capt_zman

Is there anything more frustrating than trying to drop a couple of days of reserve and getting the "denied - insufficient reserves?"

As of 1700 today, 5/1 has (1) asby with (25) open positions, 5/2 has (2) asby and (1) 6 hr trip with (32) open positions and 5/3 has (2) asby and (1) 6 hr trip with (34) open positions. WTF?

"The Company may deny a pilot’s submission for a bid line adjustment that involves the movement or drop of an R-day(s) if such would exceed the forecasted reserve requirement for that date and reserve period as determined by the Reserve Forecast modeling system. "

Does anybody have a clue on how many damn reserves they need per the "Reserve Forecast modeling system?"

Canyonman

I completely agree!!! I have the same problem even when it comes to moving 1 freaking r-day. My request is always turned down for "insufficent reserves" (broken record) even when there are 20 plus guys on reserve, no open time trips etc...I don't even bother anymore . I plan to contact the SIG and see what they have to say.

CM

Huck

A girl in my class got called by the ACP - scheds was complaining because she had asked to drop the same 3 R days 121 times! And yet the answer never changed....

MD11Fr8Dog

Heck, I may try to go for 122 and set a record!

fly2ski

Tried to drop 3 R-Days with the same reply, yet was able to move them more than a week. One would think that if they claim IR they would'nt let you move them either? WTF? Anyone know anything about that?

R1200RT

Man there is an easy fix for this. Drop the days the old fashioned way. Call in sick and get paid for your time off.

MD11Fr8Dog

Speaking of which, I won't be in MEM with my clubs next week.

Actually, I won't be in next month, going under the knife on Fri!

EPIRB

Knowing that reserve days can be dropped would make a big difference in bidding strategy for the big one coming up. Wouldn’t want to spend a long time on reserves with absolutely no control over days worked.

Beaverdam

Dropping or moving R-days has been pretty much impossible for a long time. I haven't had a request approved in several years.

OHab

This has been an issue for a very long time. Here's the answer, the way I understand it. The number of sufficient reserves is a moving target. A few years ago, some bright boy in the basement of the hive brain developed a statistical analysis algorithm to determine the probability on any given day of calling in a draft or volunteer. Seeing as the co would much rather pay 4:30 for a trip, vice 6 or 9, if the probability, based on an analysis of 6 months of historical data, is >0. You don't get to move the R-day.

Now, this might not be entirely fair but, WTH, the previous agreement (written before the algorithm) stated that: "11. Moving an R-day(s) A pilot may request to move an R-day(s) within a bid period. The request shall not be unreasonably denied." After the program became active, when pressed on the matter and the apparent abrogation, a member of the SIG stated that, the co considers increasing reserve utilization to be a justifiable reason to deny the move. People in the union have been aware of the situation for YEARS. When the opportunity to address it was available, ie during the last negotiations, other considerations rated higher priority, like fixing the MD-11 rigs. It appears that what the company had imposed unchallenged has been formalized and institutionalized.

This also might not be entirely fair but, it appears to me, that when setting priorities, the union considered the old adage, "You only have to be junior once."