I'm thinking about coming back being that the furlough/downgrade threat has been mitigated for now. I'm in a position that I don't really need the extra money, but I'm bored out of my mind since international travel has not opened up as much as I had hoped.

What is the math on coming back early? By flying 72 hours a captain is making $70 an hour and an FO $35ish?

2 ways to look at it

The math on how much more you will get paid coming back early vs 50 hours

Or if you come back early, you can fly your first 50 hours for free each month, money you were guaranteed to still get while at home

I personally chose the latter view on it; resizing if I would go back early, I would get 3 4-day trips and then realize the first 2 trips pay the same I would get at home, and only “in the money” on the 3rd trip

That's only for line holders. Back in September I was on LCR and never got called. Obviously it won't always be like that, but if reserves are not flying all that much then it makes sense to come back early if you were just sitting at home on EIL anyway.

I guess it just depends on how people look at it. Most of us were LCR and growing roots in late summer. But I still was on reserve, and had to be prepared to work IF called. Some people count unused reserve days as “days off” and some as “work days”. The one thing I can control is on EIL, my phone will never ring.

Nice thing is people can go back if they want or stay out

The 24 hour long call is as close to a day off as you can get while still being on the hook with the company. But I feel short call is still very much a work day. I’ve basically forgotten which days I’m working with the new LCR.

I hope it never goes away...

The company is paying EIL/VIL holders 50 hours a month out of their pocket.

CARES 2 would pay employees 72 hours a month out of the tax payers pocket.

Wouldn't it be prudent to offer all EIL/VIL holders the option to return and still remain on no obligation to get the tax payers to cover the bill? I know CARES 1 didn't cover 100% of the employee cost but as it stands now NK is funding 100% of it. I've paid 0 attention to the 'give me more money' war cries so I may be way, way off on how this works.

Just don’t be the unlucky one that gets converted to short call. At least they can only to it to you once a month for four days involuntary.

I don't think the "once a month" is correct. I've already been converted 2 times during different weeks.