TONY: Reserve Month Pay Snapshot

Here's my full month's pay for the Reserve Experiment:

                                     Paid 3/1/2014                  Paid 3/16/2014                       Paid 2/16/2014*

Regular Earning              $2101.20 (40 hrs)            $1313.25 (25 hrs)                    $1313.25
Incentive                              25.00                                 0.00                                          0.00
Flt Pay Bal                              0.00                            369.08 (6 hrs)                         2172.87
Health Cr EE                        24.00                              24.00                                        24.00
Txble Per Diem                       0.00                             17.65                                       573.13

Total Gross Payments        2150.20                         1723.98                                    4082.25

- Deductions                       -864.80                       -1206.94                                   -1785.26

Total Net Pay                   $1285.40                        $517.04                                   $2296.99

(* 2/16/2014 Pay information included for comparison purposes.)

TONY: There's a Price to be Paid

...and I had a suspicion it would be steep!  The net on today's check is $517.04!

I normally clear >$2500 on my mid-month paycheck when flying a normal schedule.  (Normal, for me, is my line plus 1 extra 15-20 hour trip, or so.)

In order to keep my Reserve Experiment pay in perspective, I was only paid for 71 hours (83 hour Reserve guarantee less 3 days of Emergency Drop/No Pay at 4 hours each).  Had I received the entire 83 hour guarantee amount, I would have made approximately $630.00 more, less taxes.

It is a significant difference in the amount I'm accustomed to "bringing home" but, may I remind you, I only actually worked 2 hours, 44 minutes for the month?

For clarification purposes, this pay amount represents:

25 hours                                      $1313.25
"Clean Up" Pay (approx 6 hrs)        369.08
Per Diem                                           17.65
Health Credit                                     24.00
----------------------------------------------
Total Gross                                 $1723.98

(The NET amount of $517.04 is the gross less taxes and LOTS of deductions!)

CYBILL & TONY: We Meet at Last!

We meet at last!

UA58 IAHAMS 4MAR

What a lovely, clear early-spring evening in Amsterdam!  Perfect night for a walk to The Bird for Thai food.

and, of course, another selfie...

CYBILL: My Last Trip as a Liineholder, cont'd.

Yesterday was my last trip as a line holder and it was bitter sweet. I had an amazing month and will never forget it. It helped me make a decision that affects my future. Here is the rundown of my month as A zone galley heading to Frankfurt. 

I began the month with a virus that had me down for the count for weeks. I was able to trade my trip and make sure that I was 100% healthy. I compared it to my friend that had the samething, but on reserve. She called out for 3 days and had to finish getting well traveling. Needless to say it was an eye opener on just how much more flexible your schedule really is. 

My first trip I was introduced to my fearless leader for the month Paul Moet, he is the sweetest, most welcoming person. I only hope to fly with him again. I also had the pleasure of flying with Gaye and if you have ever had that opportunity then you are lucky. She can run circles around just about everyone. Had dinner and talked with her that night. She's an amazing lady. 

My second trip was just as eventful as the first. Went to dinner with the crew and had drinks in the lobby. We talked and I got to know everyone better. This trip I flew with Elizabeth. I remember her because my first trip to Frankfurt she was the one that walked around the entire city of Mainz with me to make sure I didn't miss anything. She is very sweet and giving. This trip she asked me if my pictures turned out okay, also if I needed to visit anyplace else. 

My last trip that ended yesterday was I would have to say the most trying of the month. It was the trip that really finalized my decision that I have been fighting with all month. The layover was great had Chilean food with the crew and my friend and I headed down the festival that is similar to Mardi Gras, where being from Louisiana made me feel at home. Experienced a free concert and met The Cape Crusader. I also had the pleasure of having to walk up the hill to get to the van in the am because the streets were closed. Lol never forget that. Lol

Overall the month was great as I will never forget it for as long as I am a flight attendant. All because of an act of kindness by Tony Reece. He didn't have to do it he just did. I have heard amazing things about this man and was so looking forward to meeting him in the near future and low and behold I'm sleeping thinking that I'm not going to get used the first 3 days. People have been sitting all month. No way!!!

