Was cruising through my Facebook newsfeed this morning and ran across this comment to a post that I thought might be an interesting addition to this "informational" blog.
The OP (original post) was from a F/A who was submitting a transfer to the Newark/Intl base. He asked for general information about life for Reserves there, parking, tips, etc. A friend who's been there for a while responded as follows:
"Best base to be reserve by far....I've had one quick call in 2 years, barely sit AA (never put no preference)...November is awful cause lineholders are working their balls off for Xmas money. I had one trip all month. Summer is rad, winter is ok...my class has hard lines Domestic in like, every sub base but I wouldn't trade NTA for anything. One leg a day. One. No sit time, no hotel confusion. Worst case scenario you go to London and wait 30-45 min for a room with croissants and coffee...best years of my life. NTA reserve. "
The response made me think just how subjective a topic like "Reserve" can be! So many factors determine one's overall impression of the experience. I tend to believe that "base" can be the most influential "determiner" of all, as my friend so eloquently illustrates. There's likely a correlation to the length of time that one can expect to be on Reserve in those more desirable, less volatile bases as well; bases like Houston and Newark/Intl.
In my own experience, I could reaonsably expect to be paid for a month where I didn't fly a single trip in the Houston/Intl base in February. The experience would be far different in the Houston/Dom base: not only would I expect to fly, I would expect to be DHed to other bases to sit AAA due to weather-related operational issues.
In summary, the uncertainties and lack of control that one feels on Reserve, in general, are just compounded when sitting Reserve in a domestic base, as opposed to an international one.
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