Under the old rules, LCR was horrible. With the new rules, whenever they go in to effect, I might try it again and see.

Boom, roasted.

You could not have been more spot on about the differences between commuters (~80% of Airbus) and non-commuters (huge portion of Boeing). Good reserve rules, productive and commutable pairings, and straight cancellation pay instead of the nonsense we currently have would benefit EVERYONE. For all the people like this guy who are apparently content with the garbage rules we have now: Just because life is TOLERABLE with our current rules or sucks LESS because you live in base, doesn't mean you shouldn't be thinking about industry standard improvements that would benefit us ALL.

Well it’s actually more like 6 days in a row of reserve. It’s legal and I’ve gotten it on the regular every month since I started at least once but usually twice a month.


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The problem for reserve contract improvement language is the fact that the guys on reserve are:

1. Junior in both seats.
2. A minority of the pilot group.

As such the NC and MEC are more inclined to spend their "negotiating capital" on pay and work rules (scheduling, etc.) that benefit the majority of the pilot group. If your LEC reps can convince them to make reserve rules changes a priority then go for it.

However, since the advent of block representation, the small base F/Os pretty much lost their voice and vote at the MEC level.

I would argue that every FO that delays Captain upgrade because of our horrible reserve language is taking a pay cut. I'd also argue that the only people who are guaranteed to not be on reserve again if the airline runs into trouble are the top 50 percent captains. A much larger majority of us have an interest in better reserve language than say the guys who didn't get the 401k bump this last time around.

Then this is a failure of our union leadership. All of us should find it tolerable to live under every section of the contract. Besides, ignoring reserve language is incredibly shortsighted for senior F.O.’s as they will be living under those rules as Jr. CA’s. So if every F.O. and the Jr. CA’s hold the line on demanding better reserve language, that would be close to 2/3’s of the list. The union can’t brush that aside.

Then the question for the two of you is this:

As a line holding Captain or F/O are you willing to give up a pay increase, improved schedules or retirement improvements for better reserve language?

Its a question each individual has to answer for himself. When the Union sends a prenegotiation questionnaire, be sure and put better reserve rules as your priority.

I don’t think we need to give up pay raises for anything but believe pay should be negotiated AFTER, Scope, Section 25, insurance and retirement. Our pay rate is in line with SW but they make more through the work rules and productivity. There is no reason we can’t continue to stay in line with SW and bring our rules up to match other airlines. Hourly rate is one pixel in the whole picture.

After Spirit signed their TA we are significantly lagging everyone but frontier and allegiant in almost every QOL/ Pay aspect of our contract; there should be much less giving than taking in the next negotiations.

There is no give up for this or that for that. This isn’t 2000 era thank god. Stop trying to set low expectations at a place you don’t work!

I understand the Union sets it’s priorities based upon the pilot groups opinion based off polls etc.

A lot needs to be addressed obviously if AK wants to stay even fifth best at this rate.