While I was dreaming of my plans to celebrate Fat Tuesday and what time I'm getting my ashes on Wednesday my phone rings. "Flight Attendant Bridges, we have a 3 day for you. Your fa04 on Amsterdam today." Ok I can deal with that. Something told me to look up the crew. Guess who I have the pleasure of flying with today??...... No one other than Mr. Tony Reece!!! I'm really excited and this is the perfect way to end my line holder month, meeting the man that made it possible and being able to toast with him and give him a huge hug. 

Have a blessed day everyone, stay safe and warm. I know I am blessed.

TONY: Statistical Summary.

Duty days:  20 (reduced to 17 by 3 x EDNP)

Line held:  Call-Out G (1100-1900)

Conversions to Ready Reserve:  4 (the first 3 days of the month and 1-2MAR)  

Trips assigned:  1 (2MAR)

Hard hours flown: 2:44

DH hours flown: 2:52

Airport Alert (Standby) hours:  12:00 (3 assignments of 4 hours each)

EXTENDED Airport Alert (Standby) up to 6 hours:  0

Other "soft" hours:  5:00 for CQ, including CBT (15-16FEB)

Pay hours:  71:00 (reduced by 3 Emergency Drops/No Pay from 83:00)

Airport Alert:  3 (2@0555 and 1@0930.  Released to cell phone on all [i.e. not required to remain in crew room]).

Grievances filed:  1 (denied contractual ability to makeup 2 of the 3 EDNPs on days off)

Phone calls TO Scheduling:  ??  (With 1 notable exception, all friendly and informative)

Phone calls FROM Scheduling:  1 (courtesy call at 2030 to advise of an early AAA the following morning)

"Quick" calls:  0

Phone calls TO/FROM Scheduling that ended in a smile or laughter:  80%

Days Off rolled:  0

Bumped from a trip:  0

Bumped from a position:  0

Acknowledgements during the "2100 window":  6 (4 for COG and 2 for AAA )

Acknowledgements OUTSIDE the "2100 window":  1 (for my DH to ORD/work back at 0710 for a 1545 check-in)

PB&Js (prepared/not used):  4

Yogurt cups (expired):  4

Uniforms used:  1 (I know, gross!  But I'm on Reserve, okay?)

1 Half bath re-painted

2 Bathtubs re-caulked

1 Shed cleaned and organized

TurboTax installed on 1 PC and 1 Mac
Living room curtains taken down, laundered, pressed, re-hung
REGULAR gym attendance

TONY: "Flight Attendant Reece...

You are released to your March line."

TONY: A 2 hour, 44 minute Work Month

A month that started with excitement and the nervous anticipation of the unknown, ended with the whimper of realization that it was almost over...and WHAT a whimper!

2 hours, 44 minutes.  

Aside from the Airport Alert (Standby) and CQ time that I accrued in February, my only "hard time" contribution to my pay guarantee was UA1471 ORDIAH on March 2nd.  At present, I'm spending the last hour or so of my final duty period considering how to approach a summary of the month.  More immediately, I'm preparing for my return to lineholder status with a trip to Amsterdam tomorrow. 

If I continue my trend, I'll be ready to revisit the Reserve life again in 2044!  What a ridiculous thought!  But then, wouldn't 2014 have seemed JUST as ridiculous the last time I sat Reserve in 1984?

CYBILL: My Last Trip as a Lineholder

Headed to work. My last trip as a line holder. It was an amazing month.

(upon arriving in Frankfurt...)
Time for a nap and then check out the festivities. I guess they have a form of Mardi Gras here in Mainz too. Uh oh they don't know that NOLA is in da bulidin', they ain't ready. Lol

TONY: I GOT A TRIP!

Okay, so it's not much of a trip but I finally got one!

AND...

I got it through an acknowledgement when I got up this morning:

This is really pretty cool!

TONY: Airport Alert, Day 3

* * *  F L E X I B I L I T Y  * * *

Airport Alert for the 3rd time in 5 days (can you say "pound of flesh"?)

