Most of the new AA reserve has not been implemented yet.
Feb 2014 will start PBS. Which in theory will make reserve lines a little better.
Example: My July reserve sched looks like this:
2-6 on
7-10 off
11-15 on
16 moveable day off
16-20 off
21-28 on
29-31 golden day off
If I do not get a trip during 2-6 and because i've been on reserve non-stop since 22 June-6 July they will/could move my Moveable to give me a 7 day off.
They can fly you into any of your days off.
The Golden days off they must have you back before noon.
For example: UAL or Delta (if I have this correct) with PBS and with their 24 in 7 must be in Domicile looks like this:
6 on
2,3,4 off
6 on
2,3,4 off
6 on
2,3,4,5,6 off
At AA you are supposed to get credit for planned absences (Oops sorry we can't implement that yet)
So if you have vacation on the 3rd or 4th week of monthly bid you don't get credit. I know this sounds knit picky, but it's a bit of a deal.
We are now almost 6 full months past contract implementation.
There are 2 great things about reserve at AA. If you have people avail below you in seniority you can pass to them and wait for a better trip or if several trips are avail you can pick which one you want.
I just got home this morning at 4am. There are 2 people avail tomorrow night one guy is good for a 3 day and one for a 4 day trip. There is a 3 day deep south trip open. So I will have one person tomorrow that has to fly. I almost garantee there will be 2 sick calls today and tomorrow. So I will fly tomorrow the 26th thru the 29ths. I will then probably not fly the 30th or 1st. The July bid starts on 2nd. I will have to fly on the 2nd or 3rd.
So most likely my moveable won't get moved from the 16th of July as I will have had 24 off in EZE (Buenos Aires, GRU Sao Paulo Brazil and or LHR London). And that is how being on reserve from 22 June-6 July rolls.
Feel free to ask anything. As much as the AA experience can suck and I may sound whiny or complaining, I like being on reserve I hate being on reserve LOL. You figure it out!
What I'm really saying is I would prefer 6 on 2,3,4 off 6 on 2,3,4 off.