If you’re too junior to never fly with Pass All, you can try to bid for later RAPs (preferably 1000+). You’re more likely gonna be the only QLA person in your bucket for late trips, but importantly also the next bucket down. Keep Pass All on and set up APA notifications for trips that end >2200 on your second-to-last day or have a trailing deadhead on your last day. If something pops up, turn PA off and try to snipe that trip.

If your DB ends after 2200 on your second-to-last day, more than likely CS will leave you as LC following rest, which ends after the 1000 auto-release.

It’s not a foolproof technique, but of all the techniques out there, it is definitely one of them. If you’re gonna get used on reserve, might as well try to save a day on the backside.

Wouldn't 7 days be advantageous to force a 30/168 issue?

Problem is you have to end late on day six in order to get additional time off. If you duty off prior to 6pm you get those six hours plus the 24 off and you're good to go back on LC.

Sure would. The airline must have figured that out though since they limited the bidding to 6.

I'm 2 for 3 in three years. All mid-sequence and all reviewed by APA. The one non-operational was a surprise as I thought it was my strongest. 1500 RAP on a Friday. Called in for a late report 3 day that night. Roughly a 30 hour layover. 0300 wake up on Sunday. Couldn't reverse my sleep pattern to support a 1500 RAP on Friday to a 0300 wake up on Sunday. I'd done it successfully in the past but couldn't swing it this one time. Noted in my report this wouldn't have been legal during a combat deployment without a General Officer waiver. Good to go in the 121 world I guess. My two operational/paid calls involved hotel issues.

Will second this; my last one came after two consecutive min-rest overnights that went into a circadian swap leading to an 11 hour, 3 leg day. Late report for a turn that delayed 3 hours, got home at 2am, followed by min-rest to a deadhead, which also delayed, into another min-rest with a 6am sign-in.

Last day was supposed to be 3 legs, with a nice victory lap, got home and fatigued out. Cited the 2 consecutive min-rest overnights and circadian swap and it was deemed operational. Reading these, I'm curious if its more on who reviews it than what you write.

“If your DB ends after 2200 on your second-to-last day, more than likely CS will leave you as LC following rest, which ends after the 1000 auto-release.

It’s not a foolproof technique”

It is though actually. Your last day of SC the latest you can be assigned a RAP is 1000, so you have to be converted to LC and you’re already auto released since you don’t start LC prior to 1000.

Assuming you don’t get a turn in DOTC for your last day.

Are there any commuter protections at AA? For example if reserve starts at 1000, and you attempt to commute in the same morning but don’t get a seat are you protected?

We have a commuter policy, but it doesn’t pay protect you.