PK387

Are they still building FSBs in your category? I haven't seen a single one built this month in my seat.

Spesiellsporing

On every day off put in for VDO’s. When severe weather approaches, go to the airport, let the crew desk know you’re available at a minutes notice and you’ll be shocked at the deals you can make.

kevin18

This sounds like a miserable existence if you need money that badly…

GEARPINSOUT

I got 1 last month but none this month. I've noticed they've bumped up reserve coverage significantly though, so that may be why you're not seeing them.

hummingbear

VDOs used to get called a lot more- as in 120+ hours in a summer month was pretty easy to do-but the policy in recent years has been to treat it as a last resort. Not saying you can’t get them, but scheduling is instructed to offer lineholder premium pay before tapping into VDOs.

hummingbear

This proves what many were saying about FSB all along- that the company was overusing it simply because they could. As soon as a cost was attached, its utilization became a fraction of what it once was.

The FSB add pay is really an ancillary benefit of the new contract. The primary benefit is that now the company only builds these assignments when they deem it necessary to preserve the integrity of the operation; rather than the former guiding principle of “it’s free, might as well…”

navigatro

when you say "work 10 days", does that include days you are on reserve but do not fly? (it should!)

JTwift

I agree it should, too. People who live in base love to spout about how they work x days, but neglect to mention they were on short call for y days.

if you’re on call, you’re working. Act like you’re a commuter and say how many days you work, because you sure aren’t sitting at home for all those days.

that paints a more accurate picture.

i can’t wait for august to get here for the extended callout.

GoCats67

This is the perfect response and does show the huge difference in QOL on reserve when commuting vs living local

Last week I was on call for 5 days. I got a SC on 4 of them. So those 4 days would be in the "y" bucket above.

Now, if you are a commuter that is 4 days away from home and would have been 3 nights in a hotel on your own nickel or in a crash pad. That is definitely 4 real days of work in the way that most of us look at it. if I am out of town because of UA, then that is working as far as I am concerned, doesn't matter what UA has me doing.

However, I live local. So, those 4 "y" days may not be "working" in the same way. They do help me work on my day drinking (been trying to cut back on that anyway) , but other than that I go about my business as usual. Obviously I am still on call and if I get called for a trip then those days go in the "x" bucket and that is definitely real work.

I guess what I am saying is while all "y" days are working, that "work" is not created equal, depending on where you live.

Once August rolls around and these new rules/bidding opportunites are implemented it is going to be very interesting to see how bidding and utilization plays out. Figure it will take several months for everything to settle in on what the consequences really are, but I imagine we will see some significant changes in bidding strategies.

GEARPINSOUT

I'm on reserve so I will "work" the 18 contractual days. BUT I live in base so I get to take the kids to school and pick them up most days, read them stories most nights and cook dinner with the family most nights.

I choose to live in base and I choose to bid reserve to get the best QOL available at my seniority level. Some months I do well, some months are a little skinny.