Welcome Back Furloughed Flight Attendants!

[Travelpro72]

Girl you are ALWAYS so damn dead on.

 

[songbirdstew]

When an airline has to offer TDY to keep the Base feasible SOMETHING IS SCREWED UP!

FYI----TDY costs this company around 13K per F/A each month. They are given round the clock per diem for 30 days, even on their off days. You keep the same hotel room for 30 days so you take a suitcase of clothes up but when you are on duty there, you are usually flying. Subways and taxis and a percentage of your phone and internet services if you have a laptop are submitted to the company for reimbursement. PLUS, you get paid for 90 (maybe 93) hours whether you fly it or not.
I did it last year PIT-LGA for one month and my paycheck was about 2K more than usual (after taxes). I wanted to do it again but had vacation both months it was offered this year.
For June, six went to LGA from PIT...(they wanted ten) and 15 went to BOS from CLT. Multiply 21 X 13K and that's $273,000. If they had gotten the 25 they wanted, it would have been $325,000.
While I know many of you here have the feeling that they should just shut PIT down, wouldn't it make sense to put some of the time that they keep adding to LGA and BOS ---where they can't keep people---back in PIT where there are F/As hanging on for dear life, refusing to leave ?
If ---or should I say when--- they displace out of PIT yet again, those SR. people will bump folks in other bases up to LGA/BOS and then those folks will try commuting and may not be able to do it and quit. It's a viscious cycle that the company thinks displacing will solve and it's just not solving it---ooops, guess it didn't work yet again.
Wonder what the brain children in Tempe will come up with next............. :blink:

 

[EMBFA]

TDY rocks! TDY me anywhere. TDY me to ANY of those three fabulous cities! The great thing is its like having a sugar daddy to pay your rent and some expenses, plus its the only time the paychecks are anywhere near non-homeless adult level. Stupid on the companys part, but great for me! I'll do TDY in Waterloo Iowa, who cares, hook it up PK.

I still think the only solution to the highly unusual seniority/base situation has several facets, all pre-merged seniority list.

+ Ok, not to offend, but for christ sakes close that particular base we all know is going to close and get it over with. Just do it.

+ Send every INVF a recall. However many accept, offer same amount of buyouts. Cost of buyout made up within a year with B-scale replacing topped out.

+ Open an east base in LAS, there was a huge post with my philosophy behind this.

+ Do whatever it takes- more buyouts or deals- to clear the east furlough list completely all the way to VFLR. Shake off the dead leaves. Give them a travel card and get them off the list. Do whatever you need to do to bring new hires onto the property (free clue: shrinking and outsourcing airplanes worsens your labor costs as it results in an exclusively senior and topped out workforce).

+ After the list is merged, when you need to hire, hire in base. This is some of the majors philosophy now that they are hiring. There will always be people who commute, but if you hire in base you solve alot of morale problems as well as all this craziness by hiring people who are local and established.

+ A broader overall problem. US Airways route network changes more than anyone elses. Hubs and focus cities grow, retract, and close. Get your #### together and decide where you want to focus on. Maintain crew bases in those cities, without dramatic changes in flight hours at each base yearly or monthly. Regardless of network, maintain each crew base with roughly the same amount of flying each month. And most importantly, remember that each number you crunch is a person with a life and a family outside of the crew room.

*back to my corner*

 

[songbirdstew]

TDY rocks! TDY me anywhere. TDY me to ANY of those three fabulous cities! The great thing is its like having a sugar daddy to pay your rent and some expenses, plus its the only time the paychecks are anywhere near non-homeless adult level. Stupid on the companys part, but great for me! I'll do TDY in Waterloo Iowa, who cares, hook it up PK.

I still think the only solution to the highly unusual seniority/base situation has several facets, all pre-merged seniority list.

+ Ok, not to offend, but for christ sakes close that particular base we all know is going to close and get it over with. Just do it.

+ Send every INVF a recall. However many accept, offer same amount of buyouts. Cost of buyout made up within a year with B-scale replacing topped out.

+ Open an east base in LAS, there was a huge post with my philosophy behind this.

+ Do whatever it takes- more buyouts or deals- to clear the east furlough list completely all the way to VFLR. Shake off the dead leaves. Give them a travel card and get them off the list. Do whatever you need to do to bring new hires onto the property (free clue: shrinking and outsourcing airplanes worsens your labor costs as it results in an exclusively senior and topped out workforce).

+ After the list is merged, when you need to hire, hire in base. This is some of the majors philosophy now that they are hiring. There will always be people who commute, but if you hire in base you solve alot of morale problems as well as all this craziness by hiring people who are local and established.

+ A broader overall problem. US Airways route network changes more than anyone elses. Hubs and focus cities grow, retract, and close. Get your #### together and decide where you want to focus on. Maintain crew bases in those cities, without dramatic changes in flight hours at each base yearly or monthly. Regardless of network, maintain each crew base with roughly the same amount of flying each month. And most importantly, remember that each number you crunch is a person with a life and a family outside of the crew room.

