Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<I've also got more frequent flyer miles that I can shake a stick at. Think I'm running at over a million on both United and BA.>> I've been trying to 'spend' my miles now after years of building up hundreds of thousands on Continental and Delta. I just don't like the state of the airline industry and the old 'money in the bank' days are long gone ... I now try and take free trips whenever I can provided they are not short-haul domestic jaunts. I used to use them for upgrades to First or Business, but now I am almost always upgraded for FREE (take that, any angry airline employees here ...). I, my family, and my employers have spent countless dollars to EARN me those freebies!
Originally Posted By leemac <<although I've been told there are some nice beach communities to the north of Jax before you hit Georgia>> Do you mean Amelia Island? It is a pretty place for sure. Good golf up there too.
Originally Posted By leemac <<I do have both. Gold with SPG, only silver with HHonors. I also find Hiltons to be much more inconsistent with their properties, some are just incredible while others are dumps. With Starwood I always get a room that is quality.>> I tend to find the international (ie. non-US) Hiltons to be a lot more reliable. I suspect that has more to do with their former owners (the UK-based Ladbrokes Group) than the spotty Hilton Family concept that my buddy Stephen Bollenbach has been trying to assemble. The problem was trying to assimilate the budget brands it bought. Also the Conrad concept is top-notch. The Conrad Tokyo is probably the best branded hotel I've ever stayed at. A tremendous property. The Gordon Ramsey restaurant is the finest western dining room in Tokyo by far. Not sure if you get upgrades with Silver but the Executive Floor at the Hilton isn't that great any more. Used to be a nice perk. Only issue is the number of CMs you bump into when you stay there!
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< Actually I *DO* have to pay for my commute, and my round trip commute right now costs me almost what I am being paid for 2 hrs of work, and I have to stand by and prey a seat will be open for me to get on a flight, simply because revenue and freeloader FFs do get on first before me. The only time I do not have to pay is when I am able to book me an open (not used) extra flight attendant jumpseat, but the competition for that is so fierce that 90% of the time due to so many commuters in the FL area, I am NOT able to use that option. And even having booked a jumpseat does not mean you will get on as a full crew may be assigned to work or position... so there goes your free commute option. >>> So, you have to pay for a commute if you sit in a regular seat even if you must do so standby at the lowest priority of clearing? If I understand that correctly, that's sure a slap on the face, isn't it? I don't see the logic in making you pay for a seat if you're at the lowest standby priority (it would be another matter if it was space-positive travel). One thing I've never fully understood about commuters is how it works if you're standing by and it gets to the point where you'll not make the flight you're working. I always thought that there was some sort of priority that would bump such a person even above a revenue passenger for the greater good of the airline being able to operate its flights, but then what would prevent crew from using this option every time?
Originally Posted By SuperDry <<< Let's start by regulating the airline business again...shall we? >>> I think that's the only way things could possibly return to the way they used to be. But consider this: what was the capacity of the domestic scheduled airline market during regulation? It was only a small fraction of what it is today because it was priced out of reach of a great many people. If you returned to a regulated structure with the old prices, union wages could greatly increase, at least for those left - a great many workers would get laid off due to reduced capacity. And think of what greatly increased airfares would do the economies of places like Orlando if there wasn't cheap airfare for the leisure market - there would be a lot of people in those parts of the economy that would lose their job or face reduced wages. I wish there was a simple answer.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>So, you have to pay for a commute if you sit in a regular seat even if you must do so standby at the lowest priority of clearing? If I understand that correctly, that's sure a slap on the face, isn't it?<< Yes, you understood correctly and yes, it is a slap on the face, like the many we have been given by management before, the ones we are getting now on a regular basis, and the many more we will receive in the future. >>I always thought that there was some sort of priority that would bump such a person even above a revenue passenger for the greater good of the airline being able to operate its flights, but then what would prevent crew from using this option every time? << You do not understand at all it seems.. If you have to commute from your hometown to get to your assigned base where your schedule working trip begins and ends (aka shift), you have to do the commuting on your own time and under the same pass riding policies for employees afforded to anyone who is employed in the company, be a crew member or ground staff. You just have to give yourself enough time to arrive at base to report to work. If for some reason, you do not get on your flight to go to base to work and end up missing your trip (aka shift), you will be considered a "no-show" and diciplinary action will follow. There is NO bumping a revenue customer or even a passenger on free miles to accomodate an employee using pass priviledges who does so to commute to/from work. You have to STAND BY like the rest of the employees do and hope that an open seat will be available once all revenue (aka "real" customers) have been accomodated. Once all revenue passengers are onboard...classification and seniority will dictate who gets on. ...and that is the sad truth of being a commuter in the airline industry. But hey.. "we love our jobs; we love people; we love to travel; jada jada jada..." so we put up with the grind so we can at least live in a decent city rather than the employer's chosen base cities. That is what keeps us sane.