How do you staff short notice changes under your plan? Delay a flight until a short call reserve can get to the gate? Weaken line holder reassignment rules to cover last minute changes? Honest questions. Reading the various post on this site, it seems that reserve rules are the most important part of any contract. They are important, but they definitely don’t top the list.

 

So your saying in your limited imagination that you can't improve res and line rules at the same or can't improve one at the expense of the other. Glad your not on the negotiation committee.

 

That’s not what I’m saying at all. Both need improvements. An airline needs the ability to quickly cover seats when things change at the last minute. We currently use FSB for that purpose while reassigning a line holder is more difficult. Other companies don’t have FSB, but they can easily reassign line holders to cover time sensitive issues. I was simply asking how the poster would address that.

 

Just make FSB something people can bid on or pick up for premium $. It will create market efficiencies where it goes to people who want it. It potentially also raise the bar for the company to only do as many FSB / SC as they truly need - not because they can.

 

I’d agree, but the post I replied to said no FSB. Personally I think that FSB is here to stay because it gives the company a bunch of flexibility when short notice problems come up. They’re not going to want to give that up, nor will line holders vote to relax reassignment rules to cover what FSB currently does. A definite improvement would be exactly what you mention. It’s probably in the company’s best interest to pay more for FSB and SC transitions than to eliminate them. I’d imagine that many who live in base would bid FSB/SC if it was more lucrative.

 

I’d bid to commute up for a block of 5 SC/FSB days of it meant I couldn’t be converted on all my other reserve days. Rip the bandaid off, if you will.

 

​​​​​​So your saying we can't get ride of field stand by because the company needs it. Like I said I sure hope your not on the negotiation committee. You Sound like one of those selling the tumi ta.

 

Work on your reading comprehension. I’m saying that FSB is valuable to the company and they will want to keep it. Line holder protections are valuable to the majority of the pilots and they won’t vote to give those up to eliminate FSB for those on reserve. Keeping FSB with limitations to how it is used and add pay for when it is might be something that the company and the pilot group would agree to. It takes two sides in agreement to get a contract. Simply eliminating FSB without maintaining the ability to quickly cover staffing issues when they pop up isn’t something that the company will sign off on. I’ll ask you the same question that I asked the other guy. If FSB is eliminated, and if the current line holder protections are maintained, how would a flight be covered if a pilot timed out or got sick close to departure time?

 

You seem more concerned with what the company needs are than the pilots. How did united work before they had field standby? How does every other major airline operate without field standby? You my friend are a used car salesman wet dream.

 

How about trip modification alerts where lineholders are provided an alert for a trip when they transit a hub. Allow lineholders to voluntarily move to a more desirable pairing. You don't want that Omaha, NE pairing in the middle of winter? Well, there's a pairing swap that will keep you pay protected for your original pairing, but allow the company to swap you for pay protection and some amount of premium so they don't have to staff FSB.

Let's work on voluntary ways to solve these issues. Chances are there are a couple guys who would much rather do one of these trips if given the opportunity. Once a crew swaps to the short notice, they now have more time to fill the other pairing or offer it up for premium.

The only con to this type of pairing is they would probably increase sit time in hub cities to allow for company flexibility. So, increase our trip rig and it becomes a win-win.

I think the reality for FSB is there is an extremely small minority of pilots here which really "like" FSB, and they will fall on their sword to keep it.

If you like FSB when you defend it, admit it. For the vast majority of reserve pilots at United, most hate it.