Block hours are exactly that, based on the scheduled flight time...we get paid for that....so if we hold for an hour after strong headwinds and it takes 16.5 hours we still get our overtime based on the 15 hours...very fair, and as Pork'n'brew has already said the overtime rate is already paid at a lower level than our nominal hourly rate...so win/win for the management.....
It must look great on a balance sheet...8 guys do 10 hours overtime each so they basically get the work of a free pilot without the cost of housing, medical ,ALT , schooling, etc etc etc. and they have the cheek to pay us less for the privilege of saving them money
We do get paid for dead heading,at the moment, but nothing for Sim, unless it's Sim support, and nothing for ground school, on the subject of Sim support...
Our fearless leader has announced in his latest monthly musings that Joe Bloggs who has done his 900 hours can now do up to 5 Sim supports and 5 Sim support standbys if he cannot fly...fantastic.
Layover allowance is based on the nominal price for a meal at the discounted rate given to the company, paid in cash at the layover station..
eg. Evening meal cost $40....discount of 50%..we get paid allowance of $20 dollars..seems reasonably fair
,,,but that is excluding taxes and any mandatory service charge...so your $40 dollar meal after discount will cost you $25 ie.. we dip into our own pocket to cover the cost..
Sick to the back teeth of the penny pinching bar stewards.
Our two head guys in flight ops both come from heavily unionised backgrounds...BA and Northwest, they have spent their management careers constantly fighting to get their pet ideas past BALPA or ALPA...It must be a huge relief for them to be able to put any hair brained scheme into action without any fear of someone tinkering with it or even flatly rejecting it as out of hand.Almost like a little holiday before they draw their fat pension, based somewhat on screwing you and me....but "what goes around comes around" I hope.