Thanks for all the input, good and bad. Can someone tell my how the reserve policy works at Pinnacle? also give me an example on what a typical reserve schedule is like.
Reserve schedule is 5 on 3 off, 5 on 2 off. Senority goes quick, so you can probably hold a couple or three weekends off after the class behind you goes online. Callout is 1 1/2 hours. Home reserve times are usually like 5 A.M. to 5 P.M. or 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. You can be extended into your day off twice a month and up to nine times a year. You can refuse an extension once a month. Since the reserve LOA went into place 2 winters ago, I never had a problem getting a comp day the following month, you put the form in, and you get one of the 2 days you select. Extensions aren't that bad unless you made plans on your last night of a 5 day block. You are usually released between 8-9 the next morning.
There is a first call/last call system, which they kind of honor. My old roommate and I compared for a few months, and with him being on first call, he typically flew 10-15 hours more a month than I did on last call.
It is also very helpful to self-notify. I sat an entire month of reserve once without talking to a scheduler. I would look at crewtrac, self notify and go fly the trips they assigned. If you don't like what is on your calendar, make them call you and assign it to you, they might get nervous and give it to someone else. Then again, they might not.
I will tell you the two BIGGEST secrets to happily sitting reserve at Pinnacle, and avoiding JM's and extensions once you become a line holder. Number one and most importantly: Don't Pi$$ off crew scheduling. If you get mouthy with them, argue with them, curse at them or do anything but be polite and take what they give you, you will get a little smiley face drawn by your name on the call list. Do it to two or three of them and you will make the master smiley face list. If you get on that list, God help you. There isn't much in our contract to protect you from a vengeful scheduler, and they can do some stuff to you like you wouldn't believe. The best advice I can give is to always keep in the back of your mind that no matter how low paid you are, and how crappy reserve can be from time to time, it could be worse, you could be a crew scheduler. The pay is crap, the job is difficult, and getting your butt chewed by pilots and FA's day in and day out could pi$$ off the Pope. Be polite, help them out as much as you can/want to and respect the difficult job they are trying to do, and 90% of them will probably return the favor.
Secret number two: If you aren't sitting reserve right now, don't answer the phone, ever, no exceptions. They know who the suckers are, and that is who they call first. If you don't know who is calling you or it says Private number, don't answer it. If you are in your hotel room on rest, don't answer the phone in the room, nobody but crew scheduling knows you are there, it is them, not some cutie that saw you in the hallway and is calling to see if she can come over for a romp. If you get a wake up call, don't say hello to the machine, just pick the headset up and put it back down, it might not be your wake up call after all. If you are on a trip, you don't have to talk to them till the trip is done, if they really really want to talk to you, they will ACARS you. You can't get junior manned if you don't answer the phone and if you are a sap and do it a couple of times you just made the unoffical first call junior man list.
That's about it.
