Southwest questions
04-27-2017, 06:16 PM
#391
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Apr 2013
Posts: 3,721
I commuted to reserve for about 18 months. It sucked the life out of me. I commuted in early for PM reserve and often sat in the lounge for 7 hours waiting to report and fly one or two legs. This was under the old pay rules where you had to work the system a lot more to ensure you got paid for your days at work.
Holding a line has been the single greatest thing that has happened to me for pay, flexibility, and quality of life.
Holding a line has been the single greatest thing that has happened to me for pay, flexibility, and quality of life.
04-27-2017, 09:58 PM
#392
Working weekends
Joined APC: Jul 2005
Position: Left Seat
Posts: 2,384
I was pretty lucky on reserve as a commuter. I'd usually bid PM reserve and I'd commute in the morning of. By the time I got to my domicile, I'd have a trip already. Often time, my trip would either end in domicile in time to make my commute home (usually the last flight), or I'd have a DH back to domicile the last day from which I'd regularly get released and catch a ride home.
In 3 months, I think I only spent a total of 3 nights in a hotel on my dime. YMMV.
In 3 months, I think I only spent a total of 3 nights in a hotel on my dime. YMMV.
"hey dispatch, you got anything for me"
if you were a reserve commuter and just flew, ate, slept, it would make day go by
or are you just supposed to wait for your number to come up
sitting around would blow
04-28-2017, 06:05 AM
#394
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Nov 2015
Posts: 105
Dal, hou, den, Mdw all in 3 months.
When you're on reserve think of it as not reserve but rather a line in which you don't know what you're doing till the day of. You'll fly 95% of the days on reserve. Especially with the new pay it's rare to sit more than a day a month. At least that's my experience.
Min days off are 15 a month on reserve. 90% of reserve will be on at least 1 weekend day if not all weekends. 3days off in between. Commuting on reserve sucks IMO the rules still need tweaking on this issue. If you live in base it can be great.
There is a new reserve call out order coming on the 28th of April if the system doesn't crash where it will go by pass/fly based on seniority. This may be a way to sit at home for the senior guys although most reserves get used everyday already.
Often on reserve you'll get more than 110tfp/month simply cause you'll fly everyday. My least amount of pay on reserve since the new contract has been 125tfp/month.
It took me 9 months to get off reserve in BWI, but BWI wasn't as junior as it is now. Maybe 6months now?
Call out is 2hrs
When you're on reserve think of it as not reserve but rather a line in which you don't know what you're doing till the day of. You'll fly 95% of the days on reserve. Especially with the new pay it's rare to sit more than a day a month. At least that's my experience.
Min days off are 15 a month on reserve. 90% of reserve will be on at least 1 weekend day if not all weekends. 3days off in between. Commuting on reserve sucks IMO the rules still need tweaking on this issue. If you live in base it can be great.
There is a new reserve call out order coming on the 28th of April if the system doesn't crash where it will go by pass/fly based on seniority. This may be a way to sit at home for the senior guys although most reserves get used everyday already.
Often on reserve you'll get more than 110tfp/month simply cause you'll fly everyday. My least amount of pay on reserve since the new contract has been 125tfp/month.
It took me 9 months to get off reserve in BWI, but BWI wasn't as junior as it is now. Maybe 6months now?
Call out is 2hrs
Its much easier said than done, but if you can move within a 2-hour drive of a domicile your quality of life will increase exponentially. Its a different job when you drive to work.
RSV work rules are a little iffy, but the pay is certainly not. I live in domicile and have bid back to RSV for some time now, but the stay on RSV at most junior domiciles isnt very long, especially if you dont mind working weekends. Good luck to all, great time to get hired!
04-28-2017, 08:38 AM
#395
At your mom's house
Joined APC: Jun 2008
Position: cpt 737
Posts: 2,835
Now that I'm on a blank line commuting has gotten better. I can usaully elitt or trade 75% of my trips to get days off I need. I usually get at least one weekend day off and one full weekend off a month. May I got all weekends off including memorial weekend using elitt.
I still use th crashpad as I end up having a night there either before or at end of trip since there isn't a whole lot of options and trips are rarely commutable. There are a few tho.
That all being said I am moving to a base in June. It just makes sense to have that many more days at home and flexibility.
I still use th crashpad as I end up having a night there either before or at end of trip since there isn't a whole lot of options and trips are rarely commutable. There are a few tho.
That all being said I am moving to a base in June. It just makes sense to have that many more days at home and flexibility.
05-01-2017, 09:36 AM
#396
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Oct 2006
Posts: 471
Calling scheduling should have zero effect. Once the new reserve call-out order is implemented, who is next up will be clear and contractual. If you are a commuter on reserve and want to fly, you mark that in your preference. Most people living in base will pass on flying, so you'll get called first.
As far as getting Denver as a base, don't count on that happening quickly. Denver is slowly growing, but may shrink again in the fall. Thanks to the circadian low issue (whining) west coast jobs are moving east. All of the awarded FO spots in Denver for June went very senior. No junior pilots were added.
As far as getting Denver as a base, don't count on that happening quickly. Denver is slowly growing, but may shrink again in the fall. Thanks to the circadian low issue (whining) west coast jobs are moving east. All of the awarded FO spots in Denver for June went very senior. No junior pilots were added.
05-01-2017, 12:00 PM
#397
Strike averted!
Joined APC: Mar 2015
Position: B737
Posts: 3,821
SWAPA and SWA data indicate that fatigue calls in these situations are immensely high.
To call it "whining" is unsafe.
And FWIW, I have moved up ten numbers as a PHX FO in the last two bids.
05-01-2017, 12:26 PM
#398
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Dec 2016
Posts: 139
As far as getting Denver as a base, don't count on that happening quickly. Denver is slowly growing, but may shrink again in the fall. Thanks to the circadian low issue (whining) west coast jobs are moving east. All of the awarded FO spots in Denver for June went very senior. No junior pilots were added.
05-01-2017, 12:31 PM
#399
Furloughed Again?!
Joined APC: Aug 2007
Position: Boeing 737
Posts: 4,804
I don't support this statement, and neither does SWAPA, ALPA, John and Martha King, or the NTSB for that matter. Circadian Dysrythmia is real and is a threat. It's a problem at all airlines. A west coast crew having a 0200 wakeup with a full day of flying may face more than weather and delays, especially for our reserve folks that may be shifted from PM to AM flying during the same reserve block.
SWAPA and SWA data indicate that fatigue calls in these situations are immensely high.
To call it "whining" is unsafe.
And FWIW, I have moved up ten numbers as a PHX FO in the last two bids.
SWAPA and SWA data indicate that fatigue calls in these situations are immensely high.
To call it "whining" is unsafe.
And FWIW, I have moved up ten numbers as a PHX FO in the last two bids.
Yup. Agree 100%. The company is taking some responsibility for managing fatigue. They deserve an attaboy for that.
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