But this time it's at a more reasonable hour:  9:30am.  Hmmm.  I have 3 duty days left, including today and start my March line on the 4th.  So, they can either send me to Tokyo and deadhead me home, Tokyo-Denver then home, or the 3day Amsterdam trip (which I'm flying all of March).

OR

They can surprise me with something TOTALLY unforeseen.  Oh, the adventure of it all!  (FYI:  my bag is packed for a 6-day trip!)

1130  The 6-day NRT trip checked in and departed, including the 1 position (chaser) that does a 3-day IAH/NRT/IAH.  I'm scheduled to go off duty at 1330, just before the AMS trip checks-in.  I've been checking and that trip doesn't show any open positions.  I suppose that, if suitably motivated, CS could send me home and have me come back to cover FRA (3-day) tonight.  Wouldn't that be cool?  Cybill is flying forward galley on that...maybe we could meet!

TONY: Last Day Off

Today, February 28th, is my last scheduled Day Off in my Reserve month.  Tomorrow, I start my final block of 3 duty days before I begin flying my March schedule to Amsterdam on the 4th.

Given all that information...

Do you think I'll fly this month?

TONY: Airport Alert, Day 2

I think I've got it figured out now. 

TONY: Rats! They found me.

I have been dutifully checking my schedule in CCS every night at 9pm, as directed by my peers, for my "acknowledgements" from Crew Scheduling.  As of the 23rd of the month, I've received 3:  all the same, all re-confirming that I am Call-Out G and on duty the following day from 1100 until 1900.

It was always the same.  Until last night, that is.  Although I'm not a fan of the phrasing, 

"Sh!t just got real!'

Shortly after 2100, I realized that I hadn't yet checked for an acknowledgement coming from my 2 scheduled days off.  So, I picked up the ipad and signed on to CCS.  I couldn't believe my eyes!   "AAA/0555" (Airport Alert at 5:55am).  Was this some kind of cruel joke?  It seems a little unreal, in light of the way the month has gone thusfar.  How could I be assigned something so radically different and never even have to answer the phone?  (The last time I sat Reserve, in 1984, we had no computer, no cell phone and very few people had beepers.  The "mechanics" of reserve were totally different.)

Every duty day this month, I've had everything packed and ready "to go to work" at 1100:  clothes, food, toiletries, medications, etc.  Since we're approaching the end of the month, I suppose I'd been lulled into a false sense of security, a false "reality" that I wasn't going ANYWHERE in February.  When I saw my AAA assignment, the adrenalin went from "time for bed" to DEFCON 5 in an instant.

My "travel yogurt" expired on 2/17 (who knew?), my pill case had 2 days-worth of supply, the PB&J I'd packed (great shelf-life) before leaving to help Mom in Atlanta was, in a word, disgusting, my bedraggled beard needed a trim and the shaved parts of my face needed attention that would be perilous at 0330.  In short, all the things I normally accomplished in preparation for the 1100 start of my regular duty period had to be done ASAP and I had to get to bed...FAST.  Well, as adrenalin will tend to do, it aids in getting the job done but isn't very conducive to sleep.  I was in bed by 2205.  I was still WIDE AWAKE at 0008!

Of course, when the alarm sounded at 0340, I was just getting comfortable in my REM sleep, the deepest and most restful phase of the sleep cycle.  A not-so-friendly elbow to the ribs said that I was the only one NOT responding to the clock.  Here's what I remember:

0340 wake up, coffee, shower, dress, trip-over-the-dog-in-the-dark-so-as-not-to-disturb

0417 out the door (approaching the employee parking lot, a herd of 8 deer appear in the fog and mist, peacefully grazing between the road and lot.  Shouldn't I be grateful for the opportunity to appreciate this rare bit of natural serenity?)

0443 parking lot, where I call CS and talk to J who informs me that she's been on since 1400 yesterday  (I call on my cellphone from the lot because I don't want my fellow Reserves in the Crew Room to know what an AAA virgin I am)  When I ask about leaving the crew room to get something to eat, J says that once in the crew room, CS can release me to my cellphone.

0515  crew room:  Wow, there are Supervisors at the duty desk at this hour!  I sign a piece of paper and check in with CS on the "bat phone".  

