Originally Posted by crewdawg

I'm 100% with you that every SC should pay above guarantee. What we really need to work on with reserve is pay protections. How many reserve pilots passed on GS during the meltdown because they feared it would get nooped and they'd get nothing (err...2 whole hours of pay and some time off).

Originally Posted by tennisguru

I agree with this in a limited concept. If we're not careful we could actually make things worse for reserves. We definitely need pay protections for premium trips (GS and IA). If we've volunteering to come in when we are otherwise not available (X days or within 18 hours) and that trip then cancels, pay up. What we need to be careful with, however, is guarantee for any regularly assigned reserve trip. Right now, if you get assigned a rotation, and then subesequently call in sick, you are only docked the value of the underlying reserve days, not the always higher value of a rotation (4 and change per day vs at least 5:15). So the sick bank of a reserve pilot stretches over more days of work than the same balance of a REG pilot. And if a trip is shortened due to a reroute, then I don't see how the reserve pilot would be due the original credit of the rotation and still be back on LC. Those sort of things are details that need to be carefully thought out. But premium guarantee for RES is a must.

Originally Posted by tennisguru

I agree with this in a limited concept. If we're not careful we could actually make things worse for reserves. We definitely need pay protections for premium trips (GS and IA). If we've volunteering to come in when we are otherwise not available (X days or within 18 hours) and that trip then cancels, pay up. What we need to be careful with, however, is guarantee for any regularly assigned reserve trip. Right now, if you get assigned a rotation, and then subesequently call in sick, you are only docked the value of the underlying reserve days, not the always higher value of a rotation (4 and change per day vs at least 5:15). So the sick bank of a reserve pilot stretches over more days of work than the same balance of a REG pilot. And if a trip is shortened due to a reroute, then I don't see how the reserve pilot would be due the original credit of the rotation and still be back on LC. Those sort of things are details that need to be carefully thought out. But premium guarantee for RES is a must.

Originally Posted by Machsp

Exactly my point. I think what would be better is going down to 14 hours LC and add short call reserves in the bid package. No conversions. LC are first to be utilized.

Originally Posted by notEnuf

Absolutely not. Our current system is ideal for both under and adequate staffing. Under means 2 days notice for reserve trips and more SC credits due to panic conversions. Adequate staffing means reserve is as it should be and doesn’t result in abuse. Why we go foot sniping after huge contractual gains never fails to amaze.

Originally Posted by Machsp

I am well aware. I love that non commuters keep bringing it up. You sit at home, we fly in to sit ready reserve. We go back and forth for nothing. There are things that would help avoid this, while non commuters still get to enojy all the perks of living in base. But I know you and the rest wont even consider it. The idea of counting your unused SC conversations while commuters YS to avoid it and take the OT trips away is too good of a deal. And then, on top of that, you pick up a greenie and gain PB days, something a commuting reserve might not even have the energy to consider, after flying a full schedule/inability to commute in/tired of commuting. That smirk at the end tells me I've reached a roadblock. Gl

Originally Posted by tennisguru

That sounds unnecessarily complex. Hopefully it works out for UA. Our 18 hour callout with occasional SC conversion sounds better than that. Sometimes if you try to get too cute trying to "fix" things it ends up being worse.

Our reserve system works pretty well as is. Someone is always going to be junior and trips need to be covered. With a little seniority, whether you commute or live in base, you can make reserve a pretty comfortable gig. I would venture that most of the people griping on here can easily hold a line, but bid reserve regularly in order to work less or hold the days off (primarily weekends) that they need. As staffing in any particular category swings up and down you may need to adjust your strategy each month. And honestly category staffing is doing to be the biggest driver of reserve QOL. At least if the category is super short staffed you can play the GS game (if you live in base or have a relatively short/easy commute). So overall what we have works. Like I said earlier, the easiest improvement would be to have 1 hour SCC paid for every assigned SC, not just unused. That alone would assuage a lot of the angst for commuters having to come in knowing no matter what they are getting some extra coin.

Originally Posted by tennisguru

I agree with this in a limited concept. If we're not careful we could actually make things worse for reserves. We definitely need pay protections for premium trips (GS and IA). If we've volunteering to come in when we are otherwise not available (X days or within 18 hours) and that trip then cancels, pay up. What we need to be careful with, however, is guarantee for any regularly assigned reserve trip. Right now, if you get assigned a rotation, and then subesequently call in sick, you are only docked the value of the underlying reserve days, not the always higher value of a rotation (4 and change per day vs at least 5:15). So the sick bank of a reserve pilot stretches over more days of work than the same balance of a REG pilot. And if a trip is shortened due to a reroute, then I don't see how the reserve pilot would be due the original credit of the rotation and still be back on LC. Those sort of things are details that need to be carefully thought out. But premium guarantee for RES is a must.

Originally Posted by ancman

We’ve pattern bargained for decades to get reserve rules to where they are today. Yes, they’re vastly better for pilot QOL and worse for the company. We should be working to improve upon them even further during each cycle. I say that as someone who rarely ever bids reserve.
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I have no problem with going to work, but the number one reason why I avoid reserve as a commuter is lack of control / predictability of SC assignments. Like many commuters, I try to keep my monthly commuting frequency to a minimum. In a perfect world, we could string all 6 of our SCs into a continuous block (or two) every month.

Those with short / easy commutes are more likely to have a desirable outcome under current SC rules.

Originally Posted by crewdawg

In my short stint at AAL, all of us junior guys got stuck with SC lines. Maybe my category wasn't an odd one, but the locals sure didn't gobble up the SC lines. It also sucked having to commute in the day prior because they could give you a RAP start of 0400 day 1...ouch! Though I think that the early start day 1 has been cleared up. As someone who has sat lots of reserve, unless there added a bunch of tight restrictions, paid way better and decreased the total on call days, I think SC lines would be wildly unpopular here. I'm local and doubt I'd bid SC lines.


I'm 100% with you that every SC should pay above guarantee. What we really need to work on with reserve is pay protections. How many reserve pilots passed on GS during the meltdown because they feared it would get nooped and they'd get nothing (err...2 whole hours of pay and some time off).