*back to my corner*

Excellent ideas...I hate to say it but I am based in "that particular base" and it's like amputating one finger at a time the way they are slowly blood letting it.....let's get it done already. You are right on about shaking off the dead leaves. There are people still on the seniority list that have been on extended medical for YEARS....they never plan on coming back. Tell them it's time to go.
In addition, the most frequent concern I hear from really SR. F/As is the lack of health care they will have if they retire. They're not Medicare age yet----why not offer health care paid at the same rate they have now for the next two years plus a 10K buy-out/no callback. It would still save the company $$ in the long run...none of this COBRA crap at $900 per month.
Just my opinion.

 

[AstroLounge]

TDY rocks! TDY me anywhere. TDY me to ANY of those three fabulous cities! The great thing is its like having a sugar daddy to pay your rent and some expenses, plus its the only time the paychecks are anywhere near non-homeless adult level. Stupid on the companys part, but great for me! I'll do TDY in Waterloo Iowa, who cares, hook it up PK.

I still think the only solution to the highly unusual seniority/base situation has several facets, all pre-merged seniority list.

+ Ok, not to offend, but for christ sakes close that particular base we all know is going to close and get it over with. Just do it.

+ Send every INVF a recall. However many accept, offer same amount of buyouts. Cost of buyout made up within a year with B-scale replacing topped out.

+ Open an east base in LAS, there was a huge post with my philosophy behind this.

+ Do whatever it takes- more buyouts or deals- to clear the east furlough list completely all the way to VFLR. Shake off the dead leaves. Give them a travel card and get them off the list. Do whatever you need to do to bring new hires onto the property (free clue: shrinking and outsourcing airplanes worsens your labor costs as it results in an exclusively senior and topped out workforce).

+ After the list is merged, when you need to hire, hire in base. This is some of the majors philosophy now that they are hiring. There will always be people who commute, but if you hire in base you solve alot of morale problems as well as all this craziness by hiring people who are local and established.

+ A broader overall problem. US Airways route network changes more than anyone elses. Hubs and focus cities grow, retract, and close. Get your #### together and decide where you want to focus on. Maintain crew bases in those cities, without dramatic changes in flight hours at each base yearly or monthly. Regardless of network, maintain each crew base with roughly the same amount of flying each month. And most importantly, remember that each number you crunch is a person with a life and a family outside of the crew room.

*back to my corner*

You are TOO FUNNY, and logical. I agree with EXACTLY EVERYTHING you propose. TDY is great for the individual F/A but very costly and NO WAY to run an airline. Waterloo Iowa.....I almost pissed myself (Don't give the Idiots in the Asylum ANY IDEAS)

 

[flyguy121]

C'mon...cut them a break. I think they were excited to come back as you know the airline industry gets into your blood. However, things have changed Drastically since they were here before 9/11. They were not given much time to make their decision as the company wanted their answer immediately...so they said yes, they would love to come back......Then they found out where they would be based and then they started to do the math as far as crash pads, commuting, and even length of time on RSV.
I do know that if there are any more recalls, the union is going to try to let those folks considering a return to really weigh their options before agreeing for a return engagement....or at least I have been told they will try to let them be better informed if there are future recalls...time will tell.

Bull####! Any furloughed f/a bidding for recall had the opportunity to bid for a position in any or all open bases of: DCA, PHL, BOS or LGA or just to pass this recall altogether. Nobody was FORCED to accept any open position in any available base. Personally, I bid only PHL and passed the rest because I knew the other bases would not work for me. Everyone else had the same decision to make! So WHY would you bid a base such as: BOS or LGA when YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT IT WON'T WORK FOR YOU? 38 out of 90 not returning after accepting recall is ridiculous! That's nearly half the # they wanted to return for goodness sake! These people are complete fools for accepting recall and robbing someone that would have returned of a position, and deserve to lose their rights of recall. No sympathy from me.

 

[furloughednow psa]

C'mon...cut them a break. I think they were excited to come back as you know the airline industry gets into your blood. However, things have changed Drastically since they were here before 9/11. They were not given much time to make their decision as the company wanted their answer immediately...so they said yes, they would love to come back......Then they found out where they would be based and then they started to do the math as far as crash pads, commuting, and even length of time on RSV.
I do know that if there are any more recalls, the union is going to try to let those folks considering a return to really weigh their options before agreeing for a return engagement....or at least I have been told they will try to let them be better informed if there are future recalls...time will tell.

The only cut they should get is off the seniority list. Sorry they could of passed and they are just causing grief for the other staff and passengers. Also very disappointing for the fa who wanted to actually come back. They deserve to be taken off.

 

[songbirdstew]

Bull####! Any furloughed f/a bidding for recall had the opportunity to bid for a position in any or all open bases of: DCA, PHL, BOS or LGA or just to pass this recall altogether. Nobody was FORCED to accept any open position in any available base. Personally, I bid only PHL and passed the rest because I knew the other bases would not work for me. Everyone else had the same decision to make! So WHY would you bid a base such as: BOS or LGA when YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT IT WON'T WORK FOR YOU? 38 out of 90 not returning after accepting recall is ridiculous! That's nearly half the # they wanted to return for goodness sake! These people are complete fools for accepting recall and robbing someone that would have returned of a position, and deserve to lose their rights of recall. No sympathy from me.

