KnownTraveler

A couple of noob questions:

Reserve: I see people describing sitting reserve as alternately a bad thing or a good thing. Does it depend on if you're in base vs. commuting? Junior vs. senior? Is it the unpredictability vs. a predictable line, or something more complicated than that?

Crash pads: Are you paying for a crash pad per stay, or as a commuter, do you hold one at like a monthly rate at the base you commute to? Or are crash pads not really an SWA thing based on how scheduling works here?

Commuting: Does living in base always trump commuting, or are there any scenarios where commuting would have some greater benefit? The only thing I can think of is if you're upgrading and commuting to a more junior base for a better schedule.

What are the most significant differences between being junior vs. senior in-base (besides pay scale)? Is it the ability to choose weekdays vs. weekends and holidays, or is there more to it?

I'm open to thoughts on any or all of the above.

Thanks.

RckyMtHigh

I’ll give it a shot since no one else chimed in. Caveats being that my experiences with reserve were from several years ago when manning was better, and I don’t have any first hand experience with commuting, so take it for what it’s worth.

Worst thing about reserve was lines were 15 or 16 days on a month, so you’re working 3-4 days extra per month vice regular line. Plan on working most if not all of those days, especially now, but traditionally one could bid reserve to not work in the winter months. You can put a fly (commuter) preference or no-fly (sit at home) preference. That, seniority, and days used a month are considered in assignments but far from guaranteed. No long call/short call so you have to be in place which would be a negative for a commuter. No airport standby though. Overall I’d say about reserve - count on flying, but getting paid well.

I haven’t met anyone with a crash pad (pilots). You’re looking at 3 to 4 overnights a month max. There doesn’t seem to be an real big incentive for a crash pad vice hotel.

There were people that bid out of their (driving) base to commute during vacation bidding month in order to get better vacation for the next year. I know captains that commute for the upgrade (MCO and ATL folks mostly). That’s about the only situations I can possibly see where commuting would be a choice over living in base (aside from personal reasons of course).

About the only thing seniority gets you is the ability to pick the days you want to work. You’re still going to work an am or pm schedule, 12 to 13 days a month. Moderate seniority gets you off weekend flying. Being very senior gets you turns or two days, one of the few commuter lines, good vacations, and front of the line for premium pick-ups. In my opinion, SWAPA needs to push for more improvements in our lines to incentivize seniority - some lines with less flying, ability to drop trips… something to make life easier as you get older and more senior.

e6bpilot

Highly dependent on the base and whether you live there.

Commuting to reserve sucks. You don't own the trips assigned to you so you are on the hook from the time your RAP starts even if you have a trip that starts 5 hours later. You can't swap reserve with the company and generally nobody wants to touch it, so you are stuck with what you are awarded.

Crash pads are available. They are monthly. Some pilots do them, but definitely not most for the reasons listed in the last reply.

Recipe for QOL:
1. Get to the base you want (especially if you live there).
2. Get a line. Any line.

Tankerhead

Southwest has recently become the most commuter-unfriendly airline in existence. ‘Cept maybe Aeroflot.

Just avoid us. As a commuter, passenger, or investor.

ak68W

I’m so apprehensive about doing this. Really considering staying 135 after reading all these threads. Any idea how long people get stuck in OAK? It seems like no matter what base you can hold, the commute just sucks, and it looks like people are on reserve for 3 years? Not sure if this is accurate.

Crockrocket95

RSV is fine if you live in base. Its miserable to commute to PM reserve. AM its not as bad, except when they turn your AM into a PM and then you have a hotel on each side of the trip.

Crash pads exist but almost everyone I know just gets hotels. Its about the same cost but with hotels you'll get your own room with a nice shower and a gym. Did the CP thing for a little while, realized I make enough money to not be the cheapest SOB on the planet and wake up at 3 AM to people coming into the house or whatever. Been doing hotels on reserve for 2 years and much prefer it.

The only time commuting is really better is if you want to hold a line in say BWI, which say you can, but you live in say Tampa, where you can bid into Orlando, but youre bottom reserve. You can move trips around with such more ease than any reserve blocks. So in that case, better schedule? depends on you and your situation.

Junior = weekend reserve / weekend trips . Seems like MOST senior guys bid weekdays...

Mozam

Some have been stuck on reserve for a while. Now that the music has started back up ,everything is moving again .

RckyMtHigh

It was accurate for the last three years, but a new hire today is going to have a vastly different experience. Today’s hire will be in the base they want within a few months, off reserve a few months later. The company is hiring 2000+ pilots over the next two years. That’s 20% of the pilot group. With that being said, if you aren’t planning on living in a SWA base, then I would look elsewhere. Lots commute here, but I can’t really say it’s commuter friendly.

Keep in mind, a lot of people come here to vent. Like politics, you don’t hear much from the silent majority. All the airlines, and cargo for that matter, are having issues now. My friends at FedEx and UPS are complaining about how their schedules have been “optimized”. Delta has a thread several pages long about pilot morale. It’s hitting everywhere. Southwest at this point is struggling more than most. That just makes it that much more important to have a total rewrite of our contract so we are protected from this kind of abuse.

The tide will change again. Now is the time to make the jump (to SWA or elsewhere).

Crockrocket95

Reserve at SWA is better than 135.

Reserve has a light at the end of its tunnel...

blulavboy

Lot's of good advice/tips from all of the folks already on property....For someone looking at SW in the next few months and not living in base( I wish I could but) how many days in a row would someone be scheduled reserve? Conversely, how many days off in between reserve blocks would you normally be scheduled? I understand ATL is pretty small/senior? From a newbie perspective would I be able to hold something on the East Coast whether if be reserve or an actually line in year one or two?
TIA