GF late roster
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GF late roster
Is it me or is GF in the habit of finding any excuse for issuing rosters late...again? Apart from BLR, what does this have to do with pilots since only the cabin crew were immorally deprived of a decent India night stop after a long duty?
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Why don't those who criticise walk a mile in the shoes of the folks in crew planning before jumping all over them, i sure there are obstacles they face, we have no knowledge or understanding of...the India turnaround experiment left us exposed to possible delays, cancellations, and safety issues regarding crew fatigue, and at least that (the most important) issue has been realised and dealt with...now....do we get paid "over 75hrs" overtime in a roster period, or a calendar month??
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I tend to agree with both sides of the fence.
On one hand, we have the planners who have to deal with what they've got. Factor in schedule changes, pressures from the bean counters, planes gone tech, inadequate standbys, sick and tired pilots, and it's a hell of a balancing act.
On the other hand are us, the pilots. Since we spearhead the whole operation, we bear the full physical brunt of it all.
It is probably a lack of foresight and anticipation of changes and needs on GF's part in the end. And this makes everyones job infinitely more difficult.
On one hand, we have the planners who have to deal with what they've got. Factor in schedule changes, pressures from the bean counters, planes gone tech, inadequate standbys, sick and tired pilots, and it's a hell of a balancing act.
On the other hand are us, the pilots. Since we spearhead the whole operation, we bear the full physical brunt of it all.
It is probably a lack of foresight and anticipation of changes and needs on GF's part in the end. And this makes everyones job infinitely more difficult.
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The problems with crewing have come for lack of prior planning. They add aircraft then think about employing pilots. All the while there is retirements and people leaving to look for greener grass.
Bit of a cycle, if the sleep deprived crew can't have a life as well as a job, then they leave.
Which comes back to the lack of prior planning.
Crewing can only work with the cards they are handed. We were at least 20 pilots short at the start of the month (I am told) The problem won't fix itself buy the end of the month without someone having put a plan into action months ago. (they did not!!)
There is still no real excuse for the consistently late rosters. I don't think I have had a single one on time. They need to get ahead of the game instead of just playing catch up and keeping us in the dark until 3 days before the new roster.
I'm sure the only reason AIMS can't do the rostering is because it would require the correct amount of crews for the number of aircraft and flights. Computers don't lie. Data in data out.
Crewing and GF flights are only functioning on the 'good will' of crew, at the expense of their free time/leave.
Bit of a cycle, if the sleep deprived crew can't have a life as well as a job, then they leave.
Which comes back to the lack of prior planning.
Crewing can only work with the cards they are handed. We were at least 20 pilots short at the start of the month (I am told) The problem won't fix itself buy the end of the month without someone having put a plan into action months ago. (they did not!!)
There is still no real excuse for the consistently late rosters. I don't think I have had a single one on time. They need to get ahead of the game instead of just playing catch up and keeping us in the dark until 3 days before the new roster.
I'm sure the only reason AIMS can't do the rostering is because it would require the correct amount of crews for the number of aircraft and flights. Computers don't lie. Data in data out.
Crewing and GF flights are only functioning on the 'good will' of crew, at the expense of their free time/leave.
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Expected Excuses
Dear All,
November Roster will be published late due to arrival of A319.
Dear All,
December Roster will be published late due to arrival of Holiday season.
November Roster will be published late due to arrival of A319.
Dear All,
December Roster will be published late due to arrival of Holiday season.
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It is probably a lack of foresight and anticipation of changes and needs on GF's part in the end. And this makes everyones job infinitely more difficult
Very nicely summed up, period.
As hard as I try to understand their reasons, I still find it impossible to believe that every excuse they communicate to us for the late publishing, is reason enough for us to be inconvenienced. They have been around for over half a century and have all the fancy tools and machines to assist them, yet they can't get it right. I'm blunt and call this incompetent. Every other major airline can get it right, WHY NOT US?
As pilots, we are expected to have an output of 100% but the input and tools we get to work with leave a lot to be desired for.
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Every other airline??? Look at the "end of month" posts here on Pprune.."Etihad late rosters" "EK late rosters"..I'm not defending anybody gents, but just be accurate pls...remember these folks are subject to the whim of the commercial dept, who have other pressures as well..
p.s. We always get paid on time
p.s. We always get paid on time
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Never had a late roster at EK in the last year. One of the joys of EK is their rather excellent rostering..and REAL bidding.
