Agreed.

Maybe ALPA should too. I recall more than one rep saying "don't worry about it, you'll be off reserve real soon." "If you're not on reserve real soon, then it was your choice, so don't whine about it."

 

For me, if i was SFO based no way would I live there, so commuting would be mandatory.

 

Reserve is not a choice.

Commuting to reserve is definitely a choice.

 

unless you have only been here 1-3 years, and your base moves like molasses. I guess it’s my CHOICE to not move to one of the coasts.....just like it was my CHOICE to work here.....like it was my CHOICE to work in aviation at all. You can play that game as far as you’d like.....but circumstances don’t always allow for choices like you say. I live in Houston, and it’s been impossible to get here since I was hired. Granted.....it’s all about to be a moot point, and I’d MUCH rather commute to reserve than be furloughed. So all the whining about being on reserve falls on deaf ears to the MANY who are about to have no job at all.

 

There is cost neutral quality of life improvements that can be made for res.

 

And that would be your choice. Many like you based in sfo feel the same way and choose to commute. While I won’t sit here and defend the insanity of being governed in the state of California, I can say living in domicile make this a different job. Aside from the fact of not having the stress of commuting and everything that comes with it, it provides vast increases in qol. It’s been years since I’ve done a 4 day. I try and stick to 1-2 day trips, even on reserve. I haven’t missed a single birthday or holiday in years. And even when assigned something over important dates not needing a commutable trip allows one to trade into a less desirable trip to get the time off.



While most of the Bay Area is cost prohibitive, there are areas within a 90 mile radius that are comparable ($$$) with the rest of our hubs, except maybe IAH. The juniority of SFO has allowed many like myself the opportunity to upgrade and help offset the increase in cost of living. I get the feeling I’m ahead ($$$) month after month on rsv as a NB capt as opposed to being a NB Copilot in a senior domicile with a lower cost of living.



Plus not having to shovel snow, deal with mosquitoes or hurricanes, or New Yorkers in itself is a gift that keeps on giving

 

I’m a New Yorker but I have a plow guy...am I good?

 

Joe Patroni is always good in my book.

 

That’s a great picture.

 

Been at UAL 13 years and am a 737FO, by choice, and love it!
Every holiday off, every weekend off, first choice of vacation, premium pay every month, and trip drops anytime =
100% control over quality of life.

Everytime I fly with a junior Captain who complains non-stop, I ask: “Can you hold narrowbody FO in base?
Answer: “um, oh, ahh”... reserve sucks”. Commuting sucks, etc, etc, etc.

I also hear wide-body FO’s in my base complaining about being on reserve and working every holiday...
I just shake my head, smile and keep my big secret that happiness in this business is seniority in BES, not upgrading or flying wide-bodies.

To answer your question:
reserve is a choice unless you’ve been hired in the past 2-years. You knew the seniority game before hired, knew the bases at United before you applied and yet you have “decided” to upgrade from the 737/320 BY CHOICE, unless of course you’ve been here less then 24-months, at which point you can bid from the new-hire assigned 756 fleet to a 737/320 FO position.

Long-story short: anyone here more than 24/ months and not in the 737/320 fleet is on reserve by choice.

(And yes, I would still be a senior line holder, but bid an SRL Line for April to avoid crap flying and re-assignments...again, by CHOICE!)