How do involuntary extensions work for you in the field? What's the max length of time company can extend you involuntarily? Thx

 

The company (crew scheduling) can extend you (on paper) up to 24 hours on a domestic trip, and 48 hours on an international trip. Of course if the plane is hard broke, or some other calamity, you could be on the road longer. Your trip value would be increased (in most cases).

Additionally (if you get back to domicile more than 4 hours late), you are paid "late arrival pay" which is normally 150% (and can hit 250%). That pay is calculated as a new, independent "trip" that starts when you were originally supposed to get home. It can be a lot of $$$.

The rules for reserves are similar but not quite as lucrative.

Also, you can opt for compensatory days off in lieu of late arrival pay, but there are restrictions about that and most pilots just take the extra $$$.

You cannot refuse an extension unless you have military duty or something similar, or vacation.

Depends on the fleet, but on the international side, it occurs somewhat frequently (Personally, I see it every 1-3 months)

 

As said above, domestically they cannot schedule you back more than 24hr late domestically, 48hr late internationally. LP1 is 150% and calculated as a brand new trip (paid on min pay per duty period, block or trip/duty rig whichever is greater) from the original BTB, but only if you actually get back more than 4hr late. If you are ACTUALLY more than 25hr late domestically or 50hr late internationally, you get LP2 of 250%. If the cause of being late is weather or mechanical, LAP is calculated from 4hr after BTB, not original BTB.

Reserves may be extended up to the end of their first day off domestic, or end of their second day off international for the same 150% LP1 as above. If a reserve ends up getting back later than permitted, they only get 150% LAP but the additional days extended get restored as days off.