StripAlert

Maybe they're just doing what they can to build the war chest for the inevitable. It's not easy at $50/hr. And I would argue that they're not really helping the company, for reasons already discussed. They're flying the same 80 hours they would be on straight reserve, timing out, and getting paid for 150. Nothing says, "Don't furlough" quite like "You're already paying double for this flying." At the same time, they're exhausting the reserves so all you "senior lineholders" can G/S for the second half of the month.

Furthermore, flying overtime while guys are on the street would non only be un-cool, it would delay the return of folks junior to everyone who will bump up the relative seniority of the entire group. And justifying it because those same guys are taking advantage of the shortage now--when they make less than half of your hourly rate--while everyone has an equal opportunity to G/S is just ignorant. If you want to do it, you're senior to them, so bid reserve and G/S away.

I had the unique privilege, at my previous company, of being in the F/E seat when the captain (Delta early retiree, and a great guy) began boasting about greenslipping after the 9/11 furloughs, to the tune of over half a million dollars in one year. Good for him, but his SA radar was in STBY. The F/O had been one of those furloughees. Funniness ensued. (Karma's a cruel mistress, though. The captain is still working the angles on post-60 ex-pat flying to pay for the big house, boat, car, airplane, and ex-wife collection, while the F/O is still flying the 747, but now for UPS.)