Let's compare reserve policies

[propjockey]

I'm on reserve (never thought I would be again) at SkyWest due to Expressjet taking all our flying Just kidding about that last part...

Anyway, our reserve policies suck. Believe it or not, reserve at Great Lakes was actually a lot better.

1. At SkyWest you have to "break guarantee" of 75 hours credit before any credit over daily guarantee (3:45 hrs) applies. (ex. you fly 6:25 on any given day, but don't break 75 hrs credit for the month. At SkyWest, you lose everything in excess of 3:45 on that day).

2. If they call you out for any duty on a reserve day, only your actual credit applies. (ex. Yesterday I flew a round trip that credited only 2:49. That's all I get UNLESS I break 75 hrs credit for the month, then it will be reconciled up to 3:45 min for that day). I argue that the policy should change so that, if they call you out to do anything on a day, you should credit no less than 3:45 toward breaking your 75 hrs.

3. We have "call first" preference at SkyWest, but it does not include the right of first refusal. Do any of you have right of first refusal at your company?

So my question is this -- at your regional (or major), how does reserve work? Does anyone get min daily guarantee if they are actually called out? What about breaking monthly guarantee?

 

[sweptback]

ASA:

First, we have long call (12 hour), short call (2 hour), and ready (paid at 4 hours per session).

11 days off, with 6 "golden days" and the rest can be moved only once before they're set in stone.

Call out is based first on "call me first" in seniority order, then to the other pilots in your bucket in order of credit hours for the month.

We have a website where we can see where we stand on the list, as well as the schedules of every other reserve pilot.

Pay is by the greater of block time, min day (3:45), rigs (1:2 until 12 hours, 1:1 after, but only for your first scheduled assignment), or any credits (like 4 hours for ready, deadhead, etc).

It's very possible to break guarantee because every day you're called out on reserve you get at least 3:45.

If you go over 75 block hours in a month, you retroactively get 3:45 for every reserve day you weren't called. This probably won't happen unless we're very short staffed or you happen to get all 4-day trips or something.

I'm sure ours isn't the best out there, but given what we had before (where I spent about a year of my career here at ASA), it's a much-needed improvement.

 

[John Pennekamp]

I'm on reserve (never thought I would be again) at SkyWest due to Expressjet taking all our flying Just kidding about that last part...

Anyway, our reserve policies suck. Believe it or not, reserve at Great Lakes was actually a lot better.

1. At SkyWest you have to "break guarantee" of 75 hours credit before any credit over daily guarantee (3:45 hrs) applies. (ex. you fly 6:25 on any given day, but don't break 75 hrs credit for the month. At SkyWest, you lose everything in excess of 3:45 on that day).

2. If they call you out for any duty on a reserve day, only your actual credit applies. (ex. Yesterday I flew a round trip that credited only 2:49. That's all I get UNLESS I break 75 hrs credit for the month, then it will be reconciled up to 3:45 min for that day). I argue that the policy should change so that, if they call you out to do anything on a day, you should credit no less than 3:45 toward breaking your 75 hrs.

3. We have "call first" preference at SkyWest, but it does not include the right of first refusal. Do any of you have right of first refusal at your company?

So my question is this -- at your regional (or major), how does reserve work? Does anyone get min daily guarantee if they are actually called out? What about breaking monthly guarantee?

That sounds exactly like our new reserve system at ASA. It's a huge improvement.

Before, reserves were under a special section of the contract which basically said none of the contract applies to you. You got basic 75 hour guarantee every month, and block over if you actually broke guarantee (rare). And there was no call order. Your call me first/last bid sheet was taped to a stack of pizzas and delivered to crew scheduling. Same goes for your "request only" bid sheet for off days and on call period. They could move your days off, take them away, extend you at will with no compensation. Basically, you made little money and had no quality of life whatsoever. You were the company's biatch. So what you have doesn't sound too bad, since we just got it. Of course, ours is guaranteed and yours can be changed at any time.

 

[rumrnr78]

Thank God ASA got a better reserve policy. Actually looks liveable! The only thing keeping my sanity on reserve in DFW was the "nap reserve" schedule I had during the summer of 2003, 1800-2400 and when I got real lucky I had 1900-2400 for a month!
Ah, the memories...

 

[10nCLR]

Ah, yes, the memories.

 

[Whiskey Tango]

Believe it or not, reserve at Great Lakes was actually a lot better.

Actually Lakes changed it. Straight block counting towards 75 hours.