As long as we have a generous allotment like we do (capping out at 270 hours) that's a non-starter for the company, and any reduction in sick hours is a non-starter for most pilots (myself included).

There are two types of sick leave systems out there. Delta's which gives us a generous annual allotment, but of course doesn't carry over, followed by a new allotment every June 1, and everyone else's, which gives you a much smaller allotment each year, but also allows a carryover.

I think in the grand scheme of things, the total costs to the companies is a wash. Depending on the individual pilot, and countless factors over the course of a hopefully long career, one system will be better than the other--and the opposite will hold true for others.

But we don't get our system, AND get some sort of carryover as well. The best we can do (and that is only since two contract cycles ago) is the Enhanced Disability Bank. That is a very, VERY slow method of accruing extra sick leave hours (sort of) as a secondary "reward" for having low sick leave usage years. The problem with it is that if you retire with a positive balance there, all you get is a pat on the back. I would like to see some way of converting those hours to pay, extra vacation days, or at least a payout at retirement! Our reps are aware.