GF has no excuse. Though, to be fair, I have a feeling it has more to do with a messed up commercial dept and late decisions than with the rostering guys.....could be wrong though.
AIMS could do a proper bid - but the 'connected' guys in the airline would lose their favourite flights. And the An's et el would never have that now would they
GF has no excuse. Though, to be fair, I have a feeling it has more to do with a messed up commercial dept and late decisions than with the rostering guys.....could be wrong though.
AIMS could do a proper bid - but the 'connected' guys in the airline would lose their favourite flights. And the An's et el would never have that now would they
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I like the way you sum it up, SubsonicMortal.
However, after a while I get a little apathetic about the whole rostering process. The September schedule, as I recall, was delayed because of the roll-out of the Bahrain CAA ANTR-OPS limitations, even though the Company had fully expected this to happen months ago.
After the publication of any rosters, there are typically so many roster changes that by the end of the month 50% of the month's schedule has changed.
Somehow, I suspect ZeroCRM's expected excuses may prove to be prophetic.
At the end of the day, all I really care about is two things. 1) Did I get my request and, 2) what are my rostered days off? And I like to know this as soon as possible so I can plan my life away from work.
However, after a while I get a little apathetic about the whole rostering process. The September schedule, as I recall, was delayed because of the roll-out of the Bahrain CAA ANTR-OPS limitations, even though the Company had fully expected this to happen months ago.
After the publication of any rosters, there are typically so many roster changes that by the end of the month 50% of the month's schedule has changed.
Somehow, I suspect ZeroCRM's expected excuses may prove to be prophetic.
At the end of the day, all I really care about is two things. 1) Did I get my request and, 2) what are my rostered days off? And I like to know this as soon as possible so I can plan my life away from work.
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Every other airline??? Look at the "end of month" posts here on Pprune.."Etihad late rosters" "EK late rosters"..I'm not defending anybody gents, but just be accurate pls...remember these folks are subject to the whim of the commercial dept, who have other pressures as well..
p.s. We always get paid on time
p.s. We always get paid on time
EK may not be perfect but rostering is one of the good points here...almost always ontime, few if any changes once published and a decent system of rotating seniority that allows everyone a shot at top bid once every few months. It ain't perfect but its light years ahead of anything i ever had at GF.
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Panama Jack and ironbutt57 have good points.
"As hard as I try to understand their reasons, I still find it impossible to believe that every excuse they communicate to us for the late publishing, is reason enough for us to be inconvenienced."
While our planners have predictable work times, weekends, days off etc etc to plan their lives, we are left guessing whether in the next month, we are able to attend:
a social engagement or family gathering or Eid or Christmas or a childs/friends/wifes/husbands birthday or an anniversary or beers with friends or a bbq or a fishing trip or a night out or.....etc etc etc etc.
As pilots, we do not have the luxury of looking at the calendar at any given week or month and guarantee participating in an event.
The least that the rostering department can do for us is to give us an early 28 day peak into our future. If they don't understand the importance of the roster to us, simply put, IT IS OUR LIFE!
- Why fuss over rosters when they are subject to change half the time?
- Nice to know early so we can plan our lives outside work
- We never get paid late.
"As hard as I try to understand their reasons, I still find it impossible to believe that every excuse they communicate to us for the late publishing, is reason enough for us to be inconvenienced."
While our planners have predictable work times, weekends, days off etc etc to plan their lives, we are left guessing whether in the next month, we are able to attend:
a social engagement or family gathering or Eid or Christmas or a childs/friends/wifes/husbands birthday or an anniversary or beers with friends or a bbq or a fishing trip or a night out or.....etc etc etc etc.
As pilots, we do not have the luxury of looking at the calendar at any given week or month and guarantee participating in an event.
The least that the rostering department can do for us is to give us an early 28 day peak into our future. If they don't understand the importance of the roster to us, simply put, IT IS OUR LIFE!
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While our planners have predictable work times, weekends, days off etc etc to plan their lives, we are left guessing whether in the next month, we are able to attend:
a social engagement or family gathering or Eid or Christmas or a childs/friends/wifes/husbands birthday or an anniversary or beers with friends or a bbq or a fishing trip or a night out or.....etc etc etc etc.
