Originally Posted by
snippercr
It's all about your attitude and life situation.
True. And if you live in base I understand not wanting to fly on reserve. But if you're commuting to sit for five days in NYC to do a Detroit round it's a different story. And I get the whole "it's not the fault of the airline you can't live in NYC on $450 a week" (I'm former Independence Air from the ACA days so I've lived this before.)
In a former job I was Platinum on AA so I do reserve by taking off the uniform shirt, throwing on a polo, and sitting standby in the Admiral's Club drinking free coffee and eating warm cookies while reading the Wall Street Journal(with free wifi - unlike the crew lounge).
Now there's a study in itself - deplorable conditions in the crew lounge (sheetrock falling in, blankets used as insulation, mold, dust, florescent bulbs incorrectly installed and about to fall on someone's head, outside extension cords strung everywhere, did I miss anything?) vs. the loyalty clubs but I digress!
I've got a writing gig so I can generate income while sitting but the true newbies (including my classmates) are getting banged up pretty good and I feel for them.