Free Travel from port to Base

[anonymity]

I'm curious, your new policy regarding commuting for free. Is every employee at WestJet entitled to this?
The reason's I ask, are;
1. The wording I've heard is from port to base, so if you are, for example, a Ramp guy who lives in Kelowna but work in Calgary, you commute but don't have a port.
2. The reason we were givin for the pilot group being unable to change the recip policy is because WestJet would not do anything that was not fair to other groups, everyone is equal.
So my question, is this new policy fair to all employee groups or are Westjetters a bunch of Hypocrites?
The right thing to do would be to give recip pilots the same courtesy that was extended to you for an equivilant time frame. You had free travel for 3+ years, or however long the agreement was in effect, so you should return the favor. Even if, it's exactly like it was for you. Only one recip per flight, it is THE ONLY thing that will save your reputation, because to be quite frank, the talk around town, is you guys are a bunch of hypocrites. Seriously.
All I heard from Day 1, was we're working on it but we can't do anything unfair to the other groups or we have a contract coming up and we'll try and get it worked in etc.. Contract came and went and nothing happened, now that the AC tap went dry, you get free travel to work and it's still cheaper on AC then it would be on WJ for you.

[twinpratts]

Dude... who pissed in your cornflakes?

As a former commuter (last job), anything is an improvement over commuting for work. This allows (as i understand it) anybody who signs up for the port to get free travel to and from work, and i don't think it has anything to do with any jumpseat agreement, since we literally have commuters in almost every department. It also provides for a bit of a parking allowance to be applied to the cost at your domicile airport.

As far as Westjetters being Hypocrites... what do you care, since you don't work here? It sounds like you're an employee from another employer whining 'cause you don't agree with the Jumpseat policy, and just trying to stir the pot.

Get over it whiner.

[anonymity]

My question was is it fair to all employees, example given ramp guy lives somewhere other than where he throws bags. It's not a "Port" unless you are flight crew. So can any, ANY employee live anywhere WestJet flies and work somewhere else and get free travel to work?
Who pissed in my cornflakes? YOU, WESTJETTERS traveled for free, zero, nothing and charged us, now when AC returns the favor by charging you, you come out with a policy that rubs our noses in it. You started the race to the bottom in every aspect and now that AC is furthering your cause of destroying, what used to be a perk(free commuting), other Airlines are sure to follow your lead.
Sure am trying to stir the pot, it needs to be said. Everytime one of you Westjetters asked for the jump I heard the same song and dance, we're working on it. So full of shit, I'd be willing to bet, your idea of working on it was something like this. Ah umm Durf, we're getting alot of flack from the pilots about this charging for jump thing, umm well you know, anything we can do about it?
No way Brotha!
Umm well ok, we'll just keep telling them "we're working on it"
Whiner, well take off your teal colored glasses for a sec and see it from our side. You Arrogant, self serving owner.

[cdnpilot77]

8...9...10...DRAW!!

[jjj]

4 Air Canada pilots were travelling on WS as per the recip agreement.

At an appropriate time and in a professional manner one of the pilots voiced his displeasure to the operating WS Captain. The AC pilot indicated that the agreement was lop-sided and should be more like what AC has to offer.

The WS Captain offered the following solution; he said that he would happily refund the price of one jumpseat out of his own pocket but then the AC guys would have to decide which 3 would have to disembark the airplane immediately based on check-in sequence.

The enlightened AC pilot smiled, shook hands with the WS Captain and wished him a nice day.
-------------------

If it was up to the pilots at WS - no recip pilot would get charged a dime. At least though we can offer the whole airplane at a discount instead of just one seat.

-------------------

Take it easy anonymity, life isn't fair and neither is aviation.

JJJ

[stickontheice]

Not to mention its not for every pilot. Its for those who hold PORT. Its also extended to the FAs as well. So sick of this argument back and forth. AC is charging just like we are but now we're getting screwed because its not based on empty seats. You "working" on that??

[twinpratts]

Yawn.

[double-j]

Its quite simple really.

Pilots, and flight attendants, utilize hotel rooms on overnights, supplied by the company, as part of their employment duties. Instead of using a hotel room in their home town (port), crews cancel them and save the company money. In return, the company sees the gain by the cancelations and rewards the porters by giving them travel perks.

On the other hand, a rampie works and is based in yyc. He is not offered a hotel room as part of his employment. So as such he does not save the company money and is not offered the same 'perks'.

Its the same as non-port crew. They do not get the same benefit from their chosen city.

So no as I see it. This does not constitute hypocracy.

clear as mud?

