Actually their "short call" is not really short call in our sense of the word. SWA pilots rarely sit on call. Their reserves normally know where they're going the night prior. You might think of their reserves as having a line but not knowing where they're going to be flying. I think I would take that on reserve (especially since they have 16 days off/month) over our current reserve system. Also, I think most reserves would prefer to fly if they're a commuter (in base reserve is a whole different story). That is another QOL think we need to look at - poor reserve guarantee (70 hours) and 18/19 on call days/month.

 

I have to admit.. I laughed out loud at that.

 

The SWA reserve system is getting a lot of play in this thread. Having a brother who perpetually sits reserve over there, I'll throw in his opinion. If you're on reserve at SW you fly every day. Maybe 4-5 days a year does he not fly on a reserve day. So while I am on reserve 18-19 days, I have never been assigned responsibilities on every day of a month. So, there actually isn't that big a disparity in realized days off.

As with anything, there could be unintended consequences to some changes in our PWA, and this is one area. SWA pilots fly every day they are on reserve, which means there is no fat in their system. Which means they require fewer Pilots. Their whole system is set up to require the fewest number of pilots possible.

For reserve, I would like to see the pay raised to the ALV, or 75 hours. With the realization that reserves will fly to that, and it may require less manning.

 

Thanks for the perspective. I think the other part of this is that we cannot operate that way either because we are a different animal in terms of the scope of operations that we perform. For example, you as an ER reserve cannot fly a 3 day Europe trip then turn around and fly a trip to GRU or Asia because of theatre restrictions. Domestic to international has it's own particular pitfalls in this area which might preclude that kind of reserve system. The question would be then, what is the answer to those issues? On first glance, one might think that those restrictions might be better for us because a reserve is illegal to fly back to back trips in that configuration. I would think the company would balk at that because it makes us less efficient rather than more. I would balk at it because 14 days of SC would SUCK.

I agree with you that ALV needs to be 75 hours for reserve, and the buckets need to be lowered if not eliminated altogether.

 

The arguement for SWA's shortcall and greater days off should not be done in a vacume. If the arguement is FOR the whole SWA contract, there goes along with it other "benefits" like premium pay out of some open time, higher credit for days, fewer plane changes, reserve access to open time, etc. SWA PAYS for efficiency.

There is no arguement FOR 14 days of shortcall without the rest of the package - including their scope clause.

As has been pointed out, DAL reserve can be pretty painful if the category is shortmanned. If you haven't experienced that, you will at some point if you are on reserve. DAL can make it so you get NO days on the lake except your laundry days between trip pieces while you dont break guarantee.

 

that's a good point, it has to be all of the above if at all.

And if that happens, then the scope clause has to come with it. It's a nonstarter if it doesn't. And I don't mean a take back or % reduction in DCI, I mean SWA scope.

0 outsourcing.

so while yes we would be incredibly overstaffed with the new rules, maybe the new flying would take care of that to the positive.

 

This is a contract restriction. I have seen folks swap theaters on greenslips without the 2x block required rest.

They didn't even buy the beer!!!! Bastiges.

 

'Significant damage' as Delta 737 rolls off taxiway - USATODAY.com

 

That last sentence can be misleading - but it is true that SWA's reserve % is far lower than other airlines.

They are able to do this be because they incentivize extra flying - their rigs and TFP pay system make turns productive, and there is a wealth of 2 and 3 day trips. Most people pickup a trip (some pick up more) each month to supplement their line value (100-110 TFP), and can do this without much of a QOL hit since their lines have 17-21 days off.

This leaves very little leftover for the few reserves to fly, but is enough to keep most of them busy. There are those on RSV who don't fly, but it is true that many of them fly every day. The RSV lines are built to 3 on/4 off or 4 on/3 off. RSV days (or 2 and 3 days blocks) can be picked up by line holders allowing the RSVs to pick up trips in open time or make themselves available for extra fly (offered to pilots at straight pay; they can decline if they wish), or VJA (if they call you, you have to fly; pays at 1.5x and sometimes 2x).

I have a cousin over there, and have picked his brain about their system over the years - hence my knowledge of it even though I'm a corporate type.

 

I agree on the bastiges part.. What is with this generation?

I do not think I would like to give up this particular part of the contract in order to get SWA scope... I will have to think on it a little more, but on first blush, it seems too ripe for abuse by skeds. I definitely want nothing to do with 14 SC days. That is too high a price.