I think most pilots can accept the lack of profit share this year. It WAS a tough year and we didn't meet the target.
What we can't accept is the continuing degredation of our conditions by flt ops management.
Why do they limit the number of days off in a row, why do they continue to roster us for 6 day block immediately preceeding leave, why do they block 5 days of leave in a month and still fly us 92 hours, why do they limit the swaps to even more stringent rules then regular rostering (but break their own rules when it suits them), why do they keep LOWERING our per diems, put us in hotels (ie. Dallas) where we can't get meals 24 hours a day........over an over and over again.
EK and Flt Ops could quite easily get the pilots onside (well, 90% anyway because 10% will always bitch and moan regardless) by working to make crew lives better with a number of costless or near costless initiatives. Start with correcting the above mentioned items.
The rostering stuff is FREE!!!!! Our rostering people are out of control, working to make life easy for themselves with no regard for the crew OR other management. Look at how they scupper training and ground instruction with their hopeless rules forcing VP's to intervene to get the courses they want.
Want an even better example. Why can't cabin crew get what they want in their top bid months?? You have a shortage of cabin crew because they tire of the conditions. Most will happily accept the crappy night turns if they know that in their top bids they will get some of the better flying. Instead you literally force them out the door.
I can live without the bonus since we didn't make the target. But PLEASE fix the other issues and maybe you will get us back on your side! But flying 90 plus hours a month, month after month and watching the conditions get worse, for NO reason, only leads to unhappy crew and, regardless of what you believe with respect to moral etc, it costs the company money!
Righting some of the conditions above (and the others you know about) cost almost nothing especially in comparison to the savings you achieve when crew work with you.
Last edited by Trader; 10th May 2012 at 12:30.