CAL Reserve and Commuting
 

Is there a policy for commuting while on reserve....ex: If I allow 2 flights to get to my base prior to starting my reserve period, and I am unable to get on one or it cancels, is anything in place to positive space me on the next flight...I had this at a previous employer and wondered if anything similar,was in place at CAL. Thanks

Nope! Doh!

CAL C2002, 2005 revision. LOA 17, Commuting Policy.

"

A pilot commuting by air, must exercise good judgment and exert every reasonable
effort to report for work, including having the legitimate reasonable potential to
commute on either of two Continental/ExpressJet flights (i.e., twenty-four (24) hours
prior to the first flight’s departure time both flights must be under authorization as
displayed on employeeRes, including accounting for non-revenue space available
travelers that are listed and have either a higher boarding priority or greater seniority
than the pilot) that are scheduled to arrive at his domicile or the point of his duty

assignment at least thirty (30) minutes prior to his Report Time for such assignment."


There are other caveats but the basic jist is that you have to list for 2 CAL/CALEX flights with available seats 24 hrs prior to departure.

To add.....

There's nothing that says they will/will not P.S. you. It basically depends on how bad Scheduling needs you (ie-how's the reserve coverage that day/or over that block?). Crew Scheduling may/may not P.S. you on the 2nd (back-up) flight under the pretense mentioned in the "commuter policy".

Over the years, I've personally been dealt both ways....They couldn't put me on a P.S. pass fast enough when I was rolled over to my second flight.....and they could careless if I got on the second flight. If you follow the above mentioned policy, and the trip your attempting the make is "missed", it's covered under the commuter policy.....But your S.O.L. on the pay for that trip.

In the end, you "may" want to reassess your 'fit to fly' criteria prior to using the policy and opt to use other means.

Sitting around an airport all day, you can be exposed to a lot of germs from other passengers ...

....Especially after eating a Breakfast Sandwich purchased at the airport with "suspected salmonella".....True story.

Just say'in.

Quote from an actual Captain's Irregularity Report at Continental back in the late 90s, in which the Captain in question detailed his decision to gate-return after going from "I feel fine" when leaving the gate to hurling while in the conga line for takeoff:

"I suspect the cause of my illness to be the Chinese food in the Newark Airport."

Not making any suggestions, just sharing an anecdote. (Though I haven't eaten Chinese at EWR since the day I read that ...)

Good luck finding a flight that isn't oversold. This past weekend I had three CO flights to get to work the day before my trip and all were oversold. The day before there were six non-revs listed for the flight I took, the next morning there were over twenty. Fortunately none were pilots and I got in the jumpseat.

Holy cow. What a BS policy. For several MONTHS of the year, I wouldn't be legal under that system unless I took a flight 5 days prior to my actual show time. Whatever, I'm leaving my one flight and one backup - don't care how many seats are left open. UAL can do what they feel they need to do.

So what is the deal with a situation where I list 24 hours ahead for 2 flights,..all reasonable expectations to get on are met, and then a bunch of folks jump ahead of me or a flight cancels...and bumps me off.