illegalities. Though, I will admit that there are those in scheduling who don't like HIBOARD because those of us who can only hold Availability have the opportunity to pack our schedules and max out early.

But then, if you could you should see some of the trips in hiboard in my base.

There will be a 7.30 turn. The text will say "trade for hier time turn. SI after 0900, rtn by 1800. No #1" (A friend who owns one of the TT services in my base said "What the heck bidsheet is she looking at?" )

Or, one I saw this morning a 17.20 3-day. "Trade for 20+ hour 3 day same days."
(We actually have a couple of 20+ hour 3days, but the people who can hold those tend to fly their lines. I have rarely seen any of them put a trip in HIBOARD.)

 

[Skymess]

Actually, the main thing the company doesn't like about HIBOARD is having to get involved in it. For instance, when f/as put money on a trip and then refuse to pay up. Or, when someone who doesn't know what they are doing starts a double trip trade, gets halfway through it, and can't complete because they have picked trips that won't trade back due to illegalities. Though, I will admit that there are those in scheduling who don't like HIBOARD because those of us who can only hold Availability have the opportunity to pack our schedules and max out early.

I've had people not pay and I can verify that the compay WON'T get involved in it.

But then, if you could you should see some of the trips in hiboard in my base.

There will be a 7.30 turn. The text will say "trade for hier time turn. SI after 0900, rtn by 1800. No #1" (A friend who owns one of the TT services in my base said "What the heck bidsheet is she looking at?" )

Or, one I saw this morning a 17.20 3-day. "Trade for 20+ hour 3 day same days."
(We actually have a couple of 20+ hour 3days, but the people who can hold those tend to fly their lines. I have rarely seen any of them put a trip in HIBOARD.)

Yes, we do have some real winners out there, don't we?

My favorite is
"tt My Caracas for your Narita" ........right.

 

[czerny]

Yes, we do have some real winners out there, don't we?

My favorite is
"tt My Caracas for your Narita" ........right.
[/quote]

Chris,
I see something similar over on the IOR HIBOARD.
AISLE ONLY. NO GALLEY. NO DUB.WILL TT MY LHR 4 NRT/PVG/DEL ONLY.

Who in there right mind is going to give up their LHR for NRT unless there is a very specific reason for the NRT fa to go to LHR? Speaking of trade services, how are the services in JFK?
They sell trips here based on layovers. NRT and PVG usually go for 65. It's really a racket. The seniors pay nothing to have their schedules handled as their primo trips are sold. In fact, I heard and spoken to fas who were specifically told by one trip trade svc. in IOR "not to take a leave because they can get rid of their trips for them."

 

[DFWFSC]

Out of curiosity, what is the main reason for these FA's not wanting to fly their schedules but only a few times a year. Do they have better jobs elsewhere and use AA for the benefits? I knew 3-4 DFW FA's who had over 20yrs with AA, but were realestate agents in the Southlake/Colleyville area of DFW. They all said they made three times more money selling house's, but needed the medical and wanted the flight benefits. That doesn't seem right if current employees are hitting the street...So they need to either crap or get off the pot.

 

[Bob Owens]

Out of curiosity, what is the main reason for these FA's not wanting to fly their schedules but only a few times a year. Do they have better jobs elsewhere and use AA for the benefits? I knew 3-4 DFW FA's who had over 20yrs with AA, but were realestate agents in the Southlake/Colleyville area of DFW. They all said they made three times more money selling house's, but needed the medical and wanted the flight benefits. That doesn't seem right if current employees are hitting the street...So they need to either crap or get off the pot.

Thats almost same story we hear about the PT FSCs at JFK. Its said that they give away their shifts, have a business and keep on payroll at AA for the benifits. Dont know if its true but thats whats said.

 

[DFWFSC]

Thats almost same story we hear about the PT FSCs at JFK. Its said that they give away their shifts, have a business and keep on payroll at AA for the benifits. Dont know if its true but thats whats said.

I know it's true' at least at DFW it is. There are hundreds of FSC's at DFW who CS off 90% of their hours in order to work at or run their own business's. Mostly landscaping and construction type business's. AA has tried to crack down on it in the past. But for whatever reason it still continues, and as long as the shifts are covered they really don't get to excited about it.

 

[Skymess]

Yes, we do have some real winners out there, don't we?

My favorite is
"tt My Caracas for your Narita" ........right.


Chris,
I see something similar over on the IOR HIBOARD.
AISLE ONLY. NO GALLEY. NO DUB.WILL TT MY LHR 4 NRT/PVG/DEL ONLY.

Who in their right mind is going to give up their LHR for NRT unless there is a very specific reason for the NRT fa to go to LHR? Speaking of trade services, how are the services in JFK?
They sell trips here based on layovers. NRT and PVG usually go for 65. It's really a racket. The seniors pay nothing to have their schedules handled as their primo trips are sold. In fact, I heard and spoken to fas who were specifically told by one trip trade svc. in IOR "not to take a leave because they can get rid of their trips for them."

I guess good for them if they find people to pay that much. I prefer HIBOARD. I have a few people who give me good things but most of my finds for good trips come out of HIBOARD. I would hate to see HIBOARD dry up if people were forced to come to work. Most of us couldn't afford to work here anymore. That's my fear.

I took that survey and it appears they are looking at the domestic international combination of flying as well as a minimum hour threshold.

 

[jimntx]

Most of us couldn't afford to work here anymore. That's my fear.

Precisely. ALL of the airlines--not just AMR--would like for the job of flight attendant to go back to what it once was...a job that young people do for fun for a couple of years after college until
A. they find a real job.
B. get married.
C. get travel out of their system.
D. get sick and tired of trying to live on nothing and sharing a 2-bedroom apt. with 6-10 other people.

With one exception--that people my age who have had other careers and who have an income would do it for a few years before they retire for good.

Either way, the airline eliminates any major pension obligation for its largest single group of employees. Think how much money AMR would save if the average length of service for f/as was less than 10 years instead of over 20 years.