2:30 from the primary airport. “Consideration” is given for the non-primary airports (ie LGA/JFK or ONT/SNA)

the people that take these early bids are the ones with no personal life or hobbies outside the airline. Their identity is truly just airline Capt. Not meant to be a dig, just a fact, and to each their own.

I exhaust all trading options, strategic bidding possibilities (I need 16th off so I make it the last day of availability and aggressive pickup something that ends late 15th or very early 16th), and then start looking at how fit I would be to fly if I was missing a family event. Certain bases are also willing to help because they know how difficult the company makes it but I haven't had to use that. I have had to bang out sick for doctors appointments which really screws up the schedulers but it is their system. You can also call up after a sick call and sit reserve another day to restore the sick time.

I try to bunch my days off together and stack reserve days. If there’s a day off I need outside of my HDOs, I will try to bid or trade so that I have a few RDOs built in before that day in order to protect my days off. It’s sad that we have to jump through these hopes for days off. There shouldn’t be any rollable days without penalty to the company (Jr man pay/extra pay that pays at a premium on top of guarantee). My days off that I was awarded should be my days off…

‘it’s definitely not for everyone. If you have young kids, or teens in HS playing sports, it’s probably not the right time for WB reserve. However, if you don’t have kids and don’t care when you work (weekends, etc) then it’s pretty good. In the fall, winter, and spring I hardly get used on trips… maybe 6 days of actual work a month. Rest of the month I’ll probably get 5-6 SCs. In the summer you will get used for 15 days of reserve on trips. I’ve been doing it for years and rather do this than sit NB Captain with a line. my golf game is pretty good when temp is above 50.

It beats a deployment

There is no such thing as work life balance. There are work life choices. You make them and they have consequences.

Are you local? Or commuter

Not necessarily.

In base is a whole 'nother animal compared to commuting in.

If you have a 1:30 drive (or less) to the primary airport, even SC is doable from home. Though our reserve (especially global) sucks, compared to many other jobs living in base and being on reserve is not a horrible deal.

Like you said, the nice thing is that people have choices and can do what they want....explore the space, if you will.

Just be careful what you bid for 'cause nowadays you just might get it!

Surprisingly I got awarded this at EWR. Didn't think I would, since I'm a 2016 hire, and was not on a single one of the snapshots. Yep, I'll be on reserve for a while (5 years is my guess). But I live within an hour of the parking lot, all the kids are grown and out of the house. No grandkids yet, and my woodworking hobby can be done anytime. The wife likes going on trips with me, and these trips are IMO the best in the system. Obviously one person's trash is another's treasure... for me this is an awesome deal that I did not anticipate holding for a few more years...So I'm pretty stoked. If our Reserve QOL improves on the next contract, then it is an even better deal.

I wish people would stop the narrative the Global isn’t that bad. If you’re a positive person that’s awesome, I too look for the bright spot in situations. That said global reserve is BS. Work days are work days, days off should be days off. Global reserve going away (amount other criteria) is a redline for me in our next contract. FS and SC vs line holders seeing an increase in reassignment has some flexibility in how the MEC/NC address it, but Global reserve needs to end.