SWA question

[asacap]

I was wondering if someone could post the reserve rules at swa. Thank you very much

 

[PTinbound]

It's basically a 2 hour call up from what I've been told. Allow a half hour for getting from the parking lot to check in as well.
For more specific policies we'd have to get some input from someone who is already there.

 

[Cosmo007]

Been on reserve here since Mar 02, currently in Hou.

Pilots have a 2 hour call out - must be able to report within 2 hours of notification.

Two Duty periods (AM and PM). On call roughly 0400-1900 or 1100-0200 local domicile time (varies slightly dom-dom).

Bid lines of 15 days reserve, mostly in blocks of 3 or 4 days, generally same days of the week, all the same AM or PM for the bid line.

Last day released after 10 hours if not assigned.

Can be utilized up to 15 hours duty day/8 hours block.

Can try to giveaway trips once assigned. Can try to split assigned trips as they pass through domicile (must give away from break to the end). You can giveaway or trade reserve blocks with other pilots (for either reserve or flying trips). You cannot split a reserve block for giveaway/trade except from the current day to the end of the block.

Monthly guarantee is 6 trips x # of days (generally 90 trips). If you fly over the guarantee you get what you actually flew. All other flying is paid above this (open time/giveaways, etc.). The past few months, most FO's in Hou have been pretty close, if not over the guarantee; personally, I've been over by approx 10 trips/month the past 3 months (and I try to pass!)

Reserve days carry a 6 block hour weight per day for scheduling legality purposes for opentime/giveaway/extra fly. For a 4 day reserve block this is reduced to 5 block hours per day. This does not limit what scheduling can actually assign you during a particular block of reserve - only limited by 8/1 30/7, 100/30.

There is a callout order, but it is based on how much reserve flying you have done so far that month and how much reserve liability you still have to go. This prevents folks from cherry picking one reserve block and passing trips to the full-time reserve guys.

Hope this helps. PM me if you have any other specific questions.

Cosmo

 

[ivauir]

2 hours from callout to checkin - in three months I've never had less than 10 hours notice. Call out order is determined by the number of days you have left in your reserve block (ie they use a guy with two days left for a two day trip and the guy with three days will sit), then by your RAP (a number determined by how many reserve days you have left in the month, and how much you have flown) and finally, your preferance. The bench isn't very deep though so plan on flying >50% of the time regardless of your preferamce. You get paid 6 trips for pay (TFP) if you do not fly and 6.5 if you do. It is possible to get paid more than the monthly guarantee - I did it in September and I bid "pass"!

For more information go to Airline contracts and do a search of the SWA contract under "reserve".

Best of luck - this is a great place to work even in the bottom 2% of senority.

 

[StarrBuck]

I have only been on reserve since July, but I have been used every day that I have been on reserve except for two.. The majority of the time I have been assigned a trip the day prior, but have had a coupleof short notice calls.. Overall, pretty easy especially with 15 days off..

SB

 

[InHot]

Hey Cosmos

Great summation of the reserve system. I was sitting here trying to figure out how to encapsulate the reserve system into a coherent synopsis - and BINGO - I see you have already done it!

So... ASACAP - what he said!

P.S. One more thing - just like any other airline - being on reserve sucks (at least from my perspective) - but I'd rather to be able to complain about being on reserve than wondering WHEN OR IF - I'm going to get on and feel the LUV!

Good luck to all you guys looking in from the outside. This place is great!

 

[RJones]

Preferamce ... try it, it's a new perfum for those on reserve.

 

[ivauir]

"Preferamce" anything to make me smell better after a 4 day!

BTW the 6.5 TFP I describe isn't as good as it sounds. What it means is that when scheduling splits a trip for reserve it must pay at least 6.5 per day of flying. You still have to beat the guarantee for the month to get paid more.

A couple of examples:
-assume you have a 4 day block for the month and that is your only reserve
-you fly a three day that pays 8 for the first day 5 for the second and 7 for the last
-the trip pays 20 but you get paid 24 for the block. this means you get paid only 4 TFP the day you sit.

-assume a 2 day block
-you fly a turn the first day that would only pay 2.4 but the rig applies and you get 6.5
-the second day you fly a turn that pays 8.5
your guarantee was 12 but you get paid 15 TFP.

I hope that I explained this right and that it makes sense. The bottom line is that a month of reserve when you are close to the guarantee is pretty rough but a small block isn't bad. Now that the school year has started we seem to be flying a lot more.

 

[asacap]

Thank you for the responses. I really appreciate it. Thanks again.