[Intentional Left Bank]

Realize, anonymity, that timing of this policy may have been coincidental to your timeline because it required some time to come up with a policy that would satisfy the airports, the CRA, and TC.

Flight crews can choose a "virtual base". This "port" becomes their place of employment. Therefore, travel between their place of employment and Calgary, also their place of employment, is now BUSINESS TRAVEL in the eyes of both the airport authorities and the Canada Revenue Agency. The policy complies with the letter and the spirit of the law, while remaining within the confines of WestJet fairness policies.

Unconfirmed travel, in uniform on company aircraft within a legal duty day between bases is not considered a taxable benefit. The airport authorities are satisfied, the CRA is satisfied (both on a company and personal level), and TC is satisfied.

To extend free travel to jump-seat pilots would require WestJet to pay the AIF and associated taxes and fees. While a substantial contingent of pilot group might be interested in helping to defray those costs, currently, no system is in place to make that happen, nor is there realistically any hope of that on the horizon. Any hope of such a system has been tempered by the new Air Canada jump-seat policy.

Note that commuters don't get free travel to work. If a commuter chooses to live in a non-port city, or doesn't participate in the port program, travel is not free. Travel must be completed in uniform within duty limits or within a fixed period prior to or after the assigned pairing. Only porters who haven't been awarded a port pairing who are travelling to another city to commence a non-port pairing get a "free" flight.

I am not familiar with how the policy applies to non-flight crew, but it is possible that your hypothetical YLW ramp crew would also get "free" travel to YYC if it was for a work or training function.

If WestJet were to award commuters "free" flights to work, in the eyes of the CRA, this would be like paying an employee to drive their car to work. The CRA would view that as a taxable benefit.

[jetsetfly]

So just out of curiosity how much would an employee for WJ pay to fly to home if he isnt a pilot or FA?

[Bede]

I believe part of the reason for this policy is for WJA to ensure that commuters are well rested prior to check in. The commute is part of the duty period and WJA has figured out a way to enforce it. It is rumoured that the FAA and TC will be enforcing rest periods since the Colgan crash and ensuring that a crew member doesn't spend 8 hours commuting followed by 14 hrs duty time.

[Intentional Left Bank]

So just out of curiosity how much would an employee for WJ pay to fly to home if he isnt a pilot or FA?

The same as a commuting WJ pilot or commuting WJ FA or AC jump-seat pilot. $2.50 + taxes and fees.

[Mach75]

Dude, get off your high horse and cool it with this "race to the bottom" bull sh*t already. WestJet charges you $2.50 ... TWO DOLLARS & FIFTY CENTS!!! If you want to take this up with someone, take it up with the airport authority and the federal government for charging you $48 in airport improvement fees, surcharges, and taxes.

Did you know that the Edmonton airport has a 3000+ square foot gym full of brand new equipment, change rooms, and showers that only airport employees are allowed to access? How would the traveling public feel if they really knew where their huge airport improvement fees were being used?

It's like I tell my 4 year old when he tells me something's not fair: "you know what's not fair ... taxes".

[anonymity]

DUDE, what part of this don't you understand, you travelled on AC or Jazz for ZERO DOLLARS, your TWO DOLLARS & FIFTY CENTS triggered the TAXES. There were some owners who strictly travelled to work on AC because of your 2.50 charge, can you guess why? Now that AC followed your lead you come out with a new system. My beef is, you guys were saying the whole time "we're working on it" Let me ask you this, ARE YOU STILL WORKING ON IT?????

[RFN]

Holy smokes people get wound up over this issue.

The fact that I have to pay a whopping 2.50 over and above the fees to commute YWG-YYZ on WJA makes much more sense than paying the over 80 bucks round trip that Air Canada charges me.

The recip policy may need to be tweaked, but take a breath and please don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

[double-j]

All I can say is wow.

Buddy has been with the airlines for two years and already he has a huge chip on his shoulder. Two years ago he was snapping one off at the thought of working for an airline, today its the world is so unfair. Get over it.

Is this the type of poison you guys are breeding in the flight deck?

move on.

jj

[anonymity]

WOW, Firstly It's been more than 2 years, secondly I thought my 2 decades in the industry gives me the right to call out someone or a group of someones, if needs be.
So are you, are you "Still working on it" or now that the damage is done there's no need to worry about it anymore?

Is this the type of poison you guys are breeding in the flight deck?

Well, we're not drinking Kool aid.
You know not one of you has come on here and said, you know your right we maybe should've tried harder to get it changed. In the end all you guys who said "we're working on it" were just paying lip service, because if you had any, it would've changed.

