the cost for FSB and short call needs to be raised significantly for the company - to the point that they will only use it if they truly have to.

the question is where that price point is. If it comes down to cancelling a global flight I suspect they won’t even blink to shell out 5-10 hours of override / premium pay.

I live in base (SFO) but 2 hours from the airport in "normal" traffic. Last week I had the honor of sitting a 12:00 FSB. For 4 hours of availability (I wasn't used) I was rewarded with 6 hours in the car. 2 hours to the airport and 4 hours to get home all with $5.50 a gallon gas and $14 in bridge tolls making it real treat. FSB needs to die a quick, painful death.

Agreed. I doubt that it goes away, but it needs to hurt when they use it.

^^^^^ this. Right now it’s we have 5 people let’s use 5

Absolutely agree. FSB is not necessary. I would rather get reassigned to cover something mid-pairing when I am ALREADY at work, getting paid, than to commute or drive in for FSB and wasting several hours of my day to not only NOT get paid, but it actually COST ME MONEY to go to work. Absurd.

You might want to look into that - you should be getting paid when you are on reserve, even if you don’t fly.

Obviously I’m being a smart ass, and I don’t like field standby either. But to say you aren’t getting paid to be on reserve isn’t quite accurate.

Ok, Ok. I should have said not get "used" as opposed to "paid", but I think you guys actually know what I meant. Coming in for a FSB or commuting to short-call and sitting around sucks. FSB can go away entirely, and short-calls can be reduced substantially via strategic pay- and day-off protected reassignments.

Just trying to say there is a better way.

In JetDoc's example, it clearly cost him quite a bit of money and time for nothing.

There’s no reason a used SC/FSB should take away the hour of MPG currently. You’re in position either way….allegedly.

Ooh, I like this.