Since the current CBA was ratified in 2005, I've been on the 7/7 schedule, however, I'll be going to the reserve schedule shortly due to aircraft transition training.
My wife really likes the 7/7 schedule because it gives us a constant schedule with known days off weeks or months in advance. We simply plan to do things during my off week. I haven't had an instance where I "needed" a certain day off during a tour. However, when my wife and I moved a few years ago, the company did work with me to take a short, unpaid leave. But that was under the prior contract.
Some guys really like our current Reserve (18 day) schedule. They have 2 blocks of hard days (H days) off per month, subject, though to certain limitiations (read: holidays). Those days are supposed to be awarded by seniority. Some guys claim that with shrewd placement of H days, the company often has a difficult time working them up to the 18-day limit. But like I said, I'm just heading to the Reserve schedule so I can't comment on it from personal experience.
As for our current IBB negotiations, it will impact scheduling in a big way. The current 7/7 will stay as is. Reserve will be modified by the loss of the 2 blocks of H days per month; however, the company will post a pilot's Reserve schedule on the 15th of the preceeding month. And there will be a new schedule added, the 15-day flex. The flex schedule will consist of 3 5-day tours each month but unlike the proposed 18-day Reserve schedule, there will not be a posting of the work days during the preceeding month.
I hope that answers some of your questions. If not, please feel free to PM me.
