Got it, thank you!

 

One of my best ever TFP months was on reserve. Sat unused one block, used for 2 blocks, picked up a single turn at premium. It was "easy" in that I didn't spend more than a few minutes looking through open time or fiddling with my schedule. Monthly block limits can really hurt your ability to pick up until you get through a few days of not being used, then trading and picking up becomes normal. The only real luck I had was that the one OT premium turn I picked up showed up in OT right before I went over the cap for the month but late enough in the month that everyone senior to me was over the cap. If I recall correctly I got close to 130TFP that month.

100-120 TFP on reserve picking up nothing extra seems reasonable, depending on the time of year of course. And there are plenty of ways to plus up a schedule even when on reserve.

 

During my newhire year a buddy from class would routinely bid reserve (we could hold blanks by then). He would routinely credit 180+ per month. He would take advantage of an unused reserve block by picking up on days off, even out of base (ie based in PHX picking up in LAS).

He would look specifically for low block trips or trips starting with a deadhead and took advantage of bidding straight on premium (paid second year rates anyway) or TTGA.

Some of our players are really really skilled (but he also lived close to the field).

 

How likely are you to get used on reserve? Obviously I know seasonal trends can change that but just curious in general usage. I live near a junior base and have been considering SWA but was wondering if I could sit reserve and not be used a lot. Also unfamiliar with SWA reserve rules so that’s part of it too.

 

Southwest doesn’t use reserve as “insurance” like all other airlines, they use reserves to cover open trips and their intent it to use 100% of reserves.

New rules in this contact make it expensive to change your assignment so that drives reduced usage, but you’ll still fly quite a bit.

I would plan on being used and be happy if you get a day off. It’s seasonal, but ideally on a four day block you’ll only get used 3 days as most trips are 3 days. You also get sorted by usage during the month with those used the least called first, so if you get used you’ll go down the list.

Weekend reserve is junior but you’ll make decent money.

 

Cool, thats about what I expected but thanks for the reply.

 

It's also different depending on what base you're in. Go to PHX, and reserve blocks are fought over in blood duels. In the summer they mean guaranteed pay, - if you fly it'll pay well and if you don't it's pay for sitting at home plus freeing up block limits for OT pickups. Pay per block hour ratio over the sliding 30 day window is the biggest consideration in the summer if you want to max out monthly TFP. In the winter it very often means a week of getting paid to leave your phone ringer on (and some people will just sick out if they get called anyhow). In other bases though, reserve blocks are treated like smallpox-infested blankets, something you trade to people you want to die horribly.

 

PHX in general is an odd base. I would argue it has the most money hungry pilots in the system and I am not really sure why.

 

There, MCO, and DAL trend more senior and less commuters. It’s insane how hungry the captains are in those bases. They do some stuff that defies logic for someone like me that looks for a more even tradeoff between hours worked and compensation.

 

I would be aiming for BWI, but good to know that it varies place to place. Any insight on how it’s treated at a more junior base like BWI with I assume more commuters?