Reserve for Dummies
02-18-2026 | 06:53 AM
#4741
Moderator
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 7,490
Likes: 482
Reserve is a tail of multiple airlines based on seat/staffing/seniority. I have a NB A friend who bid reserve all but one month last year and he blocked about 90 hours, most of which was premium pay. There were multiple in my category who blocked less than 100 hours last year. I bid reserve for a few months last year and rarely got used, all while another friend got beat up on another category.
My biggest issue with reserve today is the lack of pay protections (mainly around GS) and the pre-assigned rest causing out of seniority awards. They'd change it some times, but sometimes they would not, which isn't right. Until that is fixed, I don't see myself bidding reserve much.
My biggest issue with reserve today is the lack of pay protections (mainly around GS) and the pre-assigned rest causing out of seniority awards. They'd change it some times, but sometimes they would not, which isn't right. Until that is fixed, I don't see myself bidding reserve much.
02-18-2026 | 06:56 AM
#4742
Roll’n Thunder
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 5,150
Likes: 562
From: Pilot
Reserve is a tail of multiple airlines based on seat/staffing/seniority. I have a NB A friend who bid reserve all but one month last year and he blocked about 90 hours, most of which was premium pay. There were multiple in my category who blocked less than 100 hours last year. I bid reserve for a few months last year and rarely got used, all while another friend got beat up on another category.
My biggest issue with reserve today is the lack of pay protections (mainly around GS) and the pre-assigned rest causing out of seniority awards. They'd change it some times, but sometimes they would not, which isn't right. Until that is fixed, I don't see myself bidding reserve much.
My biggest issue with reserve today is the lack of pay protections (mainly around GS) and the pre-assigned rest causing out of seniority awards. They'd change it some times, but sometimes they would not, which isn't right. Until that is fixed, I don't see myself bidding reserve much.
02-18-2026 | 06:58 AM
#4743
Line Holder
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 1,310
Likes: 375
Also probably category dependend, but SS have been going out left and right as well. So lots of premium opportunities for REG pilots leaving more RES pilots stuck only flying on LC days. This is exacerbated by IA being unavailable on golden X days, and lots of trips that RES could hold as a GS on days off go to IA with no chance of getting them. Then no PB days meaing they keep flying for "free" on all their LC blocks.
02-18-2026 | 07:08 AM
#4744
Racketeer
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 13,339
Likes: 829
From: N60.4858 W149.9327
I honestly don’t know. I feel like there’s a distinction between getting removed because of a prior assignment that overlaps vs removing a SC in order to give you a different assignment (rotation or rest). I mean that PWA section doesn’t prohibit the company from removing a SC that you aren’t legal for due to 30/168. In that case they literally have to remove you or else it would be a FAR violation for you to sit SC.
02-18-2026 | 07:10 AM
#4745
On Reserve
Joined: Jul 2024
Posts: 72
Likes: 46
Also probably category dependend, but SS have been going out left and right as well. So lots of premium opportunities for REG pilots leaving more RES pilots stuck only flying on LC days. This is exacerbated by IA being unavailable on golden X days, and lots of trips that RES could hold as a GS on days off go to IA with no chance of getting them. Then no PB days meaing they keep flying for "free" on all their LC blocks.
IA is the new Short Call. Reserve is the new junior line holder.
Last edited by TOCTOD; 02-18-2026 at 07:46 AM.
02-18-2026 | 07:11 AM
#4746
Roll’n Thunder
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 5,150
Likes: 562
From: Pilot
02-18-2026 | 07:13 AM
#4747
seeing the country...
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 4,015
Likes: 41
From: 73N A
02-18-2026 | 07:24 AM
#4748
Racketeer
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 13,339
Likes: 829
From: N60.4858 W149.9327
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