Originally Posted by Hrkdrivr

I'm trying to drop some specific trips and pick up from open time using dates/trip-length wildcards. I'm finding when I ask for specific rotations in open time, they tend to disappear before the run gets to me so I'm going to try the wildcards.

If I enter preferences under "PCS>Standing Request Qualifiers," such as "no report before," do those preferences apply to my blind swap pickup requests, or are they only for WS, GS, etc?

Originally Posted by LeineLodge

Sounds like most of this was already answered.

I'll only add that if you end up doing OE on X days, they will return those days off to you in the form of PB days.

If you have remaining RES days in the month, they will automatically place the PB days on your subsequent RES days. If you don't have any more RES days in the month, the PB days go in the bank for later use (whole 'nother topic)

Originally Posted by Timbo

About 3 months before we filed for bankruptcy, I had the then CEO on board going ATL-AMS. Jerry came up to the cockpit prior to pushback to say Hi. So we started in on him, asking all kinds of questions. One of them had to do with our future fleet. He said in the long run, Delta only wants 2 fleet types, 1 for Domestic, one for International.

At the time, the 787 was the new jet everyone was talking about. He said that if Boeing would build a similar, smaller, carbon airplane to replace the 737, with the same cockpit, then Delta would buy the 787 for our International fleet, and the 797 (the carbon replacement for the 737) for our entire domestic fleet.

Imagine the cost savings if the entire fleet was a single type rating, and they shared most of their parts, and nobody ever had to dead head cross country to get to the only jet they are qualified on.

Want to know why SW is so efficient?

It's because they DON'T operate one of everything ever built, like we do.

All their pilots are qualified on all of their airplanes.

All their mechanics can fix all their airplanes, and all the parts fit all their airplanes.

Originally Posted by MikeF16

I did not know that. So lets say I have OE on 3 XX days. I finish OE on 18 December and have reserve days on 19 and 20 December. That means I'm off reserve both those days and I have a freebie in the bank for the next time I sit reserve?

EDIT: and as a follow-up, if I pick up any open flying would that be paid above reserve guarantee since it would be flown on an XX or ** day?

Originally Posted by Doug Masters

I recall many years ago they wanted 4 types. Then just a few years ago they were bragging about having many different fleets to "right size" the airplane for the market. Now they wanna go back to fewer types.

Originally Posted by DLpilot

As someone mentioned earlier, the best deal is to call scheduling on your last day of OE prior to duty out and ask for a blank line. You will have any day off that you want for the rest of December (hint...Christmas). It is up to you to fill up with trips from the pot. The key is that you get first choice on the trips before regular line holders. I have done this twice after training. I was able to fill the rest of the month easy and had a great schedule. You just have to be in a category with plenty of open time.

Originally Posted by gr8vu

June new hire on 320 in NYC who got off reserve this month--followed advice here and asked for APD or PD to drop Christmas trip and got awarded APD today. Still have to work Thanksgiving and New Years but psyched to have one good deal.