More F/A Recalls

[FlightChic]

Subject: F/A Recall

Dear US Airways Flight Attendant:

Very soon you will be hearing about yet another recall of Flight Attendants.
I recognize that this may cause concern for some of you as many feel that you
are not able to make your time as a reserve; so I would like to explain why
we are making this announcement.

Our original business plan called for a recall of 125 Flight Attendants in
order to offset the increase in block hours for 2008. This amount increased
to 165 when additional block hours were added to the schedule in June.
Further, when the PIT base closed, we offered Voluntary Separations for up to
314 Flight Attendants. Based on the fact that we were already planning
recalls to cover the summer flying, we knew that we would need to replace each
Flight Attendant that accepted the separation package. We had 134 Flight
Attendants sign up for this program. This equates to a need for 299 Flight
Attendants (134 SEPs + 165 for block).

We announced recalls in February for 216 Flight Attendants, but in reality,
we only had 84 Flight Attendants who actually attended requalification
training. We then announced a second recall and had 101 Flight Attendants
accept. That number has now dwindled to only 35. We have only successfully
recalled 119 Flight Attendants out of the 299 required. We have been sending
letters to many more Flight Attendants than required in order to compensate
for the declines, but the "no-shows after accepting" are hurting us for the
worst (we're finding that many of these who don't show have been on furlough
or leave for years, accept the recall and then have second thoughts). So, we
are continuing to announce recalls to get ourselves back on plan for the
summer flying. Clearly, the busy summer travel season is not where we want to
be short on crews.

The question that is still being asked is, "If I am not making my time now,
why do we need these recalls?" The answer is summer flying. There is
approximately a 19,000-hour swing in Flight Attendant block hours (A/C block
multiplied by crew complement) from Feb-Mar to Jun-July. Without the recalls,
we will be short by over 160 Flight Attendants systemwide for the month of
June. With the recalls, we will be staffed properly through August, but then
quickly go back to an excess that we need to try and mitigate through
different avenues, including VPLOAs.

I hope this helps to explain the upcoming announcement.

Best Regards,
Mike Finn
Managing Director, Crew Resources

 

[YVINTERN]

Sounds like a great way to start the summer transatlantic scheduling...

 

[AstroLounge]

Hmmmmmmmm, and do you think Team Tempe is even wondering "Well, WHY aren't THEY Returning to flyUS??". The incompetence/ignorance and arrogance of that ENTIRE Executive Team is UN-F'n believable. Return.........why would any of them want too? (And I can only ASSume many of the returnees will not make it thru the Summer season anyways. For those that do, WELCOME BACK........just fasten your seatbelt "It's going to be a bumpy ride"!

 

[FlightChic]

Sounds like a great way to start the summer transatlantic scheduling...

Well, they need someone to cover those late night transatlantic quick calls. Since it is not natural, safe, or possible to get up early in the morning, be on duty all day tied to the computer thinking that scheduling is going to call you at any minute, then be forced work an eight hour flight or longer with a clear mind or lack of exhaustion, most reserves are catching on that they should not answer their phone, answer it and take a sick on contact, or answer it and say they are too fatigued which is the goddam truth. If it's a quick call you can usually wait your 15 minutes and they will hopefully fill the trip. I have been called in the middle of the night and it was not a quick call but rather a daily call and they waited the 15 minutes with me and didn't move on until I called back. Scheduling is having a much harder time staffing these late night calls so they need some new and unsuspecting faces on the premises who they are hoping will be suckered and bullied into climbing out of bed even though they are exhausted and work the trip anyway. BTW, it isn't even safe to go to the airport in the middle of the night. It's not safe to stand out and wait for the bus at midnight, especially with that sexual predator running loose in Depressington. It's especially not safe if you drive to employee parking and have to wait for the employee bus.

For those of you who get called in the middle of the night like that, a friend of mine said they called him and he said he had been on duty all day and was up early in the morning and was too fatigued to fly and scheduling was giving him problems and threatening to get him fired and they basically would not take no for an answer. He stood firm and did not go on the trip but he had to really fight with the schedulers and with supervisors. Just know that if you are too fatigued and it isn't safe for you to fly then don't let scheduling bully you into going. They don't have the authority to get you fired! You know your limits and what you are capable of doing and just know that if you truly are too tired and you go on the trip and you pop a slide or make a major mistake or can't perform in an emergency because you are so tired you will be the one in trouble, not scheduling. They can't force you and don't let them!

