Originally Posted by
Baradium
I debated responding to this, but it needs to be said. Your understanding of other airlines reserve rules is severely lacking. The number of days off (which you are a little bit off on for us anyway) doesn't even tell half of the story.
The difference is significant enough that when AS guys ask about DL reserve rules I honestly feel bad responding. I change how I bid if I'm on reserve, but my overall QOL isn't all that different from when I hold a line and in some ways is better... and that's as a commuter. In fact, many times on many fleets the plug can be forced to a line because so many senior pilots bid reserve at various points. This isn't just the international aircraft either, it also happens on the narrowbody fleets.
Reserve rules are really important to QOL, and when they are better it adds options for more senior pilots too. You are doing a disservice to your fellow pilots by trying to say "it's this bad everywhere" and implying improvements shouldn't be sought after.
You should not have to accept any worse work rules or pay than anyone else. I actually feel that, at least on the 737 fleet (I don't run into AS Airbus pilots as often), AS pilots are probably the hardest working (737) pilots in the industry and should be compensated accordingly. You definitely shouldn't try to justify the horrible work rules by attempting to say that they are comparable to other majors. I can't speak to the AA or UA work rules, but I know my reserve experience is night and day different from my compatriots at AS.
I said commuting to reserve sucks. As in, commuting to then sit around xx amout of days away from your family hoping for a phone call and maybe flying. Maybe some people like it, I absolutely hated spending 5 days in a crashpad without flying. Although if you are constant LCR who can only be converted a couple times per month, then maybe more of reserve can be spent at home. To each their own.
AS reserve sucks. It's barely tolerable living 30 minutes from the airport. I can't imagine how guys do it commuting to reserve here. The AS contract was clearly constructed for a pilot group that predominantly lives in base. Anyone coming in should do their due diligence/homework. What you wrote sounds like a really awesome reserve style/setup. But if anything thinks we at AS are gonna go from AS reserve rules to all of that stuff you just wrote for our contract 2020, they're in for a sore disappointment.