As for all the "pilot-haters" coming out...
I think you're all over reacting a bit here. This has nothing to do with arrogance. You're all attaching your own hidden meaning to what I said. I can't help you with that.
As I said, I think BET is a waste of time and money for EVERYONE, and each of you should consider if you believe it is useful to you personally. Sorry, but I just don't see how that is an arrogant position.
However I can only speak with regard to the pilots. (And ALPA's official position is against BET for pilots) I don't presume to tell any other employee group what they should do or what position their union should take on the matter, if any at all. That's between you and your reps.
Fly,
As for your comments about leaving the cockpit, I don't understand where all the hostility is coming from. FA's are required to be on board when passengers are present. Pilots are not. Don't complain to me about the FAA's rules.
I've been on many other airlines, and I can say without exception that when they have some place else to be, the pilots are gone like the wind. Even on Jet Blue. And don't presume it is just to catch their flight home. We are often running to another flight to preflight a new airplane for our next leg. The company doesn't LET us leave. They WANT us to leave when we are done. The sooner we are out, the sooner the next pilot can squeeze in when there's an opening so they can turn the plane quickly.
And I've never heard an FA complain when I'm running out to hold the crew bus for them, as I almost always do. I've never turned down a cockpit visit and I've sent my fair share of kids pictures on my own time via email.
So please spare me the "your too arrogant to care about anyone else" routine. You're barking up the wrong tree.
Does that violate your contract?
Unfortunately, no. One of the many concessions we made. vacation no longer pays for the days of flying you lose. One vacation day is only worth 2.8 hours. So is a training day, even though training lasts far longer than 2.8 hours.