The junior pilot reserve cycle
04-12-2023, 09:31 PM
#1
Gets Weekends Off
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Joined APC: Dec 2007
Posts: 666
The junior pilot reserve cycle
Here’s a clue for those who need it. This is a hypothetical scenario.
If reserve sucks, you can fix it two ways. Spend negotiating capital to improve the system, or let the company do it to stay competitive. A bunch of pilots were hired in to FO reserve seats and said this sucks, so they didn’t upgrade to Capt until they knew they’d be above the g-line. They’re now above the g line and are torn because they have other interests they’d like to see improved. A bunch of really junior (life in general, in aviation, and obviously junior to company) people come on board and can’t believe how junior Capt is going. They are thinking, wow, I might actually be able to get a bid i never saw coming a year ago. They just got off reserve in the right seat, and agree it sucks, but they recognize there is so much chatter that it needs to be fixed with contract negotiations that if it does get fixed then Capt will go senior. It’ll then be too senior to get in. Hmmm. So they take the bid thinking it’s now or never. At the same time the company shifts flying around to entice even more bids. Now all of sudden there aren’t enough empty Capt bids to make the company care. The union becomes torn because 80% of the group isn’t on reserve so how much should be spent to fix it. Reserve never gets fixed and those that took early bids are left holding the bag somewhat. Well, for 2 years anyway. Then their seat lock is up, they bid over to WB FO, and those that convinced the company to not unilaterally care by filling all the bids, leave the seat anyway for a better schedule. Aaaaand they become replaced by more fools. Funny cycle imo!
Btw, getting 10am back wasn’t a gain, it was a reversion to status quo.
If reserve sucks, you can fix it two ways. Spend negotiating capital to improve the system, or let the company do it to stay competitive. A bunch of pilots were hired in to FO reserve seats and said this sucks, so they didn’t upgrade to Capt until they knew they’d be above the g-line. They’re now above the g line and are torn because they have other interests they’d like to see improved. A bunch of really junior (life in general, in aviation, and obviously junior to company) people come on board and can’t believe how junior Capt is going. They are thinking, wow, I might actually be able to get a bid i never saw coming a year ago. They just got off reserve in the right seat, and agree it sucks, but they recognize there is so much chatter that it needs to be fixed with contract negotiations that if it does get fixed then Capt will go senior. It’ll then be too senior to get in. Hmmm. So they take the bid thinking it’s now or never. At the same time the company shifts flying around to entice even more bids. Now all of sudden there aren’t enough empty Capt bids to make the company care. The union becomes torn because 80% of the group isn’t on reserve so how much should be spent to fix it. Reserve never gets fixed and those that took early bids are left holding the bag somewhat. Well, for 2 years anyway. Then their seat lock is up, they bid over to WB FO, and those that convinced the company to not unilaterally care by filling all the bids, leave the seat anyway for a better schedule. Aaaaand they become replaced by more fools. Funny cycle imo!
Btw, getting 10am back wasn’t a gain, it was a reversion to status quo.
04-13-2023, 12:10 AM
#2
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,597
I don’t think management is really worried about unfilled captain vacancies. How many is United hiring a month… that is about how many people are becoming eligible to bid Captain every month.
As a new contract comes close (I predict 2024), many will realize their window of opportunity to bid captain while junior is quickly closing and bid over to the left seat.
If you’re going to be junior, you might as well be junior flying with your favorite captain and making 300k+ a year.
As a new contract comes close (I predict 2024), many will realize their window of opportunity to bid captain while junior is quickly closing and bid over to the left seat.
If you’re going to be junior, you might as well be junior flying with your favorite captain and making 300k+ a year.
Last edited by iahflyr; 04-13-2023 at 12:21 AM.
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