 

[AstroLounge]

FlightChic you raise some very important issues. The Reserve System stinks and needs to be overhauled. NO ONE should be required to sit on RESERVE for a 24hour Duty period, let alone have a stretch of 6days on duty doing so. International Flying is NOT for everyone and doing one of those trips without being properly rested would be brutal. Personnally, I would highly reccommend ANY Reserve to TAKE A NO CONTACT when called for LATE Running Irregular Operations over the Atlantic. (In better terms, think about what your parents probably told you in your teens......."No phone calls AFTER 10p! ".)

 

[DCAflyer]

BTW, it isn't even safe to go to the airport in the middle of the night. It's not safe to stand out and wait for the bus at midnight, especially with that sexual predator running loose in Depressington. It's especially not safe if you drive to employee parking and have to wait for the employee bus.

Take a taxi to the airport...

Per the contract:

Actual expenses for round-trip cab transportation within a sixty
minute (0:60) radius of the airport will be allowed when substantiated by
appropriate receipts when a flight attendant is called to duty with less than
two (2:00) hours’ notice prior to the scheduled departure of a flight.
Exceptions will be considered on an individual basis. In lieu of cab
transportation, the Company will reimburse reasonable expenses for short-
term parking (i.e., daily parking if available; if not available, hourly
parking).

As for the sexual predator in the area (and this is the first I'm hearing about it, so forgive me if it's been discussed here before) the flight attendants need to get the company, union, and airport involved. If security in the crew lot hasn't been increased, it needs to be. But in any event, if you have less than a 2-hour callout, call a cab and it will take you directly to the terminal.

 

[Quickcall]

Take a taxi to the airport...

Per the contract:

Actual expenses for round-trip cab transportation within a sixty
minute (0:60) radius of the airport will be allowed when substantiated by
appropriate receipts when a flight attendant is called to duty with less than
two (2:00) hours’ notice prior to the scheduled departure of a flight.
Exceptions will be considered on an individual basis. In lieu of cab
transportation, the Company will reimburse reasonable expenses for short-
term parking (i.e., daily parking if available; if not available, hourly
parking).

As for the sexual predator in the area (and this is the first I'm hearing about it, so forgive me if it's been discussed here before) the flight attendants need to get the company, union, and airport involved. If security in the crew lot hasn't been increased, it needs to be. But in any event, if you have less than a 2-hour callout, call a cab and it will take you directly to the terminal.

Thanks for the reminder about that forgotten about perk!!

 

[FlightChic]

Take a taxi to the airport...

Per the contract:

Actual expenses for round-trip cab transportation within a sixty
minute (0:60) radius of the airport will be allowed when substantiated by
appropriate receipts when a flight attendant is called to duty with less than
two (2:00) hours’ notice prior to the scheduled departure of a flight.
Exceptions will be considered on an individual basis. In lieu of cab
transportation, the Company will reimburse reasonable expenses for short-
term parking (i.e., daily parking if available; if not available, hourly
parking).

As for the sexual predator in the area (and this is the first I'm hearing about it, so forgive me if it's been discussed here before) the flight attendants need to get the company, union, and airport involved. If security in the crew lot hasn't been increased, it needs to be. But in any event, if you have less than a 2-hour callout, call a cab and it will take you directly to the terminal.

Thanks for the reminder, but...you're obviously not based in PHL are you? Try calling a cab when your crashpad is only a five minute drive to the airport and see where that gets you. I know of several people who have done that and no one ever showed up. One f/a I know called and arranged for a cab the night before. Then called again that morning when she woke up about 2 hours before the cab was supposed to come get her and reminded them that she needed a cab at such and such time to make sure they would be there. Well, that time came and there was no cab. She called back and they said there was nothing they could do. The cabs were probably in another part of the city and they hadn't gotten there yet. Another f/a called and got a No. Another one I know called and they said yes but they would charge $39. Trust me, it isn't very reliable in Essington or Lester, PA. Luckily some guys started a shuttle service to the airport for crew members but still...The point is, they shouldn't be quick calling crew members for a transatlantic trip in the middle of the night after they have been on duty for 24 hours or more. Period.

As for the sexual predator, a policeman came knocking on our door and all of our neighbors' doors with a flyer and to let us know to watch out for him since he has been raping people with "force fear" or something like that. He looks scary. When some f/as looked him up online, they also found a bunch of other ones in the area.

I won't even get into the security issues in the employee lot. They hire convicts and criminals to work in the airport.

 

[Zarah]

Wait.

You mean, every single time I am quick called I can have the company pay a 90 cab fee?

 

[DCAflyer]

The point is, they shouldn't be quick calling crew members for a transatlantic trip in the middle of the night after they have been on duty for 24 hours or more. Period.

