I have never understood the advantage of deviating early. According to the CONTRACT we have to deviate 60 hours prior on the front end and 8 hours prior on the back end. I often look at a pairing 2-3 weeks out and the other crew member has deviated already.

It's my technique to wait at least until a ticket has been issued for my scheduled deadhead. That puts the onus on the company to find me an actual seat or PAY me the difference for the re-booked (assuming it is earlier) flight. I think we as a group are missing out on $$$ due to our "get it done now" demeanor of scheduling all our deviation plans as soon as the monthly bids come out.

I'm just saying I doubt that we can all fit on that a.m. RJ to CLT or ATL or ORD. No BBQ required. Any thoughts?

I wait until the scheduled DH/travel bank is issued and then deviate soon after if it's an international DH - which may be sometimes a few weeks out. There are only so many seats in first/business and it will be long ride over in coach over the pond if you are trying to get to work/home on a particular flight.

It isn't a requirement that you deviate before you book your deviation ticket. My experience has been that deviating early, especially on the back, has left me scrambling with no support a couple of times too many. Conversely, waiting has paid off on several occasions.

Concern over availability of "good" seats internationally is definitely valid. However, once the amount of your travel bank is established, you don't need to deviate to buy your deviation ticket. Just call GT and get the ticket you want. I've done this before I've even received the scheduled DH ticket. Then you can wait until closer to the 60 hour deadline to actually submit the deviation. That way, if there are issues with the availability of tickets, you may end up with a higher paying revision. More importantly, if some other trip you like better shows up in OT (rare, but it happens) you have the trade option. Once you deviate on an international DH, you can't trade.

One other note on that. DHs to/from ANC are considered international as far as the deviation rules. So, once you deviate, you got it (no trades) and you need to give 60 hours notice even on the back-end. That only applies to the leg that actually touches ANC (ANC-MSP, MSP-MEM: first leg int'l 60 hour notice, second 8).

If you deviate, all you get in your bank is the published accepted fare.
Regardless of what it costs GT purchases the actual ticket.

Before the unilateral company heist in moving to the fox system, your bank was credited to the higher of accepted or actual. Changing that policy (no LOA, side letter mind you) has saved them significant $, as they "know" crewmembers will deviate, and they can published unrealistic accepted fares, knowing that pilot has no recourse when the actual fare is exceedingly higher. So along with all the rationale to wait, it really paid off to wait under the previous schema, especially when they used unrealistic fares.

Hopefully this has been rectified in the forthcoming TA.

I think you missed his point. Skyler was saying he waits not to get a higher scheduled fare...But, to see if the company can even get him a ticket on the original scheduled flight. If they can't...They must rebuild the pairing, with possibly an earlier flight. If earlier, the pairing pays more.

This is exactly my point. Also, I'm giving the company the opportunity to follow the CONTRACT. NO BBQ REQUIRED.

"Although we no longer have the highest hourly rate, we have the ability to enhance line values".

See the ball. Be the ball, Danny. --Chevy Chase.

Who has the highest rates now?

Currently DAL 263, UPS 262

Awhile ago, I picked up a trip in open time. Was going to deviate pretty quickly because the flight was only five days later, but changed my mind. An hour later, the dh was revised, then within another hour, revised again. Pay was about two credit hours difference. It's not that I'd wait till the last minute to deviate, because I might forget. But a good idea to sit on your trip for awhile.