Originally Posted by
KP3G
Somewhat related question from a Delta applicant, can you not just drop trips to have the days off you want if you don’t have the vacation? And then if you need the money pick up extra trips during another time?
Yes, if there is enough reserve coverage you can drop all trips if you want. The key is "enough reserve coverage". Somewhat hard on a narrow body these days, but with all the hiring, hopefully that will be get better.
You can also give your trips away to other pilots (that doesn't need enough reserve coverage) or use an "authorized personal drop (APD)" which you get one a year. You can use the APD to drop a trip, or up to I think 4 reserve days. Also, there is a way to move vacation from somewhere else in the coming year, to drop a trip in the present month. It pays like vacation (which isn't a lot, 3:30-3:45 per vacations day vs 5:15 or so for a day of flying).