Originally Posted by
SlickMachine
Its good for the company. Its called "leveling" and it is a cost benefit for the airline. Personally, if I've been worked all month and i'm approaching guarantee, I would like the ability to continue flying and benefit financially from breaking guarantee since my QOL is already wrecked. Also, there was NOTHING more annoying than arriving at 4.5 hours from MPG as a reserve commuter with 4 days of reserve to go, and consequently being unable to aggressive pickup that 4 day in open time that started later and ended earlier. Aggressive pickup is the only thing that works to help commuting reserve pilots, and even that is limited thanks to this leveling provision.
Well, per the contract you are still going to benefit financially if you know your contract.
If you get within 4.5 of your MPG you can ask scheduling to release you for your remaining reserve days. If and when they don't you are going to get 4.5 hours of pay for each of those four days you mention (18 hours) or the value of the what you actually flew (including DH), whichever is greater.
So if you are a B reserve and you requested release at 72 hours (w/ a 76 hour MPG) and they didn't, you will get a minimum of 90 hours of pay for the month anyway. Remember it gets added to your total credit line value and not your guarantee.
If they DO release you, you don't get any reduction in guarantee and then have more days off for the month. So you are either getting pay or more days off.
It's not like you can't benefit from the "leveling" mechanism you mention. You made it sound like you are stuck at less than guarantee because you can't pick up a trip. You just have to call to be released for your remaining reserve days so they note it on your master schedule. Then, of course, follow up with a pay claim like I did on the first day of the following bid period.