[mbav8r]

Not to mention its not for every pilot. Its for those who hold PORT. Its also extended to the FAs as well. So sick of this argument back and forth. AC is charging just like we are but now we're getting screwed because its not based on empty seats. You "working" on that??

This is part of a memo from our jumpseat commitee to answer your question of are we working on it.
It is with deep regret I must provide confirmation of a change that has been implemented by AIR CANADA with respect to their reciprocal jumpseat program. This change, for the time being, has been applied to JAZZ AIR without my consultation or approval. As most of you know, I am strongly opposed to any fees being applied to the jumpseating pilot. I also do not advocate restrictions on how the pilot is to be checked in, other than those required for scheduling and security. Rest assured that the JAZZ MEC and JAZZ JUMPSEAT COMMITTEE are working hard to take back control of our reciprocal jumpseat program.

[double-j]

anonymity,

Even though this agreement was signed by your MEC prior to your arrival at jazz, agreeing on the terms, if you are not happy with it then lobby your MEC for change.

Pissin' and moanin' on a anonymous internet forum won't amount to anything.

I for one do not use the program and as such, it is not high on my list for change. Thus I will not rant like a madman to my WJPA or management for change. Thats just me tho'.

Who knows, maybe they are 'working on it right now'.


move on.

jj

[mattedfred]

PD employees and Recip JS users can travel on PD flights for ZERO dollars

do they fall under different tax laws than WJ or AC?

[twinpratts]

"Pissin' and moanin' on a anonymous internet forum won't amount to anything.

I for one do not use the program and as such, it is not high on my list for change. Thus I will not rant like a madman to my WJPA or management for change. Thats just me tho'."



+1

[Jastapilot]

So let get this straight. Westjet still charges for jump yet doesn't limit the number of jumpers, and AC now charges but still limits the number to one? Don't get me wrong I'm not happy with paying with either carrier but to me it looks like WJ has the better deal now. For me it was more important to get on the plane than having to pay a minor fee.

[jeollanamdo]

Let us clear the air...

Firstly, WestJet has created a "port program" so that WestJet Pilots and Flight Attendants can get to and from their paring.... Let us get this straight, it is for Pilots and Flight Attendants only, whom are port employees (i.e. they are not based in Calgary). This is not for any other employees, friends, family etc... WestJet does not want their own employees not showing up for work, hence causing delays etc. Not all WestJetters are very happy about this program as it only bennefits Flight Attendants and Pilots. The numbers show that lates and no shows have come down considerably.

Now, for all of those Air Canada and Air Canada Jazz employees, why don't you moan and cry to your management to get some sory of program in place for all of your who port? Moaning and crying to WestJet is not going to help, nor will things ever change here. I am very happy Air Canada is charging now, I think that is great. If one Airline charges you, then you do the same. I do think it is petty that if you are now charging, you are limiting the number of jumpseaters. WestJet has never limited jumpseaters, but I am sure we can look into having this changed to make things more equitable? WestJetters have never said they did not want to pay a fee, so why did it take you so long to implement one?

There are a small few who complain, as I know the majority could care less. But beware, because the more you moan and cry, the higher the chances that this agreement will come to and end, meaning everyone will lose, and nobody will gain anything. Remember this when you are about to board your next flight and it is full, and you find yourself walking down the ramp to get on a WestJet flight.

I agree with everyone in terms of Jumpseat, don't charge for them... however I do feel that each person travelling should be responsible for their own taxes regardless of which airline you are flying. So the $2.50 charge should go, I agree, however the taxes are here to stay.

[mbav8r]

jeollanamdo
WestJet has never limited jumpseaters, but I am sure we can look into having this changed to make things more equitable?

So let me get this straight, after 3+ years of riding around for free, your advocating a change to make it more equitable. Now thats rich, I use the program sometimes, but if you went down that road, I would personnally lobby the whole thing be scrapped altogether.

jeollanamdo
So the $2.50 charge should go, I agree, however the taxes are here to stay.

So who paid the taxes, when you rode around for FREE. Who pays the taxes on Porter? Are you saying that AC was footing the bill for the jumpseaters by paying the taxes for you. No wonder they're in such finacial trouble, with business decisions like that.

[KAG]

My fellow aviators...This was never a pilot decision, it came from the top, and yes we've been fighting it. But isn't it a dead issue anyway as AC now charges (or will, I've been away for a few weeks).
Seriously boys don’t we have enough going on at our jobs / in our lives then to squabble like a bunch of teenage girls about what really amounts to pocket change for the odd time we use this service? I’ll gladly donate the equivalent amount to dreams take flight or buy your crews Star Bucks or something, but seriously please stop whining about this. You’d think this was the AC/CPA merger, is this argument also going to go on for the next decade?