So, let me ask you this---when you bid only PHL to come back to, did you get it ? If you did, were you at the top of the seniority list that was able to hold it ? If these people bid PHL first and were not senior enough to hold it, perhaps they put the other bases down next w/o thinking about it all the way through. I'm not exactly sure how that worked.

However good news for those of you with no sympathy for the ones who made the mistake of taking the recall, you should be happy as those 38 had to take a resignation and are off the seniority list.

Since you have just come back, please post in a few months after you deal with this crappy LTO system and let me know how you like it then. Perhaps the ones who chose not to return are not that dumb.

 

[flyguy121]

So, let me ask you this---when you bid only PHL to come back to, did you get it ? If you did, were you at the top of the seniority list that was able to hold it ? If these people bid PHL first and were not senior enough to hold it, perhaps they put the other bases down next w/o thinking about it all the way through. I'm not exactly sure how that worked.

However good news for those of you with no sympathy for the ones who made the mistake of taking the recall, you should be happy as those 38 had to take a resignation and are off the seniority list.

Since you have just come back, please post in a few months after you deal with this crappy LTO system and let me know how you like it then. Perhaps the ones who chose not to return are not that dumb.

Actually songbirdstew - I did NOT make it back on property, however, I also was not foolish enough to bid for a position to a base that would make life impossible. For myself it was PHL or nothing, so I bid ONLY PHL and none of the others. Everyone else had the same option. These people are grown adults...not children...and need to be treated as such. Some have had 6 years of furlough to think about this decision, I don't think they should be allowed to languish any longer just because they chose not to think this important decision through.

Furthermore, I have just started yet another career, still very much travel related which is my passion, but not at an airline. It looks like I may have found my calling...but who knows...we'll see. However, if US were to recall right at this moment, I don't know that I would accept.

 

[Twicebaked]

I say recall EVERYBODY!!!! Either they come back or they don't. It is time to clean house of those that have NO intentions of coming back!!! The same should go for all the voluntary furloughees as well.

 

[USstew23]

Calling America West a regional carrier is very insulting. And refering to the new call backs the "real" US Airways flight attendants! What planet are you on?! It is time to knock down your glass palace and face reality. Without this merger none of us would probably be here. So continue to insult the people that pay your bills... Karma is a horrible thing. 🙄

Well AWA was/is a Regional carrier!!!!! And for those being recalled, YES!! They are from the original US Airways, so they can be called "real US Airways employees" since they were hired from a completely different pool with much higher expectations. As long as there is a sticker that says "Operated by America West Airlines" on the side of the plane, they were hired by America West and their lower pay and hiring standards.

 

[IMisstheAladdinTrays]

Well AWA was/is a Regional carrier!!!!! And for those being recalled, YES!! They are from the original US Airways, so they can be called "real US Airways employees" since they were hired from a completely different pool with much higher expectations. As long as there is a sticker that says "Operated by America West Airlines" on the side of the plane, they were hired by America West and their lower pay and hiring standards.

You make a good point!

 

[missthe727]

Actually songbirdstew - I did NOT make it back on property, however, I also was not foolish enough to bid for a position to a base that would make life impossible. For myself it was PHL or nothing, so I bid ONLY PHL and none of the others. Everyone else had the same option. These people are grown adults...not children...and need to be treated as such. Some have had 6 years of furlough to think about this decision, I don't think they should be allowed to languish any longer just because they chose not to think this important decision through.

Furthermore, I have just started yet another career, still very much travel related which is my passion, but not at an airline. It looks like I may have found my calling...but who knows...we'll see. However, if US were to recall right at this moment, I don't know that I would accept.

You need to relax pal. If you chose not to come back and are starting a new career what do you care if these people said they'd come back and chose not to ???????
Look at it this way, your recall is still safe and those who said they'd come back didn't and had to now resign. Maybe their senior to you and you just moved up a few numbers for the next call back. At that time PHL might be open.
Get rid of the anger and enjoy your new job which includes indulging your travel passion without the hassle of this ugly reserve system.
Good luck !

 

[WCT]

Well AWA was/is a Regional carrier!!!!! And for those being recalled, YES!! They are from the original US Airways, so they can be called "real US Airways employees" since they were hired from a completely different pool with much higher expectations. As long as there is a sticker that says "Operated by America West Airlines" on the side of the plane, they were hired by America West and their lower pay and hiring standards.

A pool of arrogance I see. It doesn't matter if they got hired at the New US or the old! Calling them "real" is offensive.

 

[USstew23]

A pool of arrogance I see. It doesn't matter if they got hired at the New US or the old! Calling them "real" is offensive.

I'm starting to notice how often the truth seems to be "offensive" from adults who still drink kool-aid. The "truth" is that the "NEW" US Airways is nothing more than a big America West. All of this stuff that is going on is the same crap that went on at AWA before the merger. It's substandard all the way around and what was acceptable to AWA, it's passengers, and it's employees is not acceptable to US Airways and it's employees and passengers. These recalls that are coming back are among the best in the industry and will expect the "NEW" US Airways to be held to a certain standard.