Us Airways Adds Flights, Sheds Workers

[700UW]

By Steve Halvonik
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, February 9, 2005

US Airways is adding flights while reducing payroll, leading several local labor leaders to warn of increased worker stress.
"They're burning us out,'' said Teddy Xidas, president of the airline's flight attendants' union.

US Airways unveiled a new schedule on Sunday that adds 245 daily flights, a 7 percent increase. Most of the increases are along the Eastern seaboard, although the airline added 11 new dailies at Pittsburgh International Airport to boost its schedule to 239 daily nonstop flights.

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[RumorS]

"Trying to fly close to 100 hours a month is almost impossible -- it's unproductive,'' said Fred Freshwater, president of Air Line Pilots Association Council 40 in Pittsburgh.

Freshwater said the company's new schedules risk turning pilots into "dead men walking.''

Wow ....Makes me wanna go jump on a plane!!!!!!!!!!!!! :down:

 

[youngblood]

Didn't management say they "had the resources and concessions necessary to make U a competitive airline" the last time and the time before that?

PLAY IT AGAIN SAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[mweiss]

95 hours of flight time per month is not necessarily going to burn anyone out. The unanswered question is, what happens during the other 625 hours of the month? How much of that time is on the job, but off the clock?

Done right, the 95-hours-per-month schedule would result in precisely the same number of on-the-job hours for each employee. The change would come in the number of paid hours, which would, incidentally, correspond to an increase in the number of revenue generating hours.

In other words, done right, the new schedule would result in more pay per month than the old schedule (assuming the new contract, naturally), but without a corresponding increase in working hours.

Now, having said all of that, the lastest information trickling out suggests that something got lost in translation. The new schedule seems to be no more efficient than the old.

 

[marco90821]

By Steve Halvonik
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, February 9, 2005

US Airways is adding flights while reducing payroll, leading several local labor leaders to warn of increased worker stress.
"They're burning us out,'' said Teddy Xidas, president of the airline's flight attendants' union.

US Airways unveiled a new schedule on Sunday that adds 245 daily flights, a 7 percent increase. Most of the increases are along the Eastern seaboard, although the airline added 11 new dailies at Pittsburgh International Airport to boost its schedule to 239 daily nonstop flights.

Click for Story

[post="246503"][/post]​

I have no problem jumping on a plane, as long as it is JetBlue.

 

[Rico]

"They're burning us out,'' said Teddy Xidas, president of the airline's flight attendants' union.

Man, you can always count on ol' Teddy for an over the top quote...

 

[700UW]

How do you know? You are not a mainline employee nor a F/A.

 

[mweiss]

I'm not an employee at all, and I know you can count on her for an over the top quote. It's one of the reasons that the Post-Gazette likes to interview her.

To be clear, I respect Teddy a great deal for her dedication and intentions. (And before anyone pops off with the typical smartass comments, I am well aware that she doesn't need my respect.)

 

[Rico]

How do you know? You are not a mainline employee nor a F/A.

Man. it is getting harder and harder to tell you apart from that 28yrsnojob guy anymore 700UW...

 

[USA320Pilot]

Prior to the new contract, the maximum pilot pay cap was 85 hours. Since the new agreement went into effect, pilot's have had pay caps of 90 or 95 hours.

F/A's have always had a 105-hour pay cap option.

US Airways ALPA Communications Committee Chairman Jack Stephan's comments are accurate. According to the Tribune-Review, Stephan played down any threat of burnout. In fact, he said, pilots asked for more flight hours. "The day doesn't get any longer,'' Stephan said. "It simply changes what you are doing during the day.''

Most pilot's want to fly more to lessen the impact of the pay cut, to increase their gross pay as much as possible. Not only is a pilot's pay higher, but their DC Plan contribution too.

Best regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[AP Tech]

In other words we all know and understand..."Eat their young". Work an extra 5 hrs a month=no pay cut. I'm really sorry about those who were furloughed as a result. :down:

 

[mweiss]

Me, too, but if there was that much slack in the system already, it was an unnecessary cost. When the industry is as cutthroat as it is now, you cannot afford to have these. It's not 1990 anymore.

 

[BoeingBoy]

"The day doesn't get any longer,'' Stephan said. "It simply changes what you are doing during the day.''

What Jack Stephan and USA320Pilot say is only half the story.....

Yes, the day doesn't get any longer - 14 hours max scheduled/15 hours maximum actual on duty is still the rule. However, the pay (and credit toward the monthly pay cap) you get in that day can definitely be different, and less, meaning more days working to get 85 hours, much less 95.

Jim

 

[USA320Pilot]

BoeingBoy:

BoeingBoy said: "Yes, the day doesn't get any longer - 14 hours max scheduled/15 hours maximum actual on duty is still the rule. However, the pay (and credit toward the monthly pay cap) you get in that day can definitely be different, and less, meaning more days working to get 85 hours, much less 95."

USA320Pilot comments: Yes, that's true. But you forgot to say that "the day doesn't get any longer - 14 hours max scheduled/15 hours maximum actual on duty is still the rule. However, the pay (and credit toward the monthly pay cap) you get in that day can definitely be different, and less (or more), meaning more days working to get 85 hours, much less 95.

There are some trips that have more hard time where you can get more pay hours than before.

Is the system perfect? No, of course not. But ALPA is now directly involved in trip construction with Chip Mayer and Steve Smyser doing much of the work to improve trip pairings. You will not see a lot of difference immediately, but with Maintenance Planning, Operations, and ALPA all working together you should see a lot of improvement in flight crew pairing productivity late spring or early summer.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[luvn737s]

A 95 hour month is inefficient since the number of sick calls will undoubtedly rise, thus requiring more reserves to cover the flying. Plus you can't add just a few legs (except if junior manned), you have to add an entire pairing, which may or may not fit in your schedule due to legalities.

I've flown under the pay per duty hour (or pay per TAFB) scheme and it forces the company to schedule efficiently. Deadheads, mechanicals, ATC who cares, you're on the clock. And no having to explain away your $100/hr pay rate.