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Regulating the skies would make air travel safer, but I agree that regulation may or may not decrease the number of flights opearted per day. Concidering how many near misses airplanes encounter on a daily basis, I would welcome the reduction. But the demand is there and I am sure goverment (especially big corporate minded republican ones) will concider that before acting on a decrease of service if necesary. As for laying off employees... no difference with what's happening to the business now.. Many great employees are being forced to quit because airline pay scales are simply unlivable when youtake into account the sacrifice and dangers of the indutry. Unless you happen to be a pilot, you will have to have a 2nd job to make ends meet. Then... If it's not a voluntary resignation, then it would be by management enforced layoffs, which they did as soon as they file for chapter 11 while giving top managers bonu$e$ for keeping the airline afloat. Honestly? I much rather take my chances with a deregulated network, whatever the concequences will. After all, you would not agree with me because the concequences of regulation would be tougher on you as a customer (no more freeloading! Hehehe) than on me at this point in time after 20++ years of service.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>Honestly? I much rather take my chances with a deregulated network,<< I meant REGULATED!!! urgh! We need an edit feature!!!
Originally Posted By Mr X I would not recommend going anywhere NEAR Mt. Fuji in the winter, unless you are prepared for EXTREMELY cold conditions. And I mean anywhere within an hour or so from the mountain, not just at the base (colder still!). It's even cold there in the summer, so imagine what winter is like... However, if you're still into the idea and want to get close enough for some nice views, consider Fuji-Q highland amusement park. Open all year, I believe. Crappy park, but great views of the mountain (weather permitting) and 2 of the greatest coasters in the world. Or, just enjoy the views on your bullet train ride to Kyoto. Sorry for the on-topic post. Please return to the freeloader vs. disgruntled employee slug-fest.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Then again... one of the reasons why there are such brutal fare wars among the airlines in the USA is because of oversaturation in several markets.. so regulating the system can only help get rid of unnecesary airlines that only have 10 planes in their entire fleet.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 <<Sorry for the on-topic post. Please return to the freeloader vs. disgruntled employee slug-fest. >> Thanks for the tips, Mr X ... I am also interested in the airline industry as I love to fly and travel in general. However, that wasn't quite the reason why I started the thread ;-)
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>Unless you happen to be a pilot, you will have to have a 2nd job to make ends meet.<< I have a friend who has been recalled to United. Not sure if he is a pilot or copilot (B737), but I was told that he will be getting 70K when returns (he was laid off about 3 years ago).
Originally Posted By TDLFAN It's very rare for a pilot to make less than 60K-some a year in the major careers, but sadly, those of us who serve your every needs and have to clean up your baby's puke get on average 50% LESS than that per year, gross pay before taxes.
Originally Posted By Spirit of 74 ^^You're saying the average FA makes only $30,000 a year?!?!?! That's sad. Of course, I think pilots deserve every penny they make and then some ... they do have a high-stress job and do an amazing job in getting people where they're going in one piece.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Yes, that is what I am saying. And some of the high almighty profit makers like Southwest, pay that much to their most senior FA crews. And you wonder why I am so bitter....
Originally Posted By TDLFAN >>I think pilots deserve every penny they make and then some ... they do have a high-stress job and do an amazing job in getting people where they're going in one piece.<< True to some point. Most new aircraft are automated to the point that pilots just sit there looking at the computers do anything. Them pilots can only proove their might when something goes wrong. Yet.. the leading cause of aircraft crashes is: pilot error. So, do they need to make that much money while the rest of us in that airplane barely have enough money to eat?? Maybe or maybe not.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN And remember... they pilots take us with them when they cause those errors in the cockpit.. I think I deserve better pay for my "risk"...
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>Yes, that is what I am saying. And some of the high almighty profit makers like Southwest, pay that much to their most senior FA crews.<< IIRC, the discount carriers start their FA'a at around $8 an hour. I recall that at Frontier they aren't even paid during training. Talk about a pittance.
Originally Posted By fkurucz >>It's very rare for a pilot to make less than 60K-some a year in the major careers<< He was getting 6 figures when he was laid off. Now he gets to come back for much less, and NO pension.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN 21 yrs in service here and now I am working for much less and a frozen pension. Same difference.
