Re: ASA/Express new identity
A new system doesn't necessarily mean it'll be better. I think what people dislike more than anything are the pairings themselves and lack of days off. The pairings are the pairings, they'll be delivered via lines or PBS. The lack of days off is a result of too few pilots for the amount of flying we're doing. I doubt with PBS arriving I'll suddenly get 1 or 2 days off more per month.
People like playing the system with line bidding. We like how our schedules can get blown up due to conflicts. It seems that with PBS, the computer assures that these conflicts don't exist.
I'm not a "NO" voter if I see PBS...but again, I'll have to be convinced...It's guilty and will have to be proven innocent.
I've found the majority of discussions about PBS go something like this:
Other guy: "NO PBS!"
Me: "Why?"
Other guy: "Because it's a concession?"
Me: "Ok, explain the process mechanically, break it down and explain where it's a worse system than what we have."
Other guy: "It just is!"
Me: "Do you pilot your aircraft with this same level of ineptitude? Because if you do, I'm surprised you're not a smoking hole in the ground yet."
Other guy: "NO PBS!"
There was a thread started on the pipe recently that detailed some valid points, but the continued "PBS SUCKS!!! NO PBS!!!! YEARGGGHHHH!!!!" with the reasoning of a 5 year old bothers me more than PBS does.
Oh and you know what else bothers me? Having to be at 65% in your seat to be able to hold a hard line, and next month in Chicago? 60% when the stand ups go away. That, is, insanity. I think everybody that is railing against PBS is stuck in the fantasy land that things will magically go back to the way they were in 2004/2005 when all the G4's were senior FO's, had never been on reserve, and held 35 days off with 200 hours of credit through the magic of the ILIW. For a very large chunk of the company, anybody junior to the G's, most likely, we've never seen anything but a horrible system that does nothing but shaft junior guys.
PBS might not be the best thing ever, but if it only makes the reserve coverage up to 20% of your seat then I'll be a pretty happy guy. Anybody that's bidding under 50% at this company is a second class citizen.
