Originally Posted by
PotatoChip
I would be driving to LGA from about 1:45-2:00 away. I can put up with reserve for the left seat time, but if I have to do that drive daily for airport reserve I will go broke ($44 round trip in tolls alone!).
Are the airport rsvs being utilized and sent on overnights? That's the only way I could make this work. If it's sitting at the airport all day for the next 18 months... well, looking at other options.
It's unpredictable BUT there is techniques to get more overnights than less.
First off, proffer for anything in open time the day prior. (Being extremely junior you probably won't get any of it 80% of the time but "occasionally" you will just because everyone senior is already used up or unavailable for the number of days of the desired trip.
Second, you could proffer for a certain standby time and you have a decent shot at getting that, rather than just being assigned the least desirable one that day. Afternoon PM standby shifts tend to get overnights significantly more than the 6am standby shifts. Certain locals will intentionally line bid 6am standby for the month because it is more likely they just get a day turn and come back home at night. Obviously that is a gamble and you could be extended into an overnight or even the next 5 days but I know people that have done this with some success for years.
Once you are out on a trip or a turn, constantly look at open time and call up scheduling and ask to get things added to you if you want it. They typically will. You can also put yourself on the reserve turn back list. Just take yourself off before your last day. You can pick ask to pick up an OT 4 day trip that runs into your reserve days. They say it isn't allowed but it is magically allowed on occasion when it benefits them.
There is all kinds of tips and questionable reserve schemes, loopholes and contractual grey areas people use to either fly more or try to not fly at all.. Not going to get into that online but you will learn them after a while...