Ummm... what are they supposed to do, cancel the flight? Reserves are there to work whatever flights they are needed for, at whatever times, within the peramaters of the contract. To say that you are "too fatigued" to fly when you haven't been working (BTW, reserve duty is not "working" unless you are actually flying or on OPR)is not fair to the company (and I'm certainly no fan of this current management) or your fellow flight attendants. If a TA flight has to go out in the middle of the night, it has to go out in the middle of the night... period. And if they are short-staffed, scheduling has to call out reserves. They have contractual perameters as to who they call and in what order. And since all reserves operate on the same system system (on "duty" 24 hours a day) why do you get to claim you are "too fatigued" and schluff of your obligation on someone else?

You know, I'm sure you're a very nice person, so it pains me to come down on you, but with all due respect I've heard a lot of excuses from you: (1) they shouldn't be calling reserves for TA in the middle of the night (2) there's a rapist (3) I'm too tired and I've been on duty for more than 24 hours. You know what, that's the name of the game when you are a reserve. All reserves are "on duty" for 24 hours for up to six days. When I was on reserve, I was more well-rested than I had ever been. I could wake up when I wanted, as long as the phone wasn't ringing at 3 in the morning, but if it did, I went out. Yes, I was tired (who wouldn't be) and at times I had to schlep out to IAD (when we were a true dual base). You know what, I did it because that's what I was there for.

Now, I am certainly not saying you shouldn't have concers, but not being rested should be the least of them. I understand and empathize that there's a rapist and rightfully you should be concerned and I've given you suggestions on how to mitigate your risk. But the world doesn't come to a screaching halt because their a perv out there. Whether you sit reserve or work a 9-5 job, you still have to do what you have to do. Be vigilent. Park near the bus shelter. Carry a whistle and your keys. Look around before getting into your car and sit in it until you see the bus coming. These are all things you should be doing, rapist or no rapist, because it's a mean world out there. You can do things to put your destiny in your own hands or you can continue to sit and #### that you're too tired. The choice is yours.

Sorry to come down so hard on you, again, I'm sure you are very nice. But I think you have some very misguided ideas of what the company owes you. It owes you reasonable security on your job and in its premises (including the airport), it owes you a paycheck (however paultry) in return for you doing what it hired you to do... in this case sit reserve and work flights when they need you to.

 

[Travelpro72]

Well DCAflyer your about to see THIS thread pick up some serious steam. OK, I go on duty at 12am and am fairly close to getting a call at 5am for an open position. I wake up to check and see where I am on the list. My sleep is broken. OR ok before you say don't wake up and get your rest...fine. So I wake up at 9am and sit around all day checking, and checking the computer OR go about my daily business. Now I have been up ALL DAY and the evening comes. I go to bed at a reasonable hour of oh say 9 or 10pm. I get called at 2am to go to Europe and have to NOW be up all night? Here is another little scenario for you. I came in from the red-eye at 6:30am from the west coast. I go off my rest at around 5:30pm. Now I'm back on call and being exhausted head to bed at 10pm. ONLY to get called at 2am now to go to Europe? You MUST be joking to think that any normal person wouldn't be FATIGUED beyond the point of exhaustion. So with these two examples mentioned I WILL NOT be going to Europe and you can have my supervisor visit me personally to my house for our little counseling session. The system is WRONG and as mentioned when you pop a slide or don't perform to your ability in an emergency situation who's going to be at fault? The company or my tired @$$? Let the posts begin.... 🙄

 

[EMBFA]

It's always been that way. But unless you live in the city, expect a 45 minute wait for the cab... and if you live close by in Delco or southwest philly, they will flat out tell you no.

Years ago I lived in one of the well-known apartment complexes near the airport. The only transport was the bus, which could be a terrifying experience in itself. My roommate was not what you would call street smart, she just had that 'never left her small town' look, and had never been in an atmosphere like a city bus.

I would take cabs home from the airport if it was late at night when it would be especially unsafe to get on the bus. I learned to act like I was going to Center City, then 'change my mind' between the airport and the highway and opt to go to a dodgy apartment in SW instead . The cabbies would be furious and threaten to turn around or charge the full CC fare, to which I'd threaten back about calling the cab company etc etc (a tip: call one time and ask for a supervisor, get a name and hang up. You can then throw this name around as credibility that you will report them). A shouting match with a cab driver was preferable to a SEPTA ride (at that time of night, no one rides 'Septa criminals).

My roommate got in after midnight one night, the bus had stopped running, and anyone we knew with a car was flying. I told her to go to the cab ring. I told her that if she told them where she was going, they would refuse to leave the line no matter how many you asked, so she should act like she was off to check out the Liberty Bell in the middle of the night, then divert to our crew ghetto. She called me in tears from the street where the cab driver was demanding $40 from her. I had to go out there and yell at him, and a homeless person who enjoyed hanging out at our dumpster joined in...

