Originally Posted by Buck Rogers

"promptly unavailable"? WTF is that?

As per my question, if a pilot takes 2+ hours to transit 2 concourses to get to a SC assignment(because they can). You have hit the nail on the head to say "that" person is not rushing. You are absolutely correct. ( I knew there was/were Delta pilots with an artificial leg, but totally legless with no prothetitics defies imagination. Even pax assist could deliver such a pilot 2 concourses in less than 2 hours)

Let me give you a hypothetical. A pilot , on probation, misreads their schedule, and no shows a trip. The company, understading this is a possibility, has a SC pilot assigned to cover such an eventuality. The SC pilot, who is at the airport because they are a commuter, gets notified of the trip coverage and time ie "now". But , because the SC pilot(having the PWA to back them up) takes 2+ hours to get there because...."they can". During the ensuing 2 hours, the FA's time out...so FA scheduling calls out reserves. By the time the reserve FA's gets there, the other pilot(s) time out. End result, the flight cancels. Delta, is on the hook for "stuff"( hotels/meals/vouchers). The said original "no show pilot on probation" is in a heapum amount of trouble, exacerbated by the shizerstorm of bad press and costs. All because someone wanted to "Put it to the man and, "uphold the contract" because doing otherwise, would "disenfranchise" the pilot working group.

My definition of promptly available(which I think you meant) means ASAP.....not ....."taking as long as possible" because, "you can, per the PWA". That has been the main point of most posters.....Take all 2 hours even if you don't need to/want to.