Quote:
Originally Posted by Aloha732
After some search, I have not been able to find the most current information on the basic reserve rules of non-regional carriers.
Please chime in, with your company's rules.
Feel free to share as much as you think is important.
At minimum please include:
Guaranteed flight hrs. and min. days off per month.
Reserve periods. (times, long/short)
Call out time. (max time call to show)
Call out priority and list. (who flies first)
Trade policy, open time pick up, drops.
Overtime.
Average days called and hrs. flown per month.
Thanks for your input.
Great thread, can't believe it's only gotten the one reply. For Spirit:
-12 days off (30-day month) or 13 days off (31-day month, 72 hr guarantee. No "freebies" like the JetBlue pilot claimed they'll get some months; minimum days are minimum days. However, we do have a very pilot-friendly month-to-month transition conflict language (line bidding) that some (most?) reserves take advantage of and score additional days off. Can be anywhere from 1 to 6; I average 4-5 extra days off any given month due to this.
-Only one available period length (14 hours). "Reserve Availability Period" start time set by company and provided in bid package; can be modified but rarely is. 0300, 0800, 1000, 1500 and 1900 RAPs are historical start times. Some count as 2 calendar days (1000/1500/1900).
-Call out time is "arrive at the airport ready to depart" within 3 hours, whatever that really means. Never heard of anyone given grief for it; usually "do the best you can".
-Call out priority sounds similar to what the JetBlue guy posted; most important criteria (for the company) is matching trip with reserve days remaining (iow, a 2-day will go to the pilot with 2 days of reserve availability, bypassing a pilot with 1, 3, 4, etc). Once that is matched, it's based on monthly flight credit (low to high) then seniority. Reserve availability is transparent, but it's never seemed the available trips are. Lots of flying seems to "pop up" once it hits reserve assignment time guidelines, prohibiting line holders from making the extra bucks if they so choose.
-No OT pickup officially allowed as a reserve, but it happens frequently in bases with skinny coverage. Desperation breeds negotiation. No trades allowed either (reserve period for reserve period allowed but none are ever posted). Drops allowed with "green" coverage, which includes a significant number of days since a recent arbitration ruling on this topic (red/green). You can literally drop your entire month if you so choose.
-Some earn a little extra credit (called "move-up" pay) by answering the phone outside of RAP. Happens frequently for me answering phone at 1700 for a DH that evening; usually too late if they can't reach me until 1900.
-Average days utilized/flight hours flown is all across the board, primarily driven by base. Time of year and WX play their usual role as well.
-Lots of our reserve coverage actually comes from R days built into "relief" lines. Pro: 15 day off minimum, can trade/pickup. Con: no transition conflict and lack of "set" bidding days. Relief bidding not allowed in months with vacation.
-Areas deemed needing improvement (from a perpetual reserve's perspective): I'd love to see a long-call system here, especially as a commuter who could pull it off from home. Open trip transparency is crucial to ensure the company is playing by the rules; sorely lacking now. A better callout system and ability to "prefer to fly/prefer to sit in underwear". A realistic ability to swap R days during month.
Hope this helps. I'd really like to hear from others as we are approaching openers.