"Thank you, Tony.  I'll release you to your cell phone now."

"Wow, thanks J.  Are you releasing me to get something to eat or for the whole 4 hours?"

"No.  You're released to your cell phone for your whole AAA assignment."

0641  The Osaka crew came and went.  Guess I'm also good to cover the Narita trip before I go off duty at 0955 (and probably some Latin America trips, as well).

I keep running into folks who want to stop and chat; some old friends, some new friends (nice to meet you, Jo Palmer!), some just curious about what I'm doing here.  As traumatic as my short night and early wake-up have been, it's just another cog in the wheel, another piece in the puzzle of my reserve experiement.  I wouldn't trade it for anything...(well maybe for a few more hours of sleep).

0810  Using my time wisely:  I spoke to Elizabeth H, my union Grievance Chairperson, about how my request to reinstate duty days to make-up for my EDNP was handled earlier this week.  After a phone call "downtown", we decided that a grievance is in order and the process has started (I should have been allowed to make-up for 2 of the 3 lost days per the contract and that's what I'm asking for as relief.)

0910  My friend Debrah Davis checks in for NRT and the crew room comes ALIVE!  Congratulations Debra on your 35th Anniversary with the company!  (As I took my turn to put my arm around her for a photo, I asked Debrah, "Girl, have you lost your mind flying a 6-day?" 

Without skipping a beat, she looked at me straight-faced and replied, "Chaser Baby!" (she's flying the 3-day "load" position). 

If my phone doesn't ring for another 45 minutes, or so, this will have been quite a fun little adventure.  I've seen faces that I haven't seen in years.  What an interesting place the IAH Crew Room can be.  

0955:02  "Scheduling, this is I."

"Hi, I.  This is XX93 Tango.  Can I go back to bed now?"

"Why would you want to do that?  You're already up now."

"You guys shanghaied me with this.  I wasn't prepared.  You aren't going to do it to me again, tomorrow.  Are you?"

"No.  I swear.  Go back to bed."

"Thanks I.  Laters..."

What are the chances that tomorrow's gooing to be like Groundhog Day (0555 AAA all over again)?

TONY: Reserve Lost Time Make-Up (5-45.19)

I posted the following message in a couple of Reserve-oriented Facebook groups knowing that if anyone had insight, THAT's where I'd find it:

"Wasn't ready for this...

I got back from my family emergency today, 2 days early (a GOOD thing), and have 2 scheduled days off (SU/MO). I call CS to attempt to convert at least 1 of those days to duty so that I can make up some of the time I lost for my Emergency Drops (3 duty days @4 hours each) and was told that there's no way to do that.

Asked for a supervisor and received the same answer, "per the contract". So, my guarantee stands at 71 hours (3 lost duty days) and I'll be in Houston and available but can't make up the lost time.

Shouldn't the contract be flexible enough to allow lost time "make-up", as long as the F/A stays within duty limits?"

Within minutes, I received the feedback I'd been looking for...on BOTH groups!  The Flight Attendant contract does, in fact, address this very situation:

"p. 5-45:

19. Subject to Company agreement, a reserve flight attendant who loses a duty day(s) due to illness, injury or emergency drop will be allowed to make up the lost day(s) on her/his remaining day(s) off that month. The day(s) on which the make-up occurs is subject to mutual agreement. When a lost day is made up in this manner four hours (4:00) will be returned to the flight attendant’s reserve guarantee."

So, I called CS again and asked to speak to a supervisor.  Luckily, the SAME supervisor who had perfunctorily dismissed my earlier request was still on duty.  When I referred her to the appropriate section of the contract, she excused her earlier mistake with, "Oh, I am sub-UA..."  But because time "make-up" requires mutual agreement and only had 2 days where I could "legally" make-up the time, she had to consult coverage numbers AND email the sCO contract expert on how to implement this policy.  She committed to have an answer before her shift ended at 2200.

And she did.  Shortly before 2200, she phoned to say that 79 Reserves are already on for Sunday and over 100 for Monday, so my request would be denied.

