Over at United
 

So their most recent bid closed and they had NB CA slots go unfilled in EWR, SFO and LAX! So every single pilot on their seniority list can now hold captain. Their contract prevents new hires from being captains so not sure what will happen next.

Their FOs probably have their December schedules by now too.

;)

But to get back on topic, it was 46 unfilled NB capt positions and 148 WB FOs.

I believe I read that you have to have 500 hours at UA and be off probation to be awarded CA there. And unlike here you actually have to be qualified on the date of the award to get it.

bottom 1,000 or so could not be awarded CA.

im guessing we would not have unfilled CA slots here because of those differences, but I’m not sure.

Not to mention, their reserve rules, which suck

I believe it is specifically their reserve rules on global fleets (757/767, 777, 787) that are bad.

Although airport standby does not sound like fun, and that’s all fleets (did it at the regionals and hated it, although I think UA has significant better rules about how it’s done)

There is a reason so many FOs bypass. Being really Jr is very bad QOL under the wrong work rule provisions. Mix in a high cost base with mostly commuters, bids go crazy junior. The same deterrents we have with NYC, United has + SFO and LAX.

Many of the most junior CA here bid knowing LC reserve they can sit at home as a commuter, with just a few shortcalls a month, no airport reserve, YS, no getting used before 10AM first day, etc etc. If we had UA reserve I'd only bid CA when I could hold a line. Shoot, I probably would be flying at another airline if we had that kind reserve. (Live 4 hours from base, 1.5 from OAL domicile.)

Gotta wonder what’s going on over in their crew programming office. Apparently this was a small cleanup bid to staff their WBs for next summer. There is a NB one coming down to staff for NB deliveries. If they don’t blink, ALPA has some serious section 6 leverage over there right now.

other than FSB (which I believe pays 1 he on top of guarantee), what about their system is so bad?

i think most people complain about the ability to get days off rolled on the WB, the short call lottery-there are no real restrictions on how many short calls can be given. Personally, (live in domicile on a WB) it doesn’t bother me. After two unused short calls or FSB, you one hour of pay for every unused SC or FSB (somewhat of a simplification, but that’s the basic idea.)

my personal ideas on how to make it better: require short calls or FSB be built by 10am for the next day, so a commuter can see them and make plans. Have 1 or 2 more days off per month on the WB to account for the fact that you can days off rolled. Limit the amount of times per year or every 12 months.

commuting to reserve is always difficult, which is probably why you see unfilled CA vacancies.

thanks for the insight. I knew the WB days off issue, but just did know why NB reserve rules would be considered unusually bad.

no limit to SC would suck for a commuter, but an hour above guarantee for all but the first two would make it slightly better.