Connectivity isn't an issue in the 21st century. I could swim, surf, and ski on SC 20 years ago.

Had to get creative sometimes, could only get cell connectivity at the top of the mountain back then so had to check for VM's on the lift near the top, then bomb down each run to get back up within ten minutes. Could only do that on weekdays when lift lines were short.

Surfing was easy, fanny pack with phone in double ziplocs.

Even better if the contract lets you coordinate with CS to go dark for an hour. The AS CBA technically seems to allow that for commuters on a flight, but I've heard of people using it for other things.

 

so we have similar reserve rules with one oversight they are alllwed more than 6 conversions

everyone is on long call if converted first 6 if converted and not used 1 hour of pay only

after 6 its 2 hours of pay no matter what per conversion

 

There's something to be said for undefined SC callout. With a defined callout, a lot of people will tend to just shoot for being there at 2.5 hours, even if they could get in sooner. With undefined, you don't feel like you're "helping" the company by coming in "early', in those cases where it might matter (duty day limit, etc).

I don't know statistically how many reserve callouts occur inside 2.5 hours from departure... I'd think most sick calls occur well outside of that since if you make a habit of creating operational disruption with last-second sick calls, you might get scrutiny. I'd think the real short requirements are more things like duty limits caused by mx, wx, etc.

Also... hot reserve at a big hub has utility to the company, especially at peak times or during IROPS. Where it comes in real handy is outstation disruptions... you can DHD a replacement crew on an outbound flight without delaying it. I'd be OK with *limited* hot reserve if it came with a premium of some sort (more pay, day off credit, whatever)... can't speak for the company of course.

 

our 717 crews have airport reserve, but it’s bid for like normal line bidding. It’s not a reserve schedule as it’s a daily pairing that you bid for. One thing I absolutely hate at Hawaiian is mixed reserve lines. Basically whatever isn’t assigned during the bid process is assigned to a reserve pilot. Reserve pilots aren’t even allowed to drop the pairing. It’s stuck on their schedule and line holders don’t have the ability to pick it up. It only helps the company and hurts the pilot groups QOL.

 

I wrote that tongue in cheek because there were people on here that were complaining that not being called while on reserve isn’t a day off. Why? Because they couldn’t go backpacking or surfing. They could go 7 days of being on call and not get called once and not consider it being off.

 

This indeed was a huge mistake on our NEC's part. Can't believe that was allowed. Long call convertible (as it is now) was a mistake.

 

I’ll still take the current system over the old one, commuting to short call 14 hour RAP 12 days off no matter if it was 30 or 31 day month. On the first day having to go down the night before versus now you can’t be used till two on day one. A lot of improvements when I was on a short call on the old Contract it was miserable.

I think a lot of the people here on reserve were here prior to the old contract. Still need some improvement, but it’s still miles better than the old system.

 

I don't know if I decoded a double negatives properly or missed an earlier comment, so this isn't directly calling you out, but I want to emphasize that we, as a pilot group, need throw away this way of thinking, that any reserve day you are not called is a "free day off," into the trash bin of history.

Unless I am free of any and all company duties, it is a worked day. Period. Just because the schedule held, nothing broke, or the company decided not to utilize me to fix a likely self-inflicted problem, is irrelevant. We all sell ourselves short in thinking that just because we didn't have to put on the monkey suit, it "didn't count." Every other industry that has "on call" work, is usually paid at top dollar because it is severely disruptive to our personal lives, not to mention the harm that comes from sleep disruption, etc. Why is our industry different? Why do we tolerate this? This sounds like "Alaska discount" self-sabotage thinking and it needs to stop.

Reserves are how you properly staff a resilient and durable operation, (aka the cost of business) and this company has been able to skate by on being able to resort to PDX bailing out SEA or vice-versa to run razor thin reserve staffing in SEA. And before you all get wound up, I am well aware that there are no "free lunch" in life, and we aren't going to get 100% of everything we want, but if the company wants to play stupid games, then we need to ensure we at least get the stupid prize.

 

The new system is definitely a LOT better than before, but the LCC having no upper limit to conversions, just extra pay, was a mistake. If they want more short call, offer more short call lines.

 

I’d do anything to go back to the old system. 0230 was the junior line and it was fine if one was local. LCC was sold to the commuters and it’s been an absolute disaster for everyone with unlimited circadian flips. I’m sure our union had previously fought hard for 5 days off in a row for everyone on reserve for a lot of reasons. That just got thrown away without so much as a thought with this system. That was a horrible decision.