The idea behind setting a certain window to call out sick is simply to avoid screwing people over. If I know I'm sick the day before a trip, I'll call out sick before DOTC processing. If I get sick after DOTC, I wait to call within 12 hours. It's really that simple. That allows anyone a chance to get to work.

yes this is the gentleman way of doing it and was an unwritten rule with the pre-merger airline I was at in the East, and was basically told to me every other trip my first year and discussed in the crash pad ad nausea for the dense ones who didn’t get it…if it’s less than 15hrs before your report and you know you are calling in sick, just wait for it to be 11hrs. If it’s greater than 15, do what you want, call in sick, wait, whatever….I think the main point is don’t screw your fellow pilot in that 14-12 hour range…

Exactly. I'm a post-merger Eastie and it was definitely beat into us, and I was surprised when I moved into an LAA base and didn't see a similar culture there.

Just out of curiosity, what is the unofficial expectation of call back time for a long call reserve? I know the contract says something non concrete, so what’s the general consensus? Say you haven’t been called yet, but you’re on a flight to head into base and you get called then. Are you still going to get a MA?

For the former, maybe twenty minutes or so. For the latter…When I commute in on status (LCR) I just call CS and tell them I’m flying into base and won’t be answering the phone. They are fine with it and might ask what flight you are on.

Yes, play the odds. SC might actually want to get out of the pad and get some per diem. LC does not, ever.

LC is also much, much more likely to need to commute by air, and possibly have that go wrong. SC should not have that kind of commute.

they maybe true for a base like NYC or a base filled with new hires like LAX, but I can tell you most SC in CLT live in base and are just trying to stay at home like anyone else...I bid SC sometimes living in base bc it pays more AND I don't want to fly...no reserve wants to end the month with 70+ hours of rsv flying, not ever, SC or LC...the commute thing is probably true, but why should that be a factor when it's a personal choice? I am not trying to dog people who commute, everyone has their reasons, it just shouldn't be a living in base SC rsv pilots responsibility to "pick up the slack" so to speak...

I got burned twice in a year @ LUS on LC. There were some db out there, too.
I got the impression of a more cut-throat (seniority IS everything, jumpseat!) culture @ LAA.

Actually that’s exactly how it works… 99% of the time I call in sick the day before my trips starts. No one will fault you for calling in sick a few days prior if you’re really sick. Not talking about a sickcation. Common sense goes a long way.

No idea what the West or the East did, I was a LAA hire.