The return of airport reserve?
#21
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2016
Position: 6th place
Posts: 1,826
This.
Couple weeks ago an RA came across the ACARS on leg 1/day1 of a 3 day.
I informed them I was not accepting the RA.
So I landed and spent a 46hr layover downtown... and flew one leg back to base on day 3. Paid full value of the trip.
Bottom line, if you’re not rested for the RA don’t accept it.
Too many forward learners out there...
Couple weeks ago an RA came across the ACARS on leg 1/day1 of a 3 day.
I informed them I was not accepting the RA.
So I landed and spent a 46hr layover downtown... and flew one leg back to base on day 3. Paid full value of the trip.
Bottom line, if you’re not rested for the RA don’t accept it.
Too many forward learners out there...
I thought you were supposed to be rested for a full FDP when you show up?
#23
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2016
Position: 6th place
Posts: 1,826
I’ve read on BTL that when guys refused RAs/ROs in certain circumstances that’s what they were told by chiefs.
And honestly, why wouldn’t you show up rested for a full FDP? You could have mechanicals, diversions, weather, etc that turn your 3 hour duty day into something much longer.
#24
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,049
I’ve read on BTL that when guys refused RAs/ROs in certain circumstances that’s what they were told by chiefs.
And honestly, why wouldn’t you show up rested for a full FDP? You could have mechanicals, diversions, weather, etc that turn your 3 hour duty day into something much longer.
And honestly, why wouldn’t you show up rested for a full FDP? You could have mechanicals, diversions, weather, etc that turn your 3 hour duty day into something much longer.
Maybe you were up with a sick kid, maybe your side business work got backed up, maybe you were just living your life and stayed up a little late. In some cases you are fine to work what you are SCHEDULED to fly but not much more.
What would the call sound like when you are banging in to CS? "I know I'm only scheduled for a quick DFW-PHX then RON but I'm gonna have to preemptively fatigue JUST INCASE I get a RA to continue to LAX and then SEA."
If I'm good to do 3 legs with 7+ hours flying when I was only planning 1 with 2.5, fine, I'll do it. To have a policy where you are required to always, every single time, be ready for a possible 14 hour day is not reasonable. Why even have a schedule at all?
#25
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Feb 2011
Posts: 420
So, for a 4-day trip, you’re supposed to show up rested for 4 straight 14 hour duty periods? Yeah, okay. Even with perfect rest, I need about 1 for 1 rest to duty hours to be rested. Just because the company throws in a sentence in the FOM that says we’re supposed to be rested for any legal assignment, the body says it’s not possible.
#27
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Mar 2014
Posts: 3,104
Ultimately the answer should be more OG and premium, that will solve most issues. When you look at other industries, that is how they solve short term staffing issues.
I've even worked with guys who, when we had a long sit, they'd call up and volunteer for a RA.
Constantly turning down RA's...I'll be honest I wasn't even aware we could unless we went fatigued. Aren't RA's allowed per the contract?
At my previous regional it sometimes went senior to guys in base. They'd be on call 4-noon and would have 16 hours totally free/off every day. Some lived so close to the airport they sat at home.
Even in DFW there are guys less than 10 mins from the terminal doors.
I'm not sure how the union expects the company to operate though. They are ****ed about RAs but don't want a set callout time for short call...they need to be honest with themselves and realize one is directly related to another. Not only that, but they also insist on the company making dozens of calls and leaving messages to hit someone that would accept the trip.
It's quite possible that in most instances setting a fixed time or having a few airport reserves would fix 99.9999% of the cascading RAs. Or going to first come first serve (gasssssp! Seniority!) for short callout trips.
And through all of this, you know the airlines are salivating about uncrewed aircraft.
I've even worked with guys who, when we had a long sit, they'd call up and volunteer for a RA.
Constantly turning down RA's...I'll be honest I wasn't even aware we could unless we went fatigued. Aren't RA's allowed per the contract?
At my previous regional it sometimes went senior to guys in base. They'd be on call 4-noon and would have 16 hours totally free/off every day. Some lived so close to the airport they sat at home.
Even in DFW there are guys less than 10 mins from the terminal doors.
I'm not sure how the union expects the company to operate though. They are ****ed about RAs but don't want a set callout time for short call...they need to be honest with themselves and realize one is directly related to another. Not only that, but they also insist on the company making dozens of calls and leaving messages to hit someone that would accept the trip.
It's quite possible that in most instances setting a fixed time or having a few airport reserves would fix 99.9999% of the cascading RAs. Or going to first come first serve (gasssssp! Seniority!) for short callout trips.
And through all of this, you know the airlines are salivating about uncrewed aircraft.
Last edited by Name User; 08-10-2019 at 10:24 AM.
#28
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2016
Position: 6th place
Posts: 1,826
Ultimately the answer should be more OG and premium, that will solve most issues. When you look at other industries, that is how they solve short term staffing issues.
I've even worked with guys who, when we had a long sit, they'd call up and volunteer for a RA.
Constantly turning down RA's...I'll be honest I wasn't even aware we could unless we went fatigued. Aren't RA's allowed per the contract?
At my previous regional it sometimes went senior to guys in base. They'd be on call 4-noon and would have 16 hours totally free/off every day. Some lived so close to the airport they sat at home.
Even in DFW there are guys less than 10 mins from the terminal doors.
I'm not sure how the union expects the company to operate though. They are ****ed about RAs but don't want a set callout time for short call...they need to be honest with themselves and realize one is directly related to another. Not only that, but they also insist on the company making dozens of calls and leaving messages to hit someone that would accept the trip.
It's quite possible that in most instances setting a fixed time or having a few airport reserves would fix 99.9999% of the cascading RAs. Or going to first come first serve (gasssssp! Seniority!) for short callout trips.
And through all of this, you know the airlines are salivating about uncrewed aircraft.
I've even worked with guys who, when we had a long sit, they'd call up and volunteer for a RA.
Constantly turning down RA's...I'll be honest I wasn't even aware we could unless we went fatigued. Aren't RA's allowed per the contract?
At my previous regional it sometimes went senior to guys in base. They'd be on call 4-noon and would have 16 hours totally free/off every day. Some lived so close to the airport they sat at home.
Even in DFW there are guys less than 10 mins from the terminal doors.
I'm not sure how the union expects the company to operate though. They are ****ed about RAs but don't want a set callout time for short call...they need to be honest with themselves and realize one is directly related to another. Not only that, but they also insist on the company making dozens of calls and leaving messages to hit someone that would accept the trip.
It's quite possible that in most instances setting a fixed time or having a few airport reserves would fix 99.9999% of the cascading RAs. Or going to first come first serve (gasssssp! Seniority!) for short callout trips.
And through all of this, you know the airlines are salivating about uncrewed aircraft.
Agreed. We can’t forget that ultimately we are running a business. A very lucrative one for pilots at that. That’s not saying don’t fly the contract but when i watch guys act like children when they get legally notified of a legal RA/RO it’s embarrassing.
And yea, all the scheduling games are just another reason the airlines would love to get rid of pilots.
#29
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2018
Posts: 184
Agreed. We can’t forget that ultimately we are running a business. A very lucrative one for pilots at that. That’s not saying don’t fly the contract but when i watch guys act like children when they get legally notified of a legal RA/RO it’s embarrassing.
And yea, all the scheduling games are just another reason the airlines would love to get rid of pilots.
And yea, all the scheduling games are just another reason the airlines would love to get rid of pilots.
#30
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