How Many Pilots pull a Sickie when there not?
 

When low cost Airlines changed the Aviation industry our working conditions changed aswell.

My roster is such that I have to regulary go sick to make up my shortfall in quality time to be with my family. I have to think about number one and put a finger up to my colleagues and company. I do this probably 3-4 days per month.

Do you guys and gals do the same?

No. No. No. No. No.

Not wishing to sound like the model employee that I'm not, can't say I have ever gone sick, tempted.... yes, but never had the balls. Bribed crewing etc that I have done and it works, well sometimes at least.
3-4 days a month sounds a tad much though, am suprised that no-one has sussed you out!
Blu

Fiona - be careful. I got hauled down to EXT once and berated for a supposed pattern in my sick days. Now fortunately for me I had doctors certificates for every day I was sick - but they do have software that looks for patterns in sick days off. It mainly catches CAs.

I was able to extend the digit to our ex-FM, but if you don't have the certificates, you could find yourself in the crap.

If you do take extra days - and I completely agree that the poor rostering will eventually force the hand of anyone who actually likes their family - go and get a note from your doc. I always do, no matter what the problem. It is the only way to be safe (well reasonably safe).

I can honestly say that I never actually took a day off when I wasn't sick - but by the same token, I refuse to fly when I have a cold. Colds are very common in winter. They hang around, and is most unwise to go back to work too early...

What a terrible thing to do!

I haven't had a day off sick since early 2002. Admittedly, I haven't been flying for most of that time, but, all the same, 3-4 days a month is ludicrous!

I presume that there's more to this question than meets the eye? You don't look like a journo, but I just don't know.

Get well soon.

CC.

What do I know I am just a wannabee but I think this is very selfish behaviour (give you your due FF, at least you admit it). Is it not also exactly the type of thing that screws up rosters leading to people getting the call on days off etc, which is well known for driving down moral.

In another thread this morning you said of your Ops director How is what you are doing helping exactly. 4 days a month? Caring? TTP if you ask me.

It is becoming a side affect of working as a LOCO pilot I dare say,
next minute we'll all be having D.V.T.,scoliosis,UV cancer to deal with before we reach retirement if it all keeps on the road its going down......

I think when I graduate from here and get the job I've always dreamed of, I'll probably pull a sickie 3-4 times a month so I can go out with my mates the night before... doesn't matter does it, there's always somebody else to call in :mad: :mad:

Let's hope your pprune identity is never outed FF ......you might get lots of time with the family!!

The major airline I work for monitors sickness in flight crew in 4 stages. Every time you are off ill, it "counts" towards your running total for a given period. After each period off your need a "return to work" interview and after two such episodes you are set a "target" of not being ill for a given period. Failure to comply moves you up a stage until investigations are made to find the underlying cause of continued absence. If this is medical then treatment is arranged, family problems are also taken into account and help offered where appropriate.
If none of the above applies - Flying Fiona:ooh: then a written warning is issued and failure to comply leads to dismissal.
This has lead to a dramatic fall in days off and our average is barely above the national average for ground based jobs.

Oh and our cabin crew have refused to join in - wonder why?

;) Flying Fiona.
No.
The Starmer woman has done enough for the female flying cause already when it comes to upsticking the old digit at those who have to pick up the pieces for her indolence.
I am delighted to see that there are those of a similar ilk out there.
Perhaps we can now get back to the professional aviation practised by men instead of HobbyTime in NoddyLand.
:uhoh:

Montevideo for a while?:p

Surely not, is this a wind-up?

As a community, pilots are increasingly heard lamenting how times have changed. Increasing so, these days. T&C's are on the slide, working more than ever, the quality of life has gone down.

Most importantly for some is the fact that professional pilots no longer seem able to command even basic levels of respect from our employers, peer groups (within the industry) and customers. Some think - and perhaps rightly so, but it's arguable - that as professionals we get treated rather poorly.

And yet, is it hard to see why we might be viewed more dimly than in times past when stuff like this is brought to the fore? It's hardly espousing the professionalism or high levels of responsibility that some lay claim to in this line of work.

Is it any wonder pilots are losing respect?

Is this a case of 'give a dog a bad name' or is it more a case of 'if the cap fits...'?

It is a shame but I know several pilots in the company I work for who regularly pull 'sickies', citing the fact that they are just atoning for the injustices they receive from the company. Sad but true.

Flying Fiona.....

HAHAHAHAAA.......!!!!!

I bet you're really a bloke, right? Pulling in bites by trying to sound like a chick.

Nice wind-up.

But it would've been better if you'd pretended to be a hostie. Then we would've believed it.

PM me and I'll point you to a few sites where you can learn how to troll properly. You're WAY TOO obvious man!

And to all the suckers who bit... what can I say. I hope you're careful when overnighting in Bangkok, meestuh.

I think that you may have resigned from your company, but not yet left. When you have to break your side of an agreement in order to have a life then maybe it's time to leave. I'd suggest that you look for pastures new, quickly, before you are "sussed". Best of luck.

Piltdown

(For what it's worth, I have never pulled a sickie - but I've left jobs when the fun bit started being rationed by foul brained beancounters and human remains types)

If you can't do the roster then get out!

How do your colleagues feel about having to cover for you, I bet my years salary that you haven't admitted this to them!

Not exactly a case of taking a sickie, but I'm sure some/many of us who have been around long enough in this business can think of occasions where we have had to 'advise' a colleague that it might possibly be prudent to call in sick... if you get my drift?

R1

Scrubed, :ok: :ok: :ok: . Nice one.

HI THERE,

Well all i will say is , YES , some do pull a sickie when they are not sick.

This was proven in the last week when we needed a sub from an airline who managed to pull an aircraft and crew for us, all set to go and tell the pax that all is ok, then we get a call saying ... captain was on standby, he was called out to operate the flight and then 2 minutes later, he rang in to say he was sick. !!!!.

Now, im sorry but how obvious is that, he just couldnt be bothered to do his job, even when he is on standby.

Because of his actions, it meant that we had to HOTAC the flight for the night, which was not good.

So, if your reading this, thanks very much, but there is allways 2 sides to a story so will stop where i am.

Many Thx

TJ747

I've only pulled one 'sickie' in my entire working life (school was a very different matter and I won't even mention uni!) and that was more of a protest about crewing levels than anything else. I'd reached my limit and felt atrocious, all due to apalling rostering and not enough pilots. I could have just said that I was fatigued, but that would have opened a can of worms.

Usually I wouldn't contemplate it since it means someone else is getting inconvenienced and it can stuff the roster for a few days if the company is tight for crew. The only one's who suffer are the crews in that case. A bit selfish really.