Oh well, it was worth a try.  This issue should be addressed in a future contract.  The Reserve could be financially devastated without means to make-up the lost time.

TONY: Home Again

Returning home from ATL for my final 2 Reserve duty periods (3 days each), I'm reminded how capricious our vagabond life can be.  My intention was to remain in Atlanta with my Mom (eventhough we learned yesterday that she was "out of the woods" and well on her way to meaningful recovery) until my Dad's birthday on Monday.  Fate deems otherwise:  all flights ATL/IAH both Sunday and Monday are chockablock full on UA and DL.  Having been afforded the opportunity to fulfill my familial duties while on Reserve, I'm just not the sort to push the envelope and not make it home to fulfill my duty requirements which start again on Tuesday morning.  To put it in 21st century parlance, "that's just not how I roll."

Generationally, my current-day Reserve colleagues and I couldn't be more different, for the most part.    Generally speaking, we are at distinctly different "times of life", with a few exceptions.  I am at the age where aging parents are likely to fall seriously ill, suffer a serious accident, or worse.  Most of my Reserve peers are at the age where their parents are just approaching MY age!  It's a monumental difference that, I think, makes the Reserve Life a little less traumatic for the young ones (many likely relish the thought of escaping the proximity of their parents, at least for a while.)

To face the definitive conclusion of the definitive interpersonal relationship is life-altering.  To face it while attempting to navigate the vagaries of Reserve is incomprehensible, at least to me.  This trip home and the compromises required to make it while on Reserve, have convinced me that any long-term prospect of Reserve duty at this stage of my life would be a "deal-breaker", significant enough to make me consider other employment, even after 30 years of service.  But perhaps my relationship with my family is unique; I can only speak for myself.

I learned yesterday that I will be back to flying 3-day trips in March, to Amsterdam.  I'm already back to the old cycle of looking to add a trip here, deduct one there, just as though the reserve experiment weren't still in progress.  Interestingly, my first Amsterdam in March is on the 4th which is the 1st day of the March bid month.  I have a 3-day Reserve duty period 3/1, 2 & 3.  So, the potential for a month-to-month conflict is significant.

Beyond my schedule, I'm looking to bring my Mom to AMS with me next month, while the loads permit.  Big illnesses can be deflating, moreso to someone of an advanced age.   If they are fit enough, it's important to remind them that life isn't over until it's over.

Don't squander what you have.  Tomorrow may surprise you by taking it away.

TONY: Complications of Reserve

During my Dad's 3 year decline (he passed on Labor Day, 2012), I was frequently with he and my Mom in ATL.  Doctor visits, exotic treatments, help around the house, help administering care and just the ability to be with two of the most important people in my life during the time that they NEEDED me most, were the very tangible benefits of my job as a lineholding Flight Attendant.  Holding, trading, dropping, and picking up just the right trips allowed me the freedom to be where I needed to be, when I needed to be there.

Now, my Mom has a potentially life-threatening condition (blood clots in her lung and leg) which required hospitalization last week and convalescence at home for up to the next 6 months, the first 1 to 2 months of which will be critical.  My situation and the ability to be of tangible help is VERY much impaired by my Reserve status.  For example, in order to relieve my brother who's been providing 24/7 care since Mom's hospitalization, I am bridging my 2 periods of DAYS OFF with 3 duty days for which my supervisor is allowing emergency drops, without pay.  I did make furtive attempts to manipulate my scheduled days off by trading with the "pool" but was unsuccessful.  Even if I had been successful, the result would have been a "drop in the bucket" compared to the level of need for my time.

As a lineholder, my ability to successfully address this personal scheduling situation would be very much different, as it will be when I return to LH status in March.  Moreover, the financial impact to do "the right thing" is potentially enormous!  In order to bridge my days off to allow 6 consecutive days for me to care for Mom, I'm losing 12 hours from my 83 hour guarantee.  (Lest anyone get the wrong idea, I am very much prepared for this eventuality financially.  I undertook this "reserve experiment" with the foreknowledge that anything can happen, literally.  I planned for it and am prepared.  Imagine the potentially disastrous impact on someone who is not prepared and doesn't have the prospect of a "regular schedule" to fall back on in the coming months.)

