Herkflyr

That is an excellent question. I wish I knew a better answer. I know that there have been a couple of good replies to you. Absent a better one, I have also been burned in the past, and took these pointers to heart:

1. Never assume that "reserve is junior." Yes, it has been that way traditionally throughout the industry, and at DAL. But depending on the category it in fact may go quite senior. Therefore never assume "hey I know I can get those days off as a regular lineholder, so it naturally follows that I will also be able to get those same days off on reserve."

2. Always understand that reserve and regular bid groups are two unrelated entities. How one group pans out doesn't really predict how the other one does. Evidently, seniority and all its considerations only apply within the bid group types, not the entire category.

3. Always "hope for the best and plan for the worst." If you are going to start with a reserve bid group (like I did for Dec) always preface any Vacation Slide and Prefer Off preference with "Else Start Next Bid Group." After getting similarly burned by not putting that qualifier in a year ago, I learned my lesson for the Super Bowl (which I believe was Feb 6). I started with a reserve bid group, put in "Prefer Off Feb 6, Else Start Next Bid Group." Guess what? I got a regular line, but with Feb 6 off, while guys senior to me with reserve lines were Coveraged/Unstacked into an on call day on Feb 6.

4. I am not happy with how senior the Coverage awards are going up the reserve schedules--at all. I'd like to see a good answer from the company and union, because I don't think that the extent you have described is appropriate. Until then, however, always heed points 1-3.

crewdawg

Don't have access to a civilian computer right now and my phone keyboard is jacked up, so I apologize in advance, but I'll keep it short. Bottom line, coverage isn't about "spreading out flying," as much as it ensuring they can cover the trips with reserves available. I bet if you looked in your reasons report, alot of people bidding for lines didn't attach an "else start next" or "clear schedule start next," to their final line bid. I'd also wager that there were a few trips awarded over the holidays in the senior part of your cateogry, which could also help alleviate line holder coverage. If a bunch of people are awarded trips on, or near, Christmas because they didn't have an ESN or CSSN, then there was likely no need for coverage. OR there was a screw up, either way I'd submit a bid inquiry and see what comes back.



This is mostly true. Everyone has the right to bid a line or reserve and that is honored in seniority order. You're bid will always be honored in seniority order, it just might not be what you intended. This part needs to be better, you shouldn't have to be a subject matter expert on this stuff to bid. But if you bypass a line, then you have to know that you may be subject to coverage when junior folks thay have lines may not. I play the reserve game and understand this...I advocate to get our pwa changed, but for now I play the within the lane I'm given.



This!


Ya man, take that up with our union. It's our own crappy rules wrt to PBS line generation. If you dig in the PWA (12.M.5) you'll see that in many categories, for reserve, each day is only required to be available as an X-day once! That means the number 2 guy on reserve could be forced onto coverage...and in extreme situations, so could the number one reserve bidder. For line holders the highest it can go is 75% (50% during holiday months) of the total line holders for the month. These won't change until people stop taking the "reserve is a choice" mentality wrt to bettering our reserve work rules. As a home based, chronic reserve bidder, I'm with you both on this.

LumberJack

This is worth repeating.

The company also has complete freedom to max out coverage every month regardless of need. Said another way, they can force all 75% of reserves onto days that are already over staffed. So you'll look at the reserve numbers and see huge over staffing on days marked as needing coverage by the company.

And with how difficult it is to manipulate RSV days, you can't easily move off those over staffed days.

Reserve rules certainly need some work.

Scoop

If you want a great example of how “weird” reserve coverage awards can be look at MSP 73N A for November. From the 5th most senior Pilot in category, the second most senior reserve, all were forced into coverage.

Scoop

Gunfighter

Thanks to all who shared your knowledge on the coverage awards. Repeating "Else Start Next, Else Start Next, Else Start Next" is now part of my morning affirmations from the 5th-11th every month.

Jaww

Are they re-running (some, namely 320B) awards again?

Myfingershurt

Yep. My schedule was just too nice. They couldn’t let that happen. Had to give me a 30 hour in Fargo instead of three overnights in Florida.

LumberJack

Just order three JL Beer burgers and hibernate until show time.

Jodaaddy

Scheduling question for the gurus. If I’m in category with a reserve line but not qualified, is there any reason I can’t be awarded a green slip? No training scheduled on my line and no NQAT either, just reserve and X days.

Denny Crane

Uhhhhh, if you are not qualified in your current category, I would say no you cannot be awarded a GS because, well, you are not qualified

Denny