+1.

Fixing the arbitrary assignment of short calls should be fairly easy.
Making reserve "commutable" is a whole different ball game. That would cost us dearly in negotiating capital. I'd rather fix the pay rates.

I agree. The schedulers discretion to assigning SC with no defined method leaves room for being singled out. I'm not saying it happens, & can only be assigned 6 times a month, but it's unacceptable IMO.

D-ALPA used to have some very good analysis of Delta's overlap with other carriers as they worked to predict the effect of various mergers. That data would be equally useful to quickly determine the overlap with United and Continental's tie up. ACL pointed out some of the areas, like Cleveland which might not survive consolidation.

However, it is my opinion we've all been getting a bit of a free ride as a result of United's mismanagement. If United was run by Continental (which is assumed would be the result) then they would be a much more viable competitor.

US Air will likely be broken up, or merged in parts. In the mean time I see them as kind of a supercharged Spirit. An airline that makes little sense, other than the fact their costs are so incredibly low that they bounce along in ground effect.

I agree, I am getting tired of short call on day 1 and not getting used. I've tried to request short call again for the next few days, NO LUCK.... I've tried to yellow for a trip, no luck. I've decided to go home and at 3pm I get a 4 am shot call, I had to get back on the same airplane and head back to DTW. ***? I know I choose to commute.... FYI I've been based in all FNWA bases since I've been here, I am not going to move my family every 4 months!

Don't know how "arbitrary" they are. I get them every weekend.

It seems to me that CLE would serve as a good pressure relief valve for ORD. Much lik MEM for ATL. I would think they would hold onto to CLE for that reason alone.

It was much more commutable when it was an international category. Nothing less than three day trips.

Hate to be the conspiracy theorist but check those guys scheds and see if their raws are high due to some Mil Leave days. In months where I take a bunch of Mil leave, the schedulers hit me with the short call with just such an illogical spray pattern. DAL will get their pound of flesh if they are going to pay you any of your garuantee. For those who don't know, you get 7 raw points for every day of mil leave you perform on a non X day.

So is IAD. Keep that in mind. IAD could serve the same purpose with better international in place. They both have decent NYC HUbs, both have secondary hubs as well; CLE, and IAD. That is at least one to many.

ORD is always goo, DEN is good, and IAH. That is still a lot of coverage in the midwest. Gaining GUM and SFO, LAX is great for CAL.

All the contract needs is a new slip for being on call. Maybe a PURPLE SLIP that puts a reserve pilot at the front of the list to pick up a trip when one comes in to open time, same day next day, reguardless of ROU. Senoirity bases that trumps it all. If that pilot wants 85 hours on reserve than so be it.