As our family members age, it's inescapable that we find ourselves questioning their ability to press on under their own steam.  Even if physical health is good, it's difficult to determine the level at which their faculties are functioning:  100%?  It's much more likely some percentage LESS than that!  The more time we spend together, the better able we are to assess.  While the need to be vigilant is there, so is the need to allow aging family to live their own lives independently, if possible.  Love isn't just being there when needed, it's having the sense and courtesy to NOT be there if unwarranted.

So, here we are!  I'm on Day 19 of my February Reserve Experiment and have just finished the second of my two multi-day, large exposure duty blocks.  Other than CQ, I have had NO assignments, thusfar.  I have three 3-day duty periods remaining, the first of which has been dropped EDNP (Emergency Drop, No Pay).  I suppose that it's possible I will be used in the remaining two blocks, especially as CS begins to "level" toward month's end.  Of course, now my March bid takes on new importance as I plan my return to ATL.

The trip to ATL this morning provided a reminder of just how unsettling it can be to travel under these circumstances.  From my Facebook timeline:

"The beauty of choice...

An oversold 50-seat regional jet which 24 hours ago had 30 open seats (explaining the 23 stand-bys)

OR

An empty Airbus where eager-to-please staff assign one an empty row in Economy Comfort?

Both depart and arrive within 5 minutes of each other.  Hmmmm. 

I'll select the option that represents the least stress and anxiety and be thankful to have the choice.

Upon landing in ATL, I learn that the oversold RJ  (with 23 stand-bys) which was scheduled to depart at 0715 will now leave at 1100. 


Glad I'm already here!"

TONY: EDNP

My Mom's health scare-related hospital stay has come to an end.  My brother took her home over the weekend and has been staying with her round-the-clock ever since.  She was diagnosed with 2 blood clots in her right lung and 1 in her right leg.  The fact that she survived long enough to be diagnosed and have treatment started means that she'll likely recover...but at a cost.  Mom will be taking daily blood-thinning injections in her abdomen and oral blood thinners for the next few weeks and will require frequent doctor visits and blood tests (to monitor the effects of the treatment.)  She's 75 years old, will need help at home (just north of ATL) and I have only the one sibling.  So....

My supervisor has offered to grant Emergency Drops/No Pay for the duty days that I need to take off to support my Mom and relieve my brother of sole responsibility.  To have my support be of any real significance, I need to be with her for a week or so, to start.  In looking at the remainder of my Reserve schedule for February, I've decided that my best course of action is to "bridge" 2 sets of days off by having my Supervisor EDNP a string of 3 duty days between my upcoming single day off and the following block of 2 off, giving me 6 off in a row.  Although I'm still waiting for Payroll to verify it, I'm guessing I'll lose 12 hours from my 83 hour Reserve guarantee to do so (4 hours for each of the 3 duty days missed).

This situation would be MUCH more manageable as a Lineholder as I could trip-trade and/or pick-up time later in the month to minimize the impact of the time off.  As it stands, I suppose I'll end the month with 71 hours rather than 83.

Oh well, the "unforeseen" is one reason I chose to do this experiement during Profit Sharing month!

TONY: CQ feels just the same when you're on Reserve!

I have to admit that, in the back of my mind, I wondered would CQ (the dreaded annual FAA-mandated recurrent [some say "redundant"] training that flight crews are required to complete) "feel" the same on Reserve as it does as a lineholder.  After all, it's likely the ONLY duty time I'll have to put it all month!  Surely, it must feel "different"!  It doesn't.

The relatively new AQP concepts used for CQ these days has really picked up the pace of the drudgery of reviewing the same topics year-after-year.  But other than the occasional, "hey, how's reserve going?", it felt no different than in years past.  I almost forgot that this was the first time in 30 years that I've attended CQ (formerly RT) as a Reserve.  As a matter of fact, I NEVER attended as a Reserve before.  When asked, "Now why, exactly, are you on Reserve?", I tried to explain my rationale so that it made some semblance of sense:  experimentation, proving/disproving the chatter about how awful it is, knowing the sCO Reserve system before being asked to vote for it or something different (i.e. the sUA "shared reserve" approach), etc.  Of course, I got one or two skeptical looks and cynical shakes of the head.

