RJSAviator76

Something else about reserve assignments. If you're a reserve and they add flying to you once you're on a trip, it's paid premium. All told, reserve pilots easily tend to credit 115-120 TFP and I've seen them as high as 140-150 TFP during meltdowns without picking up anything else. You can trade reserve blocks with line holders and vice versa which seems like a foreign concept at many other airlines.

The only way I'd say to go to Frontier over Southwest is if you lived in PHL or even MCO. Upgrade at MCO is apparently very junior at Frontier. At Southwest, it's one of the longest in the system.

RJSAviator76

One of the best things about working here.

nene

Well thanks for the response, not trying to compare exactly but trying to learn and always looking for tweaks to make what we got just a little bit better as I enjoy bidding reserve about 1/2 the year.

I realize that bidding reserve with lines (days on) preselected alone would drive many to lines.
The main advantage to bidding reserve in PBS is the huge flexibility in getting all your on call days in a row, or spreading them out to periods that work best with your personal life.

I know Delta reserve is pretty close to where it needs to be at Delta by the way that in many categories it goes relatively to completely senior during monthly bids.

flyguy81

If WN had long call and the ability to "roll thunder" like Delta....I'd never bid a line again. We do need some tweaks on rsv that I'm looking for in the new CBA...like ability to swap RSV blocks with the company, no requirement to be in base at RAP start once a trip is assigned, reassignment pay rules match line holders....among other things.

hoover

if WN had 6 reserve days on then 9 off pattern for eternity I'd never bid a line again. I dont see why we cant have lines like this. 3 on 4 off or reverse is lame. Not enough time to do anything in between but wash rinse and repeat. Line construction needs a huge improvement.

ZapBrannigan

Completely agree. I’m not even married to the whole AM/PM paradigm. There should at least be a handful of commuter friendly lines that show late on day 1 and get home early on day 3 or 4.

Cyio

As someone who commuted for the entirety of their airline career I can say these types have their issue as well. Day one you get to the hotel and are completely wrecked from basically being up 18 hours, so you get nothing done that day. Day two is playing catch up and is usually a wasted day as well. Day three is not your last you feel pretty great however you now have to convince your body to fall asleep hours earlier than it wants to because you have a super early show on day four to get you done in time. When you finally get home you again repeat this cycle and about the time your feel normal again you have to start the process over.

I can't say the AM/PM is the better answer as I am still way to new, but I can say the commutable lines are great in that you can commute and work on both ends of it, however they took their toll on me at least.

e6bpilot

There are a few commutable lines in each base. I sometimes bid them, but the trip/line construction generally sucks and/or falls over days I don't want to fly.

I elitt so much that it doesn't really matter. I view my line award as a starting point from which to begin working. I bid min days, min block, and try to avoid trips that are going to fall on red days. I rarely fly any of my original award. Plenty of commutable trips in and out of elitt each month if that is what you are looking for.

KnightNight

American, retirements and variety .

flyguy81

Except for the fact I don't know anyone at AA who actually likes their job. They all hate it and are counting down til retirement. Not quite how I want to spend my working years....life is too short to be miserable.