Der Meister

Just another perfectly gummed up summer to me. Prepare for the GS/Jr man calls/ retouts as a line bidder. From april on I dont expect to actually fly what I bid for on my rotations. As it stands in the last 3 months I've been rerouted on 1/3 of my rotations, timed out (duty and block), or called in fatigued on 1/3 and flew what I bid and un fatigued 1/3. So all in all batting 33% for what I actually wanted to fly... How the FAA allows us to operate under our current 117 core values is beyond me. I was treated better at my regional/ULCC compared to how delta deals with 117. Until now I actually felt like the company would help me out with the complexity 117. At Delta they are more than willing to over fly you/over schedule you and then throw you under the bus when the FAA audits them. DAL is more than willing burn us in the name of profit...

Baradium

I have a crash pad and during the winter I can't really sit long call at home because of flight timing. Having a place to go for those short call days makes a big difference. Short call can only be up to 6 days a month for us, which is a lot different than other airlines. What I do that helps maximize time at home though is bid all my reserve days in a single block, then the company gives me 30 hours of rest periodically to reset me for 117 (giving me guaranteed 42 hours free of duty). It can easily result in an 18 day off reserve line. Even if I didn't do that, reserve with us is 13-15 days off, usually 14. When you consider that reserve is almost always commutable on both ends, it's not really all that much different from some lines if you approach reserve with the assumption you'll be gone every reserve day. For those who live in base though you aren't gone on those short call days and long call is less stressful and at home.

It sounds to me like your reserve experience was more about how you handled it than our reserve rules.

Baradium

My category at least doesn't seem to really be having that problem.

DWC CAP10 USAF

You must not be a NYC guy having to cover LGA trips, most of which are double non-commutable.

Herkflyr

The Super Bowl is Feb 2. I'm guessing that's when you got a coverage award. However I still think it is BS that coverage could go that high, regardless of the month.

crewdawg

I get our reserve is pretty good as I am a regular reserve bidder, but I haven't "regularly" seen a denial reason of "Max Reserves Reached." Doing a quick 3 month lookback of the 717/M88/320/73N FO, the only categories that saw this was CVG and SEA 73N and only in Feb. I'd expect to see it in the winter on WB categories but even in the 330 it's only happened at 2 bases and only in Jan/Feb...don't believe I saw it happen last winter. Lol, in SEA330B, you had to be 40% in seat to actually get a reserve line!

Anyway, it's a good PSA that even if you want reserve, it would be wise to have a backup line bid in.



People still watch that stuff? But seriously, coverage for reserve is a terrible part of our contract. Check out PWA 12.M.5...basically as long as each day is available for at least 1 X-day, then they've met the contractual limit. With that, the number 2 guy on reserve can get coverage.

RJ4LIFE

That sounds exactly like my reserve experience actually. I also had to commute in for LC because of limited flight options in the evening/early morning and I despised it because back then there was rarely anything in open time and plenty of coverage so I couldn't even YS. IMO our reserve rules are great if you live in base and fair to poor if you're a commuter. I'd like to see the 12 hr LC increase to 14 or more during evening and overnight hours and SC conversations only be allowed if coverage is below a certain threshold (and pay on top of guarantee).

Hossharris

nope.

8,23,29

Herkflyr

Dang. That's BS. I'm the last guy to break out the "status quo" topic, but that's a good example.

Funk

EWR also has evolved into the 7 am show with 2330 release. If you do the KrewRunner from Kew Gardens, that’s a 3:30 bus to arrive EWR at 5:30, OR get a hotel in Newark. It’s awesome.