But the fact is that, as of 2/15, I'm halfway through the month and have yet to perform any F/A duties or even be contacted by Crew Scheduling.  The ONLY times I've spoken to a Schedule have been when I've called them.  I'm quite conscious of the fact that my results are FAR from representative of the typical Reserve experience.  Many of my R peers in domestic bases have been flying their a$$es off because of February's horrific weather systems.  In fact, many of my International-based Reserve colleagues have been pressed into service to cover the surfeit of uncovered domestic trips.  But not me.

I seem to have circumstance on my side; at least thusfar in the month.  When I return to my "Call Out" line on Monday, I am very near the bottom of the FIFO list and on Tuesday, as well, before going to another "day off".  Afterward, I will have 3 duty periods of 3 days each, during which I have 1 or 2 day off breaks that CS can "roll", if they see fit.  I may yet FLY in February!

But tomorrow, I'll be reporting back to IAHIT (Inflight Training Center) for CQ, Day 2, as scheduled.

CYBILL: HAVING A LIFE

An update on my schedule this month. I really am enjoying having a life and being able to make plans more than one time a month. Being able to sleep without having nightmares that I missed a call from scheduling is the best thing ever. 

I love the crews I'm flying with they are all very sweet and welcoming. I just can't wait until the day that I am holding a line in all bases. I'm enjoying this month more than anything in the world. 

TONY: Happy Valentine's Day!

At 1901LCL, I realized my phone was not going to ring.

The lovely Bordeaux that Philip bought for Valentine's Day was already breathing and I was relaxing.  With the first sip I thought, "I wonder if I'll get any closer to a trip this month than I just did?"

Up next:  a quiet evening at  home and CQ bright and early tomorrow.

Life is good!

TONY: "It's Valentine's Day. Can I be released?"

1750LCL (my duty period ends at 1900.)

"Scheduling, this is L.  May I have your employee #?"

"Hi L.  This is Anthony Reece, XX93 Tango."

"Hi Anthony.  What can I do for you?"

"Since I only have a little more than an hour left in my duty period and have CQ tomorrow, I was wondering if you could release me."

"Uh, we're really tight right now and you're #1 on the list.  I might have to use you for a pre-board later on this evening."

"Oh, OK.  Guess I'll just hang out for another hour or so, then.  Thanks!  Have a nice evening!"

"You too, Anthony."

My brushes with destiny are nothing if not eye-opening!

TONY: JUST ANOTHER DAY!

My 4 immovables were just that.  I'm back on duty at 1100 today and am good for only 1 day.  Ironically, this one day is as high as I'm likely to be on FIFO for the month; I'm #7.  I have scheduled CQ for tomorrow and Sunday, breaking my 5-day duty period in half.  When I come back on duty  Monday and Tuesday, I'm buried toward the middle to end of reserve availability.

When I printed my 2/16 payroll voucher I got a bit of a shock.  My "clean-up" pay was there as usual but the normal 25:00 flight hours showed "0" and "0.00" pay.  I called Crew Pay yesterday morning and they must really be busy.  Got a prompt to leave a message, which I did.  The return call came this morning.  In the meantime, I checked my "Pay" screen under "Schedule" in CCS.  It showed my February 2014 guarantee to be 0:00, except for the 5:00 hours credit I'm receiving for CQ.  Apparently, when the Crew Scheduler did my line trade with Cybill, she did so manually, trip-by-trip, resetting my guarantee to "0".  When she re-instated my line with the Reserve duty, the 83:00 hour Reserve guarantee was never updated.  So, I was only paid for my clean-up time from January.  SW in Crew Pay said she would immediately put in the claim for the missing 25:00 hours but that Payroll wouldn't act on it until Monday and it probably wouldn't be paid until Wednesday.  Oh well...

