Originally Posted by
tallpilot
Because fewer reserves means more lineholders with all the attendant flexibility and QoL that comes with it. Also because neither Delta nor United run 35+% reserve levels. Those numbers are utterly astonishing.
A small number of senior pilots might desire more reserves to increase their chances of not getting called but fewer reserves would benefit the majority of the pilot group. Seniority is great and all but making things massively worse for the majority to benefit a tiny sliver of the population is absurd.
Reducing the number of reserve pilots has no effect on the number of lineholding pilots. You can't just manufacture more lines because there "should" be less reserves. The number of lineholders is a function of total block hours, average line value, and the margin of error of the optimizer (rig pay). They increased the number of lineholders by placing limitations on the line construction window, which just spreads out the flying a little more but doesn't provide any increase in economic value to the pilots.
Advocating for less reserve pilots, given no resulting increase in flying or adjustments to the LCW, just means less pilots. Advocating for less reserve pilots hurts us as a pilot group and the prospects of future AA pilots.