Originally Posted by
Herkflyr
That is likely true. That is also why 93% of the trips on the 717 (in ATL at least) are 4 and 5 days. In fact there are more 5-day trips than 1, 2, and 3 day trips combined!
When network adds a bunch of unanticipated flying all at once (a good thing, but better to get a little advance notice) the trip construction software ends up building a lot of these longer trips. I was a bit peeved about that and emailed both my reps and the Rotation Construction Committee and they gave me the same answer.
Thank God for the TLV (Target Line Value). The ALVs are going to have to come down soon due to the TLV. Really wacky things might be seen in terms of trip construction when that happens...or not.
Funny thing is that you can never predict the eventual fallout. For example I was camping over Colombus Day weekend. I came back to 6 IA "robo calls." This month I bid reserve as well and am just finishing a three day block of reserve days where many of us--myself included--not only didn't fly, but didn't even sit short call.
Next month could be either extreme.
I think people are trying to fly as much as possible at the beginning of the month to fill up, hence less involuntary reserve usage. I also assume there is nowhere near the churn on the A side as the B side on the 717. NYC As go there voluntarily, the Bs are often stuck without choice and leave ASAP which leaves NYC a perpetual welfare-state requiring help from everybody else to get the job done. This is my 2nd month of ATL res and I have not had a single day on reserve where I wasn't used yet. Last month they used me every day until I was full. This month I was used 1-2 Dec, PB today, and SC tomorrow. Almost no reserves left for tomorrow and I'm the only SC all day so I don't see how I won't fly.