Dropping a trip
 

Do we have a way to look forward into next month to see if we will be able to drop a trip based off reserve coverage?

I see the monthly drop limit chart and it shows 20 open duty periods and a drop limit of 35. Does that mean if I dropped something it would be approved?

Thanks in advance for helping a newbie!

In Flica look at the MDL (monthly drop limit) grid for July. If the number of open duty periods (trips available in open time) is less than the drop limit you can drop the trip. Monthly open time drop starts a couple days after you get your line and lasts until the 20th, this is the generally the easiest time to get rid of something you don't want. If you don't drop the trip during monthly you have to wait until daily open time begins on the 28th to drop anything. You can almost always drop a weekday trip. Holidays, weekends, and transition (1st three days of the days of the month) can be a little tougher but I've generally found that when it comes to drops "where there's a will there's a way". Also once you get within a couple days of your trip you have to abide by the DDL grid which is even more restrictive so it's best to be proactive and get rid of that 7 hour 2 day early.

Thank you!

I've found days I wanted to drop a 2 day, 24th and 25th of Dec, above the drop limit. After they assigned the relief lines it dropped below the number of max drops those days. Hopped on the computer right at 9am the 28th when opentime opens and was able to drop it before the limit came back.

Reserve coverage is also a factor. Generally it's not a problem for FOs in Den, at least from my experience. In addition to the MDL, you can get denied based on reserve availability for that day(s). Check the reserve drop availability grid to see specific number of reserve pilots available for the AM/PM etc call outs, if net available reserves are less than required your request will be denied even if the MDL is within parameters. Generally, if the MDL says your good it will go through

The Monthly Drop Limit (MDL) only applies to Monthly Open Time bidding. Once that period is closed, the MDL no longer applies.

The Daily Drop Limit (DDL) takes over once Daily Open Time opens on the 28th of each month. Any drops are subject to the DDL (regardless of reserve coverage) until 0930 3 days prior to the trip.

Once inside the 3 days prior, then the Drop Availability Grid (DAG) takes over. The DAG is based on reserve coverage and applies until 24 hours prior.

Once inside the 24 hour window, it's at crew scheduling's discretion.

Is it common for Fo's to put money on trips on the trade board?

Sometimes. It just depends how bad they want to get rid of it.

How do I post a trip on the trade board that starts July 1st? When and how do I submit a request to drop the trip to open time? I'm on reserve this month but have a relief line for July. I'm a newb

I can only see June under "pilot trip trades"

Call your local CA or FO Union Rep. They will explain the process to you. That is what your dues are for.

Looks like 9am on the 28th daily open time bids open, according to the cba. Is that when July will show up in flica and I'll be able to submit a request? Is tomorrow at 9am only for picking up open time or can I also drop trips as well?

Trying to make plans, anyone want to pick up an 11:27 hr 2 day? Hotel deleted for security

SA 01 326 DEN-MSP 0630 0934 0204 0204 0204 0319/0304 MSP 3621
D-END: 0949L (NR 900) REPT: 2210L
SU 02 329 MSP-DEN 2255 0010 0215 0215 0215 0315/0300
D-END: 0025L T.A.F.B.: 4255 TRIP RIG: 0708
Total: 0419 0000 1127

You can add, drop or swap with open time starting the 28th at 9am. Drops will be subject to the DDL or DAG depending on how far out you want to drop.

If you're looking to drop that 2 day trip you posted though, it's not looking good. There are currently 18 and 23 open duty periods respectively on those days.

I am impressed with your contract knowledge. Even I learn stuff from you and I thought I had read the contract...lol I printed your post out and put it in my contract. So much easier to read! Thanks!

On another note related to dropping, I bid reserve and was JRA'ed into the following day and found out that if this happens to you that you can either take the JRA pay or get a vacation day for it. You have to bid in groups of 7 so it put me at 16 for the year which gives me two 7 groups and one 2 group now to slide around. So I will look for back to back trips with the 2 days when bidding a line for my vacation. This scenario is if you are on reserve.

If you are a line holder I was told you can email pilotpay and tell them what day you want off taking out a whole trip. That is the way I understand that. How sweet!

Daily open time and the trade board both open tomorrow at 9am domicile time. You will have a hard time dropping a trip into open time (especially near a holiday that falls in transition). The trade board will be your best bet. If you want to drop it, allow another pilot to pickup the trip without your approval.

Good amount of trading going on this morning, I was able to get rid of the trip with some cash on it.

Clearly I'm new. I submitted one pure drop request (my first request) right at 9am and it said processing for over an hour, then I submitted probably 10-15 swap with open time requests that all got denied saying picked up by xxx. Many of these swap requests got denied before the drop request got processed. Do they process drop requests differently than swap and add requests (Vis a vis first come first serve)? Is it possible all those people got requests in before I did for trip trades? Still trying to figure out why my drop request for a July 1st trip didn't get immediately denied

Daily open time is strictly first come first served. All requests are processed in the order they're received.

What is the trick to splitting a trip? I go to daily opentime splits but when I select the trip it does not give me the option to split it.

A trip can only be split if/when it passes through your base. Be careful splitting trips - if there is any rig on the trip, it will be dropped.

A trip has to be in open time for 48 hrs before you can split it

Does anybody have experience dropping a reserve day? The contract says you can drop a day with scheduling approval (at a pay loss) but how common/uncommon is it for scheduling to approve the request?

I've never gotten this approved, and have tried a few times. Let me know if you have better luck.

I've requested this twice, and both times the request was met with a near state of confusion on the other line. They obviously never approve this sort of thing. They don't even entertain it.

18:45 credit 3ish day over transition on the CA trade board