Half of what you wrote and think big guy is HARAM hehe!!!!! beer?birthday? bbq?gathering?
AIMS can do a great job if they let it alone!
AIMS is capable to give night flights during RAMADAN to our friends that fasting and give days off during Christmas for our friends that do not fast! it is all programming!!
they have to overcome favorism and let AIMS to create blocks and distribute equal rosters for everyboby!! if that happened bidding is possible straight away! they bought the bidding system with the initially package but it is still disabled!All it is required to enable it and provide training and guidelines to all concerned!! it might cost some $$$ but?????????
Istead there is an idiot that plans crew to a max FDP and also plans differently FD and CC which resullts that you starting any block and you have to brief ,meet 2 different CC in a day 4 sector trip, or 4 different CC on a 3 days trip!
As an example:
You are rostered to do a DOH BAH 2 sector block and your FO comes from a previous AUH BAH and has to meet u in a 50 min turnaround and the CC come from a LCA BAH and had to do the same!! all planned without normal and usuall delays to a max FDP!!
Same time we spend money and effort for CRM-joint exercises emphasizing briefings ,teamwork ,fatigue,commercial appearance,safety......etc
we work together but we do not rest together!!
a social engagement or family gathering or Eid or Christmas or a childs/friends/wifes/husbands birthday or an anniversary or beers with friends or a bbq or a fishing trip or a night out or.....etc etc etc etc.
Half of what you wrote and think big guy is HARAM hehe!!!!! beer?birthday? bbq?gathering?
AIMS can do a great job if they let it alone!
AIMS is capable to give night flights during RAMADAN to our friends that fasting and give days off during Christmas for our friends that do not fast! it is all programming!!
they have to overcome favorism and let AIMS to create blocks and distribute equal rosters for everyboby!! if that happened bidding is possible straight away! they bought the bidding system with the initially package but it is still disabled!All it is required to enable it and provide training and guidelines to all concerned!! it might cost some $$$ but?????????
Istead there is an idiot that plans crew to a max FDP and also plans differently FD and CC which resullts that you starting any block and you have to brief ,meet 2 different CC in a day 4 sector trip, or 4 different CC on a 3 days trip!
As an example:
You are rostered to do a DOH BAH 2 sector block and your FO comes from a previous AUH BAH and has to meet u in a 50 min turnaround and the CC come from a LCA BAH and had to do the same!! all planned without normal and usuall delays to a max FDP!!
Same time we spend money and effort for CRM-joint exercises emphasizing briefings ,teamwork ,fatigue,commercial appearance,safety......etc
we work together but we do not rest together!!
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Half the woes stem from the fact that the AIMS in GF does not have the modules for bidding and for equalisation - those were deemed expensive dispensibles when the last management (under H.A.) bought the system. Since then, no one wants to get the modules as they are an additional expense. Besides, there is a lot of controversy, with Sabre trying to push the sale of its own system, etc.
If the blocks are tough - it is a reflection of the pressure on the rostering lot to make the maximum utilization. The rostering staff has no choice but to oblige the top management, and the Managers are too busy flying the line, or on leave or attending to dubious obligations (like helping their buddies or countrymen become instructors), or ferrying planes (that any line pilot can do and ought to do) to bother about what is happening on the line, and make a call for better conditions.
Wait and watch - the situation will worsen with the arrival of the A319s, and the possible departure of some Omanis (If Sal-e's prediction takes shape).
If the blocks are tough - it is a reflection of the pressure on the rostering lot to make the maximum utilization. The rostering staff has no choice but to oblige the top management, and the Managers are too busy flying the line, or on leave or attending to dubious obligations (like helping their buddies or countrymen become instructors), or ferrying planes (that any line pilot can do and ought to do) to bother about what is happening on the line, and make a call for better conditions.
Wait and watch - the situation will worsen with the arrival of the A319s, and the possible departure of some Omanis (If Sal-e's prediction takes shape).
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Yup, I know of cabin crew who have their rosters since early yesterday. Today as of the close of business, none for flight deck crew yet. But of course, we were told not to expect it til the 25th. 