You really have to be careful, especially in Philly. Even LGA is a bit better with the huge crew community in Kew Gardens... Depressington is tough too since I've heard the rental shuttles don't allow crewmembers anymore. All more reasons that an hour and a half callout is dated and unreasonable. The 24/6 continous duty adversely affects flight attendants on reserve in the PHL base.

Oh and before the "I did it/I paid my dues" crowd pipes up, no you didn't. You weren't under this system and didn't have international operations, much less insanely poorly operated international operations. I don't need any flight attendant who has never been on the current reserve system giving me or any other their opinions. We aren't talking about your 4am quick call to do a BWI turn, we're talking 2am wanting you to go to ATH or MXP on a flight that is hours and hours delayed and may or may not even have catering on it.

If it's the middle of the night and I'm not fit to up and go to Europe in an hour, I'm not going. I may look flawless but I'm not a robotron that can suddenly walk across oceans for 10 hours with no sleep. Sorry! Time for a new system with 12 hour shifts and 4 hour callout/6 hour OPR shifts.

 

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

So what happens when the the summer schedule reverts to the winter schedule?

 

[Zarah]

It's always been that way. But unless you live in the city, expect a 45 minute wait for the cab... and if you live close by in Delco or southwest philly, they will flat out tell you no.

Years ago I lived in one of the well-known apartment complexes near the airport. The only transport was the bus, which could be a terrifying experience in itself. My roommate was not what you would call street smart, she just had that 'never left her small town' look, and had never been in an atmosphere like a city bus.

I would take cabs home from the airport if it was late at night when it would be especially unsafe to get on the bus. I learned to act like I was going to Center City, then 'change my mind' between the airport and the highway and opt to go to a dodgy apartment in SW instead . The cabbies would be furious and threaten to turn around or charge the full CC fare, to which I'd threaten back about calling the cab company etc etc (a tip: call one time and ask for a supervisor, get a name and hang up. You can then throw this name around as credibility that you will report them). A shouting match with a cab driver was preferable to a SEPTA ride (at that time of night, no one rides 'Septa criminals).

My roommate got in after midnight one night, the bus had stopped running, and anyone we knew with a car was flying. I told her to go to the cab ring. I told her that if she told them where she was going, they would refuse to leave the line no matter how many you asked, so she should act like she was off to check out the Liberty Bell in the middle of the night, then divert to our crew ghetto. She called me in tears from the street where the cab driver was demanding $40 from her. I had to go out there and yell at him, and a homeless person who enjoyed hanging out at our dumpster joined in...

You really have to be careful, especially in Philly. Even LGA is a bit better with the huge crew community in Kew Gardens... Depressington is tough too since I've heard the rental shuttles don't allow crewmembers anymore. All more reasons that an hour and a half callout is dated and unreasonable. The 24/6 continous duty adversely affects flight attendants on reserve in the PHL base.

Oh and before the "I did it/I paid my dues" crowd pipes up, no you didn't. You weren't under this system and didn't have international operations, much less insanely poorly operated international operations. I don't need any flight attendant who has never been on the current reserve system giving me or any other their opinions. We aren't talking about your 4am quick call to do a BWI turm, we're talking 2am wanting you to go to ATH or MXP on a flight that is hours and hours delayed and may or may not even have catering on it.

If it's the middle of the night and I'm not fit to up and go to Europe in an hour, I'm not going. I may look flawless but I'm not a robotron that can suddenly walk across oceans for 10 hours with no sleep. Sorry! Time for a new system with 12 hour shifts and 4 hour callout/6 hour OPR shifts.

I live in Jersey and it is about 30 minutes to the b terminal from my house. LOL. I knew about the parking, but it never entered my mind to use a cab to get to work because of the distance. Interesting to know.

 

[signals]

Personally, I can't see how common hacks can turn down ANY fare. Especially at an airport. I worked airport cab and if I was next in line and if the fare had to go 1/2 mile down the road I HAD TO TAKE THEM.

Is there an airport Police Dept? Report them. They should have a tag that allows them to operate the airport. This is somewhere on the windshield or a window. Check who issues the tag(maybe the City) and call their licensing department and report the cabbie's name and license id number that is usually on or near the dashboard.

In NYS it is against the law for cabbies to refuse fares, especially at an airport!

If worse comes to worse, go to the phone book and find a cab company that will come to the airport.

Most importantly...TIP!

Public transportation is your right, don't be bullied into thinking that the cab can REFUSE a fare. Another suggestion is share a cab with someone going further than you. This way you should both save a buck or two.