Simple answer, because the contract.

When you really think about it, though, we don't have a min credit for the month, so everyone could drop down to zero and then GS to the moon. Every other carrier that I can think of has a minimum basic credit... we're the only one that can drop down to zero if we want. Neat idea always flying for double, but not gonna happen!

I get it "because the contract". The recent discussion was ways to change the GS for whatever reason (mil LOA) was one. I figured as long as we were discussing changes, we might as well discuss the possibility of changing the trigger or getting rid of it. I see your point of not wanting pilots dropping their whole schedule and looking for GS. But it seems ridiculous that you can fly your whole assigned schedule and not be at the GS trigger. And why should it not pay double because you are on Reserve, especially if flying on your X days. Just trying to further the discussion.


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I can understand resistance to allowing MLOA credit count towards the GS trigger. But let's scope it down to only crediting pre-posted MLOA, which is all I'm really advocating. I'm not talking about dropping a whole schedule and only flying premium. I'm saying that for a pilot who flies half a month at Delta (mil leave the other half), achieving 40 hours of flying in those two weeks seems like a reasonable threshold to become GS pay eligible. If someone takes 5 days of MLOA, they'd still have to fly 67 hours to hit the trigger.

As it stands now, that 5-days-of-mloa pilot has to fly 80 hours in 25 days instead of 30. Remember, that pilot has to be doing military stuff on those 5 days...they're not just days off. For those that don't know how it works, we get ALV/30 credit for each day of MLOA. So it doesn't tie directly to the GS trigger, although for these purposes, we could make it so (e.g., use 80/30 for GS credit proration instead of ALV/30). I have a hard time understanding how penalizing a military leave taker seems like the right thing to do...but if y'all are that afraid of military members stealing your greenies, I guess we're stuck.

BTW, the company would like us to prepost mil leave to the maximum extent possible (desired, not required- enhances efficiency), and this would be one way to incentivize the pre-post.

As someone who has flown < 10 GS in 20 years, I'm not worried about anyone "stealing" anything. The contract already allows for guys with mil leave (preposted or not) to get a GS--bid a reserve line. After all, if you already are gone half the month with military duty, then just half a month of a reserve line shouldn't be too much?

(Referencing another post) Also the reason that a GS only pays single pay if you are on reserve, is that it is single pay/no credit ABOVE the reserve guarantee...AND you get a payback day. A reserve GS functions closer to a GSWC than a "pure" regular line GS. A reserve GS usually results in a pilot working no more than he otherwise would have, because of the payback day feature. A regular GS requires a pilot to fly the GS...PLUS the entire rest of his normal monthly flying.

The company would love to pay a reserve double for a GS if you eliminate the payback days. No more rolling thunder and a nice manning reduction!

Yes I bet they would. We should be very careful what we wish for.

Also being able to drop down to zero or any minimum we so wish is huge. Many guys and gals in their last few years enjoy being able to drop down to just a small trip or two and semi-retiring. Still having full travel and medical benefits while only flying a couple small trips for the last few years is a benefit I can see myself really enjoying. Having certain minimums or guarantees that we cannot drop below would take that all away.

exactly, the PB days are yuuuge. Even yuuuger if it's end of month and they go in your bank

Exactly. Also, if you have the seniority to control going from RES to REG one month to the next, a RES GS with banked payback days that you use in your REG month can be a great deal.

SEA-LHR was a daily flight, while PDX is not. Don't forget that, even though it takes away from the spin.

Absolutely right. Also, I did the flight multiple times and we were always full or nearly so. If there were lousy loads there'd be zero reason for Virgin to pick it up.