On another note, my Mom is experiencing a pretty significant health issue in North Georgia and was hospitalized on Wednesday.  Because of the weather, there was no way for me to get there since all flights to Atlanta were cancelled for the entire period I was off.  Although my brother lives only 50 miles away, he couldn't get to her either because of the non-emergency vehicle restriction declared by Georgia's governor.  Yesterday, he successfully drove the 50 miles in spite of the restriction (he and I certainly considered his trip an emergency, anyway) and that is a relief!  But this situation presents another interesting consideration for my Reserve experiment:

Since I go back on R duty today and will be on duty for the next 5 days, including CQ, I would have to ED some or all of those days to get to my Mom.  (ED is Emergency Drop and, under the circumstances, my Supervisor advises that it would be with NO pay.)  Both my Mom and Brother assure me that all is well there and that I shouldn't worry about it but that's easier said than done.  Each day I EDNP, I will have 4 credit hours deducted from my 83 hour guarantee.  It's easy to see how being a lineholder in this situation would be an obvious advantage over facing the same situation on reserve!

Some days I think that I'm living proof that no good deed goes unpunished.  Then, I take a deep breath and see it for what it really is:  just another bump in the road.  If it weren't this, it would be something else...maybe something more severe.  I will take it as it comes and be happy with what I have.

One more day of living a dream!

CYBILL: END OF TRIP 1

Time to head home (from FRA). Great trip and awesome crew. Now home for the week and back at it Saturday.

TONY: RESERVE PREFERENCE

I assume that many sCO lineholders are like me and have never seen a "Reserve Preference" screen display in CCS.  It's no big mystery really, you have 4 options:  Reserve No Preference (RNP), Request To Fly (RTF), Request Minimize Flying (RMF) and Airport Alert (AAA).  The first time you display it, your Reserve Preference screen is defaulted to RNP for all scheduled duty periods.  One has the option of changing preference for EACH duty period using a siimple "drop-down" menu.  In my experience, changes can be made until the acknowledgement window which occurs at about 2000 the night before a duty period begins.

Here's my current preference screen for February 2014:

Once the option to change preference is no longer available, the drop-down menu is replaced with the preference indicated.

I have CQ on my schedule for 2/15 and 2/16, so that 5 day duty period is pretty much a wash.

TONY: VACATION ON RESERVE

CORRECTION:  My assumption about CQ credit being added to my R guarantee is INCORRECT.  The 5 hours credit for CQ is included in my 83 hour base guarantee unless I actually fly more than 83 (which is exceedingly unlikely this month).  Thank you Rose O'Neall for the correction!

Two reasons that I chose to conduct my own Reserve experiment in February were:  (1) I have February CQ and (2) I don't have February vacation.  The CQ adds 5 additional hours to my guarantee since it is 2 days this year.  As for vacation, there are just too many variables that I didn't want to gamble with, such as:

"**RANT** As a reserve, I think it's unfair how if any of our days off touch our vacation days, we lose those days off. As a lineholder, if your trip touches your days off, they drop the trip(s). Especially if a reserve is awarded a line they didn't bid. **RANT OVER**.

• 
   True, but if we get a line with the same days off as our vacation, we "lose" them too.

  6 hours ago · Like
•  Is that sCO? That would suck!
• 6 hours ago · Like · 2
• yeah, sCO 

  6 hours ago · Like
• 
  
• AGREED!, We had a discussion about this on here about a month ago! This really needs to be addressed with the new contract. Vacation days need to be reinstated or the pay needs to be revisited.

  5 hours ago · Like · 5
•  It's kind of a rip off

  4 hours ago · Like
•  One time I paid for my additional week of vacation and it fell into my days off... couldn't slide... scheduling called it a "wash".... That is THE WORST!!! grrrr....

  2 hours ago · Like
•  Reserves can SLIDE VACATION after bid awards to maximize days off.

  about an hour ago · Like
•  Not if it is not possible for operational needs.... and holidays with low coverage... also in my case people told me line trade with another reserve... I had a crappy line and nobody wanted it

  3 minutes ago · Like
•  believe me I tried every means possible but it isn't always possible to slide a vacation.... that is why this is one issue that needs to be addressed in a new contract!!