johnso29

Like the domestic birds? 261 pax with no business class?

forgot to bid

Elvis, just to make sure you're ATL 88B right?

Anyways, if so, they cut reserves. In January we had 103, Feb 83 and Mar 86. They went from having 20% of the 518-530 pilots on reserve to 16%. In most months we have had 100 pilots or so on reserve. I know it fluctuates but I've been sitting intentionally reserve on this thing for 4 years and around 20% or so has been the norm as far as I can remember.

If I take an unscientific incomplete snapshot of the last day of the month and compare, they're getting more flying out of each reserve pilot. Those with RAWs greater than 60 points went from just 82% of the sampled pilot group in January to 100% in February. It shows in January 21% of the pilots with 0 SCs, February shows 0%. Pilots with more than 30 hours of flying went from 55% to 77% and the number of pilots just in bucket 1 dropped from 30% to 3%.

That's just a snapshot. But what makes sense is with fewer reserves, each one flies more. I'm sure the goal is to get RES hours up a lot higher than they have been. With lower ALVs the number of lines increases in the winter and drops back in the summer. So I don't think we'll have 16% on RES this summer, but I doubt this time we'll have 20% either. Something closer to 16%.

forgot to bid

The thing about hours on domestic reserve, we all know there are a lot of times you're called out to cover a trip and might end up with 2 DHs and 1 flying leg. Or it's just an out and back two-day. Something with low flying. It's going to be hard to hit ALV+15 unless you're junior and getting nailed with a trip before you even go on SC. Then I see ALV+15 actually kicking in.

But for those who do slip in a few more SCs than others (more senior pilots in a busy time) I bet we just need to get ready to say "they're flying me every day" and at the airport more than if you held a line. Right now I'm working about 75% of the month and I sit around 80% on the entire category, not just reserve.

I think the trend will continue. The notion that "hey, I'll bid reserve and take a month off" needs to be scratched from the vernacular.

BTW, in FEB on the ATL 88B guys at 60% in category are about 30% on the reserve list and 80% in category is about 70% on reserve. About 40% of the rev list is between 60-80% in the category. Go back a year and 60% would put you around 1-3% on the reserve list and 80% was around 5%-10%.

FlyZ

I think so too. It's funny how the "upgauging" and "shifting flying to mainline" that management has been selling us leads to most people flying smaller, lower paying airplanes. I always thought upgauging was the opposite.

Of course, going from a 50-seater to a 76-seater is definitely upgauging. I think maybe that's what they mean.

Jack Bauer

I couldn't agree more. Cheerleading and voting in this one work rule will have long term repercussions. It was just dumb and proof that ALPA's constructive engagement has gone off the tracks.

80ktsClamp

Don't forget the upgauging of 76 seaters to 115 seaters.

Heck, prob 50 to 115/126... check out all the BMI and CRW layovers on the ATL 320 in March.

The Cavalier

I agree with your assessment under the new rules, however I have hit ALV on reserve numerous times under the old rules in the summer on domestic only equipment since 2010. Giving up the ability to say "uncle" if you chose to was plain stupid.

FlyZ

True, 80. Good point. I think things are starting to start to move in the right direction. It takes a lot of time and effort to get a ship this big turned around!

Check Essential

ALV +15 was huge but another concession we gave that is going to really hurt in the summer is making July and August into 30 day months. I don't think people realize how big that one was for killing any chance of hiring and advancement..

ShyGuy

You guys are stealing regional flying!