The Golden Line

A line, that's all everyone talked about. What everyone said would change your life. A set schedule, knowing and being able to bid for your trips and layovers. The light at the end of the tunnel. 

Everyone congratulated me when I was finally awarded a line. Yet at the time, I still didn't know how I felt or what it meant exactly. After being on reserve for nine months, I finally had a system; I would wake up bright and early at 4 in the morning and head into the city around 5. I needed to be in San Francisco to be able to make the 2 hour call out. Two hours was the time frame crew scheduling would give me to be at the airport packed, in full compliance, checked in and ready to go. It was exhausting but I had no other choice since 2 hours was not enough time for me to commute to the airport, especially during rush hour. As soon as I got to the city, I would park by a hotel near the airport and sleep in my car until I was called. Not a very glamorous life, as I had been forewarned. Still, for me this was better then getting a crashpad, which was what most inflight commuters have. A crashpad is basically like a hostel for flight crewmembers. Multiple bunkbeds all crammed into a room with rent for a reasonable rate considering they are in major cities, in my case San Francisco. No thank you lol. 

I was RSA, which meant I was on-call from 3am to 3pm. Some days I wouldn't be called and other days I would be assigned airport reserve, which meant I would sit at the airport, standby for 6 hours incase there were any last minute call outs. I used to dread being called for those, until I realized I was getting paid to just sit there. I used that time to my full advantage ,bringing my laptop to edit photos for my fashion blog (guadaloops.blogspot.com), shop online, paint my nails and even whiten my teeth haha. 

When I was called for a trip assignment, I liked the spontaneity of not knowing where I was going to fly to or who my crew was. During the phone call, crew scheduling would literally tell me where I would be going and until I arrived at the airport I would meet my crew. I would pretty much always fly with a new crew which was bittersweet. There were times I clicked so well with the other flight attendants I was flying with and it felt like we had been friends forever, sharing secrets and going out together on our layovers creating wonderful memories. Other times, I couldn't wait for the trip to end because I couldn't stand someone haha. My suitcase was always packed for all sorts of weather since I never knew if I would be flying somewhere warm and sunny or to the cold wet snow. 

Somedays I would finally finish a trip only to be called upon landing, tagged to work another leg or turn. I was at the mercy of crew scheduling. When they needed to, I was used for all I could "legally" work, which sometimes included 16hour duty days. I'm not going to lie there were good and bad days. I distinctly remember having two full breakdowns during those nine months. One immediately starting off, it was my first trip and I had forgotten my password to check in. I panicked, it was a 0550 report, so early no one was there to help. By the time I called crew scheduling from the phone we are required to use for proper check in, they had marked me late. I felt so overwhelmed, defeated and frustrated and couldn't hold myself together. The second time, I had worked two red eye flights back to back thinking I was going to get the last day we got in off. We landed at 2am, which if you are a line holder counts that you worked that day. For me, this was not the case. As soon as everyone deplaned I received a phone call from crew scheduling, assigning me an LA turn later that day. I was shocked, it was 2am and I was still okay to work later that day?? According to the scheduler, he was giving me enough notice and my 9 hours of rest. I was exhausted and still had to drive an hour to get home. Calculate my commute for the next day and I was only going to be resting less than five hours. I could have screamed at the poor man, but I knew it would not change anything. I kept my composure and just cried quietly on the shuttle to my car. Although being on reserve was quite a rollercoaster ride, my crew members always made up for it. Everyone was always so kind and encouraging and we could all vent and relate since being on reserve was something everyone went through. Add in probation and it was quite a stressful period. 

Probation was the 6 months that followed after earning your wings. It is a time frame where I was only allowed two (now they have changed it to three) strikes. Strikes would be given for pretty much anything; being late, calling in sick, sleeping and missing a call from crew scheduling, etc. It was very strict, and sadly people trickled along the way. I was barely able to get by with one strike, which I obtained for being late once, which lead to me sleeping in my car... right next to the airport.

Now, being a line holder is a whole different world. Crew scheduling rarely calls unless to advise of a flight delay or cancelation. When your trip is finished, you are done. I am able to swap, pick up and drop trips. I know where I am flying to a month in advance so I can pack accordingly and have a personal life. I can request certain cities I want to layover in as well as request days off. I am so excited to get Christmas off this year. I am still in disbelief. It is crazy because just last year I was flown out to sit reserve the entire Christmas week at the JFK hotel. Which might not sound too terrible, but I was on-call from 9am to 9pm. I couldn't even leave the hotel to go into the city since it took 1 hour. I felt like a princess locked away in a tower miles and miles away from my family... aka the Hilton lol.

To any reserves out there, you got this! It will be worth it, I promise <3