Staff travel

[oriental flyer]

American Airlines' employees will be able to travel for free in coach class on any flight in the worldwide network, the airline told them today in a company newsletter.

The free flights are part of the carrier's new non-revenue flying program for employees. Fort Worth-based American merged with US Airways last month and together employ about 100,000 people.

The new program also will give employees' registered family members and parents unlimited travel privileges and they won't have to use buddy passes. Pre-merger American employees will no longer have to wait until age 55 for retiree travel if they meet the qualifications.

Starting this summer, the airline also will use American's boarding system for employees based on a flight's check-in time.

"While implementation will take some time, when complete, American Airlines will offer free coach travel across the largest and best network in the industry, improved pass privileges for family and friends, and a consistent boarding system," Elise Eberwein, American's executive vice president of people and communications, wrote in the newsletter. "With more than 6,700 daily flights to over 330 destinations,

Slightly better than our staff travel policy !

[Arfur Dent]

It sais quite a lot about (so called) Staff Travel that many people would rather take their chances with another carrier than subject themselves to the insult of flying with CX.
Well done again Swires!

[Flex88]

Sorry to burst everyones bubble however even before this latest AA "enhancement" AA employees basically fly sby for free.. I have many friends there..
Another plus, their software app for checking loads INCLUDES crew/staff who are PX ing. Something I suggested to CX leadership and was told - never going to happen..

Isn't if interesting seeing what the definition of "enhancing" means between the two companies...
At CX it means, bend over and take a deep breath..

[Farman Biplane]

I am sure the AA system will be studied in the next benchmarking LEAN TTW review of staff travel!

[Freehills]

Sorry to burst everyones bubble however even before this latest AA "enhancement" AA employees basically flews sby for free.. I have many friends there..
Another plus, their software app for checking loads INCLUDES crew/staff who are PX ing. Something I suggested to CX leadership and was told - never going to happen..

Isn't if interesting seeing what the definition of "enhancing" means between the two companies...
At CX it means, bend over and take a deep breath..

I thought it was free domestically, small charge int'l and the change is to make int'l free as well

[Air Profit]

Basically, it's free. Unlike our company, which turns it's own employees into a profit center. Disgusting. (another reason I go out of my way to "balance" the cost equation whenever I fly).

[v1r8]

And don't forget pilots jumpseat for free on all us carriers as a courtesy. I fly for a LCC completely unrelated to Delta and United but JS home to Europe (for $0 — and when available they almost always upgrade me to business) on those two carriers almost every other month. QOL is what keeps people happy. And their pilots ride for free on us. What a concept.. I just swap some working days around online to create a block off so I can go to Europe whenever I want without it ever costing me vacation days.. flew 14 hours last month got paid 75. I’m happy. Average on a reserve line I fly is 40/50 hours a month. Pays 75. Switch some days off around online and voilla

[Threethirty]

Is that JetBlue?

[v1r8]

330,

Any pilot working for a US carrier can jumpseat on another US carrier for free.

[Air Profit]

It's quite pathetic really. Other professional airline pilots can fly for FREE on other airlines other than their own. We can't even fly for free on our own airline. Further, not only can't we fly for free, but the staff travel charges are so exorbitant we might as well buy a full fare on another carrier. What's even more disgusting is how they have manipulated the system to once again show contempt to their pilots. They have lowered the cost of Y travel, but that generally was intended to benefit the local staff, as they mostly need to only travel around asia, and flying in Y is not that big a hardship. CX, knowing that most of the pilots are expats from countries much further away, are still being bludgeoned by outrageous J class fares, knowing that it's not viable for us to travel such long distances in Y class. Just another example of how CX is happy to show their pilots contempt at every possible turn. Disgusting.

[raven11]

The disrespect management shows towards their pilots began in the early nineties and then gathered steam, like a runaway train. In every cut to pay, rostering, or conditions, management’s attitude was that pilots were a dime a dozen, easy to recruit, and that we should thank them...show them gratitude for the privilege of working for them.

I used to boast about our airline and our conditions: Things like pay, profit share, travel fund, or 13th month bonus. None of those exist anymore and it’s just embarrassing to compare such things as staff travel, rostering rules, pay, or first world labour protections when discussing airline issues with friends who, unlike me, wisely joined a legacy carrier. In fact, I avoid bringing up any of these topics. Instead, I try to stear conversation to things like the weather, the kids, sports, anything but work.

Even now, I fear our paper-pushers still don’t get it. They’ve gotten away with abusive behavior for such a long period of time and simply will not let go of the attitude that it is us who are the problem.

Such a sad story.

[Arfur Dent]

First year of the new Profit Share system - early 1990's from memory - paid 3 months salary. So that year we were paid A Scale salary + 4 months bonus including the 13th month. How the accountants and paper clip counters must've squealed!!
Of course, with rewards like that, everyone was proud to be "a Cathay Pilot" and would do anything to help the operation.
How times have changed......

[v1r8]

Air Profit,

That is disgusting. You guys have given enough to the company and should get the respect you deserve

[Liam Gallagher]

Ahh... But Arfur Dent way back when... the company didn't make money and now they do.

Hang on. I might need to re-thunk that. Wait out:8

[Pucka]

There seems to be a very noticeable lack of comment from Traf!