I get so many questions about being a flight attendant. Do we pay for the hotel rooms when we overnight? Do we have to share rooms with other flight attendants? Do we fly with the same crew? Do we get to pick our schedules and where we go? The most popular, “what is your route?” (That one is my favorite.) Today I’m going to cover what is reserve. I often tell my clients (flight attendant hopefuls) to expect to be on reserve at the beginning of their flight attendant career, being on reserve is the most difficult part of the job; and the good news is it doesn’t last forever.
WHAT EXACTLY IS RESERVE?
The best way to explain the concept of reserve is working an “on-call” shift. When we think of typical jobs that work an on-call schedule, medical and first responders jobs come to mind. Many positions in the aviation industry operate this way including gate agents, ramp agents, and pilots alike. We all know the concept of being on-call. You keep your cell phone near you at all times during your on-call duty and you wait for someone to call and tell you you are needed at work for the day. EVERY flight attendant starts on reserve, regardless of airline and/or base (assigned airport work location). The standard call out time is two hours before our report time. For example, if you are on reserve on July 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25th, you are working a 5-day bucket and each day can be called during your duty time. The airline I work have two reserve shifts. Reserve 1 (RES1) which is 04:00 - 16:00 and Reserve 2 (RES 2) 09:00 - 21:00. [Side note, if you don’t know these times mentioned, you must know the 24-hour clock when entering into the industry.] Some airlines have a 24-hour reserve shift from 00:00 - 23:59 shift. Getting back to the five day example…let’s say I’m on RES 1 for those five days. My company can call me anytime between 4am and 4pm to work. Legally [due to Federal Aviation Association (FAA) work rules and regulated rest period) my company cannot call me outside of those perimeters. On day 1 (July 21) they can call me to work that one day or all the way up to the 25th since those are my scheduled work days. Trips are assigned between one day and go up to six days. My company build trips with a maximum of four days. Some companies build 5 day trips. While others only have three-day trips. FAA regulations require us to have 12 hour rest period on the 7th day. If my company calls me at 5:00 am on July 21, I am not required to report to work until 7:00 am at the least. In fact, I am currently working a reserve schedule. This morning our scheduling department called me at 07:06 with a trip on my schedule with a report time of 14:46. I am scheduled to work a 2-day trip. I am being deadheaded (flying as a passenger) to Nashville (BNA) and then I work one flight back to Chicago tomorrow. Now that is not a bad deal (in my opinion). While my company has a two hour call out, some airlines (depending on city/base) may offer a three and four hour call out; which is usually larger cities like Los Angeles and New York. However, two hour is pretty much industry standard.
HOW LONG IS A FLIGHT ATTENDANT ON RESERVE?
This is an age old question which depends on the airline, the base, and flight attendant seniority. As I previously mentioned ALL new flight attendants start on reserve. Some airlines require all flight attendant hired after a certain date to work six days of reserve a month. Six days of reserve monthly is not that bad, but one can very well be on reserve their entire career. Some airline bases that are considered senior have flight attendants that have been on reserve for 20 plus years. Some airlines require one month on reserve and one month off and some require three months on and three months off. When I started I was on reserve for three months in Chicago. Today new flight attendants are averaging nine months on reserve in my base while other bases are less. Most airlines have a trip board where flight attendants can post trips they don’t want to work; or there are company trips that don’t have a full crew assigned. Some airlines allow reserve flight attendants to pick up those trips. Most flight attendants would prefer to work so they are not siting around bored (specifically if they don’t live in base), or sitting in the crash pad. While someone like me, in my current situation, I welcome not getting called out. I have a friend/client, that was on reserve based in Chicago when she first started. She submitted a transfer to Orlando (after 6 months of being hired based on company policy) because she heard Orlando was a junior base and most flight attendants had a line (a pre-planned schedule). She received her transfer and is no longer on reserve. If she had stayed in Chicago, she could very well sill be on reserve. Some airlines allow FAs to transfer bases as often as they like as long as there is space available in the base and there is a need. Some airlines require one transfer every 6 months; and some airlines have specific times a year they allow transfers. So where you are based and your seniority will determine how long you are on reserve.
WHAT IS THE PAY WHILE ON RESERVE?
While sitting on reserve a flight attendant earns a guarantee monthly pay. I would say the average is about 76 hours a month. Ive seen as low at 72 hours and as high as 82. Each airline is different and of course contracts constantly change. When I started, reserve guarantee was 74 hours a month; now it’s 76. Flight attendants also earn an hourly per diem (time away from base) which averages about $2.00 per hour. If a flight attendant is sitting on reserve and not actually flying they are not earning the per diem which can sometimes be an extra $200 a trip. Often, FAs pick up trips on their off days to earn extra money. Additionally, some airlines allow flight attendants to list themselves to be called first on the reserve list. Flight attendants look forward to “breaking” guarantee (working above the guaranteed hours) as some airlines offer additional pay or stipends when they work above guarantee. Some airlines do not offer additional pay, however the flight attendant then earns their regular hourly wage when working trips that put them above guarantee. Let’s just say most flight attendants would definitely prefer to be working than sitting on reserve as the final pay can be unpredictable. I don’t think anyone likes unpredictable earnings.
WHAT DOES A FLIGHT ATTENDANT DO WHILE ON RESERVE
The pros and cons of being on reserve depends on the individual flight attendant. One of the primary factors to consider….if the flight attendant lives in base or not. Being on reserve, I think, can be stressful at times. When a flight attendant doesn’t live in base, they have to pack and be prepared for any type of weather for on and off duty situations. A reserve flight attendant not living in base has to be flexible and prepared for any circumstance. For example, let’s say you live in LA and due to early fall, its a nice warm 75 degrees and you are based in New York where the temps are 50 degrees then you get called to work to Atlanta, or even Spain where it is 80 degrees. Then you also get placed on a trip within the same reserve days that takes you to Toronto where it is 35 degrees. Let me just say that is surely possible and has happened. In this situation, the flight attendant has to pack the appropriate uniform pieces for weather conditions, as well as pack for what they may want to do off duty; like any sightseeing or sitting by the pool. This example can be a challenge. If you live in base, you can sit at home and do whatever you want while you are awaiting to be called and have items prepared to pack based on assigned schedule. Now that I live in base, reserve life is not as stressful. I don’t have to pre-pack and I live close enough to the airport where if I get called I have an hour to prepare. While I’m waiting to get called, I go to the gym and do all the things I normally do around the house. However, when I first became a flight attendant I didn’t live in base. I was living in California while based in Chicago but lucky enough to have an aunt that lived near the airport so I stayed at her house. The days I didn’t get called was great. We would go to breakfast or lunch and sometimes even to the movies. Once I did get called while at the movies. I would mostly hang at her house. Most flight attendants usually rent a crash pad (a communal living space) which can cost on an average of $300 a month depending on city. Of course whatever I did to occupy my time, I had to make sure I could make it to the airport within the two hour timeframe if I was in fact called. I enjoyed not getting called as it allowed me to spend time with my family. Not everyone has that luxury when they live outside of base. Let me say currently I am enjoying being on reserve.
I hope this provides a better understanding of what reserve life is like. One thing I’ve learned and explain to people there are nuances to this industry and a lot to learn and adjustments. If you have any other questions about reserve life, need more information about becoming a flight attendant or flight attendant life, visit my website flygirlschool.com and schedule some time for us to have a chat. I like to provide as much information as I can to my clients as while this can be a rewarding career with excellent travel benefits, it takes some serious life adjustments.