I thought being first fly insulated you from airport standbys. I was assigned one today. Skeds said that no longer worked and they go strictly by leveling order. When did that change? Did it change?

***,

 

Happened to me about six months ago, I thought the same thing. Fly first, avoid the airport standby, not so true now.

 

It has been a long time since I was able to hold reserve, but according to our contract, a trip by definition, does not include Base Airport Standby. You may be assigned a trip from a Base Airport Standby, but the Base Airport Standby in itself is not defined as a trip.


Section 2 Definitions
......
85. TRIP
A series of flights normally commencing 1 hour prior to scheduled or rescheduled departure time from a pilot’s base and normally terminating 30 minutes after actual block-in at his base, except as provided in Section 12.A.6. (Operational Trip Return to Base) and 12.B.3. (Standby).

Reference to 12.B.3. discusses trip assignments from as Standby period.

 

I think CRS just make it up as they go. Used to be that you could get a STBY on your last Rday but now you need 2 days and #2 day can't be a anticipated 1-in-7.

A couple months ago or so, I was 1 or 2 leveled under the first flys and was telling buddy, how I was gonna get an easy Sat morning STBY(because that was all in open time); well, they gave the STBYs to the first flys and I end up with that crappy YMX (short layover)-EWR (hub turn)- MEM trip!

 

I just got assigned hotel standby from r24. I have been looking at the contract for some guidance. Look at 25.M.3,4 and 5 for reserve first fly and 4.H.1.a for leveling. I didn't see anything that prevents scheds from putting a "first fly" on airport standby. If you are r24, the company must first put you in hotel standby, then airport standby if needed. A side letter that is the result of a grievance states that the company can send an r24 reserve directly to airport standby only if there is an operational emergency. If you are regular r-a or r-b, I don't see anything preventing first fly from being given airport standby.

 

FDXshark, You bring up a good point. 25.M4 states: "A reserve pilot shall have the ability to be assigned trips on a "first fly" basis..." Standby is duty, but not a defined trip. I think R1200 should contact the MEC and see about a grievance.

 

I agree, but start first with the contract enforcement folks. (I know that could be painful) But doing nothing is not an option.

Maybe there is more areas of the contract that address this situation. If so, let's hear them.

 

I have been doing reserve off and on for over eight years. CRS schedules trips first and then standbys. If you are first fly you will get a trip based on your first fly number however standbys have always been based on leveling. Based on your logic if we all did first fly how could they ever assign them to anyone on reserve? They have always been based on leveling.

 

Good Point!

You can't avoid standbys by being on first fly. If there are no trips to assign, you would still be eligible for a standby base on your comparative leveling to others on reserve.

 

Notsofast,

In the past, First Fly guys were assigned trips, not standbys. It there weren't enough trips for first fly guys and there were still some standbys left over, the standbys would be assigned to the person with the lowest leveling. They have just recently been assigning standbys to first fly guys. I will never bid first fly as a result.

This change of policy doesn't really help the company (they don't care about leveling order other than to abide by the contract, all they want is a warm body in a seat). It just makes first fly less desireable for some of us.

In your case, obviously if everyone was on first fly, they would have to dole out the standby in leveling order. I still think they would pick the first person with 2 days of availability. I am not sure that doing this is legal by the CBA. Trips less than 48 hours TAFB should be assigned in leveling order. Are they treating standbys as trips????

Anyway, r1200, I would contact contract enforcement. Historically, I haven't seen standbys going to First Fly guys unless they would get assigned one anyway due to leveling order. I don't think this would be hard to get fixed, since it doesn't seem to really benefit the company.