The reasoning for the “long notice” short call assignment has been explained. But basically once you’ve been assigned SC you go un-contactable for a period before SC starts. Look into the SRH for more info on all of this.

I’m going to pile on to everyone else and admonish you for showing “on-time” for the assignment. I don’t care if you’re in the airport at the gate across from the departure gate. Crew Scheds doesn’t know where you are. They’re banking on you “helping them out”. I’ve had short notice assignments sit on my schedule for hours in my short call period before they decided to call me about it. Even though the report time would have been “legal” if they would have just called me once they put it on my schedule. I got a few more hours at home that went towards my max duty day and limited how much flying I could legally do that day. Sometimes you may even tell them that it’s going to take you 3 hours to get to the airport and they may make a business decision to reroute somebody instead.

I get it being easy for you to be there based on your own schedules but again, you undermining the contract. I’ve had the same thing happen where I saw a trip that reported at 6pm and I really didn’t feel like sitting on 285 for my entire afternoon. I drove to the airport and read a book it truck until they called. Then I told them it would take AT LEAST 2 1/2 hours to get there with it being rush hour and all. Hung up and continued to read my book and nap for another couple hours until the contractually allowed report time.

This is their decision. If it didn’t work for them they have other tools to use to make the flight go.

 

I was once literally sitting 2 terminals away when scheduling called minutes from departue asking where I was when they had never called me to notify me. I told them at least 2 hours. They pulled the entire 3 day rotation. Rerouted someone to cover the first turn, and the 3rd leg that day then reported past my SC window so another SC pilot was given the rest of the rotation. I went home and wasn't used the rest of the 3 days...

 

If the company can ‘reinterpret’ long-standing norms to their benefit, claiming “the contract allows it”, we should do the exact same thing. Only following their lead. Love it.

 

just for everyone’s knowledge, FA’s sitting short call have 2 hours and then it’s 3 hours in NYC LAX. So at a minimum, I would do exactly this. 2 hours min, no matter where you are.. from when they actually call. If they wanted someone to be there in 30 minutes they can pay someone to go sit VAS (hot reserve)..

 

Lol right, like how they're not awarding more than 6 SC, just making it up. I wondering if I can't just tell them I need more than 18 hr callout on reserve. I think 24 hours sounds better for me 🤣.

 

I did that on a less than 2 hour call out once. Then the flight delayed for mx an hour. *Shakes fist in frustration*

 

You do you. I guess you’re technically correct and it was just a little white lie. So you stuck it to the man but then 2 other pilots get the shaft. Not to mention the other pilot, flight attendants, gate agents, ground guys and several hundred passengers waiting around for your replacement.

I probably would have handled it differently but maybe I’m in the minority.

 

the other 2 pilots could have received EDP, reroute pay, timed out and received the trip paid for and gone home. You would have potentially shafted the crew and given up the contract that pilots fought for. The company can pay people to sit VAS and they don’t. They have the capabilities to cover trips without people being Superman.

 

You're not. I never understood the 'stick it to the company', or more realistically the passengers, (who pay our wages) mentality.

Dragging your feet to try to make a point because 'Ed hates pilots' or 'I'm a good union member' is stupid and does nothing except bring the operation down.

I get there when I get there. Sometimes it's 20 minutes if I'm already at the airport. Sometimes it's 3 hours if I'm a long way away or traffic. But deliberately taking longer than safe or prudent is childish.

 

He was two terminals away. I would think even if you were in the middle of a workout, then showered, and stopped for a quick bite to eat you could do that in 45 mins.

Im not sure what all the angst is about short call reporting. The scheduling handbook is pretty clear. Give them your best reasonable estimate, don’t rush, and get there when you safely can. How hard is that?

If you live 10 mins from the airport but refuse to show until 2 hrs after your called I guess that’s your perogotive but that’s not how I approach it. Again maybe I’m the minority here but I’m not embarrassed to say I’ll try and get there as quick as I safely can.