I’m reserve, not SEA though. I got a reserve line with last 5 days of December off and moved 4 more rsv days (Dec 23-26) elsewhere and got the last 9 days December off in a row. Pay for it with single days off earlier in the month but living in-base, I can do it. It wouldn’t work for a commuter. I have traded weekend trips for weekday trips before (if the coverage is really green/good). For Nov I had a OF line and could have outright dropped one of two trips (a 3 day or a 2 day).


That said, to your point SEA rsv is different because you can literally be used for anything (including seat support sims and late night flights). Rsv in other bases where the last flight leaves by 9-10pm, things are a bit more civil. No out of base reserve sitting (have to be careful, they may try it) and no airport standby (yuck).

A key to having any flexibility is to be quick at 9pm when schedule is officially released. By 910, you’re probably too late. When my base/seat/equip opened up 9pm Monday, literally every single day in December was green, allowing reserves to move days around to pretty much anywhere. For lineholders it’s a bit worse because of blackout days.


The other reality is every single 11 or 12 day off line still gets taken. Personally, I’d rather take my chances with an OF line or just be reserve and get 12 off. I remember a couple years ago when the Bus switched to line bidding, there was one month where SF Captains had several lines that went un-bid. No one wanted ‘em. That sends a message. I have yet to see that happen again? The bottom lines in SEA look horrendous, but they do get bid and taken.

Sec 25 needs a lot of work. The good news is the right people are negotiating for us, and I trust in their efforts and priorities/goals.